Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) is a set of Verification and Validation activities performed by a certified entity that is not under the control of the organization that is developing the software.

Verification: Ensuring the product is built right.

Validation: Ensuring the right product is built.

Early detection: IV&V identifies both problems and opportunities for improvement to processes and work products early on, so that corrections and improvements can be made before the consequences become major.

When your project large, complex, or mission-critic.

If the project manager and/or project team working with new technology or new methodologies.

When your customers expect a high level of accuracy and quality in the final product(s) of your project.

The project has high visibility and will be scrutinized, or used as a template for future projects.

A high-level outline of the process followed includes:

An in-depth review of the foundational project documents (charter, scope statement, business case justification)

A review of the project status document, meeting minutes, various planning documents (project plan, requirements, communication plan, risk management information, regulatory compliance plans, test plans and acceptance criteria, etc.)

Interviews with the project sponsor, stakeholders, and various team members.

What are the benefits of performing Independent Validation and Verification (IV&V) on a software project? Though there are many, we routinely cite three primary benefits:

Improved quality: IV&V improves the quality of project work products and processes. These improvements come not only through early detection of errors, but through proactive prevention of errors.

Lower cost: By detecting errors, problems, and opportunities for improvement at the earliest possible points, IV&V can significantly reduce the overall cost of an IT project.

IV&V Cost Estimates by Project Size

Under $1 Million: Typically range from 10% to 15% of the total project cost.

$1 Million to $5 Million: Generally fall within 7% to 12% of the total project cost.

Over $10 Million: I Usually range from 5% to 10% of the total project cost.

These estimates provide a general idea of the IV&V costs based on different project sizes. The exact percentage can vary depending on the specifics and complexity of each project.