Software validation mainly checks for inconsistencies between

Key idea: Software validation checks for inconsistencies between detailed specifications and user requirements.

• Validation: 'Are we building the right product?' — ensures the detailed specifications reflect the user requirements. Typical activities include requirement/spec reviews, acceptance testing, and prototype evaluation.

• Verification: 'Are we building the product right?' — ensures the implementation matches design and technical specifications (often checked via code reviews, unit/integration tests).

• Why the correct answer is 'detailed specifications and user requirements': Validation specifically compares what is planned to be built (the detailed specification) with what the user actually needs (the requirements). If these are inconsistent, the delivered software may not satisfy users.

Example: If a user requirement calls for exporting data to CSV but the detailed specification omits that feature, validation will flag this inconsistency so it can be corrected before implementation.