Over the last few posts, we’ve made a point to clarify that IV&V is an ongoing process. Still, there are periodic expectations that need to be met. Today, we’re looking at some of the common deliverables you can expect from an IV&V provider.
As always, the unique nature of a particular business or IV&V team can create some variation. However, these common deliverables should show up in one way or another, even if they look a little bit different:
In Person Presentations
The IV&V team will make presentations to stakeholders (and sometimes other staff) about progress, recommendations, and other updates. This is an opportunity for discussion and clarification for both parties.
These presentations will, of course, be different depending on the stage of development and the issues at hand. It may focus on planning, on problem areas within a team, on what’s going well… And even on catastrophic problems within the development that could put the whole project at risk. It ultimately depends on the findings of the IV&V team.
Presentations should happen multiple times over the lifecycle of development. Regardless of the nature of the presentation, it should include an overall review of progress made and upcoming steps.
Status Reports
Beyond in person meetings and presentations, written (or digital) status reports will be provided periodically. Reports can be an overview of the project for stakeholders, or highly specific documents for departments – and even individuals.
The reports cover a wide variety of topics. They may include instructions for meeting compliance requirements, or simply be a company-wide notice that development is moving the next phase. The purpose is to connect teams and departments, providing valuable information at critical phases of the project.
These reports also let people know if certain elements of the project need to be put on hold, if things require further review, and so on.
Summary Reports
Summary reports are sent out as separate documentation. These reports focus on the work that has been done, what has been fixed, and the steps taken to achieve project goals. These reports function to keep everyone on the same page, and act as a backlog of work done for reference.
Through a series of summary reports, any leader in the organization can get an overview of the IV&V process. If there’s ever a question about what has been addressed, if tests were performed, etc. – the summary reports contain the answer.
Findings
Likely the most important deliverable, IV&V teams must report the findings of their evaluations. Detailed findings and the resulting recommendations provide the most value of the IV&V process. This is where experts identify problems, pinpoint compliance issues, ensure stakeholder and customer value, and so much more.
Without detailed findings, there can be no specific actions to take. Throughout the development process, and well into deployment, verification and validation are critical. Test results, feedback from users, and careful analysis all come together as detailed findings – and act as keystone information for improvement.
Actionable Measures
The findings gathered must be put to good use. The other essential deliverable of IV&V comes in the form of recommendations and an actionable guidelines. IV&V needs to lead to action!
Such reports and recommendations can span departments, all depending on what needs to be done. Some instructions may be specific code fixes, while others may be about UI. Still other action items might be adjusting training language or delivery methods. This is all about fine tuning.
Different phases require action. That means waves of this type of instruction. Actions may be large or small, but are all critical to development. Identifying problems – and tackling them – is the core goal of IV&V.
To learn more about what to expect from an IV&V team, the deliverables, and how your project can be improved, contact us today!
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