TABLE OF CONTENTS In the prior chapters we have explored the V words, offered clear (but not necessarily universally accepted) definitions, described the related work that must be done, and offered documentation templates for corresponding planning and reports. Generally, the content has recognized the system engineering and management concepts extant at the time the book was originally written (1995 1997). While writing the book, however, the author reached some conclusions about the status quo that he would prefer to share with others. These matters have a bearing on the performance of V&V work, but some of them also spread out over the whole systems approach as well.
Hopefully, this book will bring attention to some of the vocabulary differences between hardware and software people and encourage closure toward a common vocabulary for systems. The development of products to satisfy our very complex needs continues to be a very difficult process and promises to become more so rather than less because our past successes encourage us to take on more and more complex problems. As we solve difficult problems we become aware of the fact that our past solutions were but subsets of grander problems, encouraging us to merge multiple systems by automating their interfaces. In order to avoid development-retarding forces, we should move to reach agreement on a common vocabulary across the widening hardware-software abyss. It is of absolutely no consequence which...
