VALIDATION

Requirements validation involves ensuring the requirements are ready for implementation or ensuring
an implemented solution solves the business problem. In formal organizations where the requirements
are viewed as a contract, validation involves the business formally signing-off on the requirements and
the implementation team formally accepting them as buildable.

Structured Walk-Through

A common validation technique involves doing a page-by-page walk-through of the requirements

document while encouraging questions and comments to surface potential issues. The reality of our
busy office lives is that people are much more likely to actively engage with a document when a walk-
through takes place and they hear comments from others than when they review it independently. Also,
one comment tends to generate another and everyone benefits from the critical thinking of others in
the room.
Structured walk-throughs are most often used when the requirements document needs to be approved
or baselined before implementation can begin. They are intended to ensure representatives from
business and IT have a common understanding of the project scope. These meetings can often become
collaborative as stakeholders across the project team work to understand the requirements and the
solution.

Demo

A demo involves showing working software to project stakeholders and subject matter experts to
validate that what is built meets their needs. Demos are very powerful because when people see how
things will work they can often provide the most valuable feedback. Demos can be the source of
requirement clarifications and new requirements.
Using wire-framing tools enables a business analyst to simulate a demo by mocking up potential screens
and conducting a walk-through of the look and feel, navigation, and layout of the screens. Simulated
demos can provide valuable feedback early in the requirements process and are especially useful in
minimizing requirements changes downstream.
Demos are also useful when the solution involves selecting one of several available software packages or
services. Demos can be used to compare solutions and the organization might choose to pilot one or
more solutions before making a final selection.

User acceptance testing (UAT)

User acceptance testing involves having the intended users of the system use the working software in a
demo environment to validate it meets their needs and supports their business processes. Unlike a
demo, in which the business analyst uses the software to show a pre-defined path, user acceptance
testing unleashes users on the system. UAT is often structured around specific business process
scenarios that form the business-facing test cases. UAT goes beyond functional testing in that it tests the
software and business process in conjunction and helps flesh out any missing requirements or
overlooked business process and training issues before deployment.
UAT can be led by quality assurance, business analysis, project management, or a primary stakeholder
within the business. As a business analyst, you might be asked to provide input in terms of the business
process scenarios. You might also be involved in vetting the new requirements that surface during UAT.