The manufacturer was notified and subsequent Errata were published and distributed to those users who had purchased the NQA-1 quality assurance option. The omission of this data could have significant impact on the potential for process-piping failures. Documentation is required for each of these phases. Although it is absolutely imperative that an SQA program involve the entire life-cycle of the software, for the purpose of this Bulletin, the verification and validation phases will be emphasized. These activities are performed for each system configuration which may impact the software.
Testing is the primary method of software validation.
Calculations may be performed by hand or by utilizing other independent preverified computer programs. As changes and modifications are made in the field, to meet site-specific needs, the verification and validation testing activities may not always be performed rigorously. It is tempting to sacrifice the testing and documenting activities for expediency. However, the need for safety and the assurance that the software only performs the functions for which it was intended and furthermore, does not perform any unintended function, overrides any short term expediencies. It is noteworthy that in the long run the cost of controls placed at each software life-cycle phase is less than that for rewriting and reconfiguring the preceding phase.