2007, Q6 - Question on Testing

[PJW]

P&P,

So to be clear, in order to fully answer the question concisely within the allotted time, would you suggest scaling back the content relating to testing and concentrate more on design and installation quality assurance and product approval? There is a lot to write about this topic so keeping it concise would be a challenge.

You need to demonstrate that "Verification and Validation" is much wider than just testing.
On the basis that I believe that in cases of doubt that BREADTH is more important than DEPTH, then yes scale back detail of content re testing.
In the maintenance context then really it very largely ONLY site testing for verification; this in itself is perhaps the most significant difference and hence one of the main things that the question was seeking.

I would expect that a good answer would at least touch upon;
a) Client business needs as expressed via Project Specification / User Requiements
b) Derivation of the Functional / Non-Functional / Interface Requirements that define the project
c) Traceability of these, the assignment / apportioning to the various sub-systems, products
d) Detailed independent checking of design
e) Overview review of design concept, compatibility check of interfaces
f) Analysis, Modelling, Simulation etc
g) Enviromental and other qualification tests for items of novel equipment, pilot trials etc
Quality control of materials, Quality Assurance of products,
h) Certificates of Conformity of Equipment
j) Individual subsystems off-site verification test of software and hardware
k) Software and hardware integration for each sub-system separately
l) Integration of various sub-systems so that they operate together as a larger system
m) Verification that the complete system meets the design requirements both functionally and for RAMS etc. (which may well require a period of time after being taken into operational service to fully demonstrate)
n) Validation that the the implemented system fulfills the actual need which initiated its specification in the first place
p) Experience of operational use: support- spares, training, reliability growth etc

However having painted the broad brush picture of "the full Monty" and indicated how much of this applied in the scemnarios listed, would definitely concentrate on illustrating what this theoretical description would mean in reality and particularly concentrate on the activities that are most relevant to a traditional signalling system and therefore give examples that relate primarily to the site testing phase (as indeed you did in your answer).