5. Getting it Right: The Importance of Verification and Validation
For a simulation to be trustworthy, analysts must be confident that it is both built correctly and is an accurate representation of the real system. This is achieved through two crucial processes: verification and validation.
| Verification: Did we build the model right? | Validation: Did we build the right model? |
| Verification is the process of comparing the model’s implementation to the developer’s conceptual description and specifications. It ensures the model is accurate and consistent with its design documents, essentially checking for programming or logic errors. | Validation is the process of comparing the model’s results with the results from the real system. It determines how accurately the model represents the actual system, ensuring our conclusions will be meaningful. |
Once a model has been properly verified and validated, it can be confidently applied to solve real-world problems.