Validation & Verification#

Does it actually meet intent?

Validation answers the question “did we build the right thing?” while verification answers “did we build the thing right?” Both are essential and different. A circuit can pass every electrical test and still fail to meet the actual need it was designed for. This subsection covers systematic approaches to confirming that a design works — not just electrically, but in context.

This section intentionally overlaps with the Measurement & Test section of the notebook. The difference is perspective: Measurement & Test focuses on instruments and techniques; Validation & Verification focuses on the design process of confirming that requirements are met. Both perspectives are needed.

What This Section Covers#

• Functional Validation — Testing whether the system actually does what it was designed to do, traced back to requirements.
• Environmental Testing — Confirming the design works outside the controlled conditions of the lab bench.
• Margin Testing — Pushing beyond nominal conditions to find where the design actually breaks.
• Regression Testing Across Revisions — Ensuring that changes and fixes don’t break what previously worked.
• Documentation of Test Results — Recording test outcomes so they remain useful beyond the moment they were measured.
• Feeding Data Back into Design — Closing the loop between test findings and design improvements.