The value of an Agile approach to Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) for acquisition

Abstract

IV&V is common in both the public and private sector and can range from a risk mitigation strategy to a requirement levied by a safety board or law. IV&V is performed by a team of analysts independent from the development team. The end goal of a second set of eyes on the system under development is to ensure the system satisfies its mission objectives and add assurance of mission success. This paper focuses on addressing the challenges that come with providing software IV&V for cyber-physical systems being developed for the federal government using an agile implementation. Another focus area this paper will address is how an Agile IV&V approach not only allows the IV&V team to be more in phase with the software development activity, providing more focused and timely assurance, and it reinforces the focus on rapid incremental delivery of working products by the enterprise. Observations from Agile IV&V implementations in the federal government and the DoD will be provided, demonstrating the value this Agile IV&V approach provides the program office and a reason to view IV&V as more of an informative partner rather than a burden on the program or as a necessary requirement of the acquisition process. This paper will also highlight how program offices can leverage the beneficial perspective of IV&V to influence the future in a proactive and timely manner rather than correct the past.