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8.2The Core Distinction
| Aspect | Verification | Validation |
|---|---|---|
| Question answered | "Are we building the product right?" | "Are we building the right product?" |
| Focus | Conformance to specification | Conformance to user needs |
| Timing | During development (reviews, inspections, unit tests) | After build (UAT, beta testing, usability testing) |
| Approach | Static and dynamic analysis against specs | User testing, acceptance testing, real-world usage |
| Who performs | Developers, QA engineers, peer reviewers | End users, product owners, beta testers |
The Classic Example
A development team builds a login system. They follow the specification exactly:
- Email field accepts valid email format
- Password must be at least 8 characters
- Successful login redirects to /dashboard
- Failed login shows an error message
Verification confirms: Yes, the code implements the spec correctly. All unit tests pass. Code review found no issues. The login page behaves exactly as specified.
Validation reveals: Users expected to log in with their phone number, not email. The spec never mentioned phone-based login because the product owner assumed email was obvious. The product passes verification but fails validation.