Verification and Validation in Software Testing: Definitions, Distinctions, and Practical Implications

In software quality assurance, the terms verification and validation are frequently conflated, yet they describe two fundamentally different evaluation activities. Confusing them is not merely a terminological error. It leads to incomplete test strategies, undetected defects, and products that meet their written specifications while failing to serve the people who use them. This article defines both terms precisely, explains the methods associated with each, and illustrates their differences through a concrete engineering scenario.