Cost Effective VV&A: Get Credit for What You're Already Doing

Abstract : The vast majority of software engineers are conscientious professionals who work hard to convince themselves that their software does the right thing and works correctly. But they almost never write down what they do so that they can convince someone else. The work they do is, in essence, verification and validation. Part of the problem is that developers often don't think of what they do as "V&V", they may or may not be focused on the M&S application requirements, and if it's not documented then they can't get credit for it, anyway. This paper describes a cost-effective VV&A approach centered on the capability, accuracy and usability of M&S. This approach focuses V&V activities on accreditation requirements by formalizing an intended use statement by the ultimate M&S user. The approach also facilitates making best use of activities that already are ongoing during the development of the software. We identify some useful tips for low cost informal documentation of V&V information required to support an accreditation.