ABSTRACT
Validation and testing can be very complex, with the earlier steps in the process not particularly visible to the business. The validation and testing phase brings to light a fundamental difference in philosophy regarding testing for the project, the aim of all the testing is to uncover errors and find all of them. For the project team, validation and testing is often the most stressful part of the project. However, because it is not possible to predict which tests may fail, it is not possible to cover all contingencies in terms of how the validation and testing activities will work out in practice. As the projects validation and testing activity nears completion in terms of the internal testing, it shifts across to focusing on achieving acceptance of the deliverables by the business. It is possible that no one has realised this in the intervening period, and only now does the validation and testing finally uncover this.
