8.5Why Both Matter

A product can pass all verification checks and still fail validation. This happens frequently:

Scenario 1: Feature Nobody Uses

The team builds a complex reporting dashboard with 50 charts. Every chart renders correctly (verification passes). But users only need 3 of those charts, and the interface is so cluttered they cannot find them (validation fails).

Scenario 2: Correct but Confusing

The error message "Authentication failed: INVALID_CREDENTIALS_401" is technically accurate (verification passes). But users do not understand what it means or what to do next (validation fails). "Incorrect email or password. Try again or reset your password." would pass both.

Scenario 3: Spec Was Wrong

The specification says "display prices in USD." The implementation correctly shows USD prices (verification passes). But the product is launching in Europe, and users expect EUR (validation fails — the spec itself was wrong).