What is the difference between verification and validation in QA?
- verification
- validation
- quality assurance
Answer it first, then compare. Nothing here is saved or scored.
Model answer
Verification: "Are we building the product right?", does the implementation match the specification? (code reviews, unit tests, static analysis). Validation: "Are we building the right product?", does the product meet the user's actual needs? (user acceptance testing, beta testing, usability testing). A feature can pass verification (matches spec perfectly) but fail validation (the spec was wrong, and users don't want it). QA should care about both, don't just test against the spec, question whether the spec makes sense.
What interviewers listen for
- Risk-based prioritisationYou can defend skipping coverage on a path because the risk maths supports it.
- Test design fluencyYou apply equivalence partitioning and decision tables to concrete inputs in real time.
- Metric judgmentYou distinguish between metrics that drive learning and metrics that drive theatre.
- Strategy under constraintYou can produce a defensible plan when the team has half the time and twice the scope.