Developing a Theoretical Basis for Validation in Systems Engineering

The primary goal of systems engineering is to develop a solution that best satisfies the needs of stakeholders. Validation is the process of checking if the developed solution satisfies the needs of the stakeholders. Current validation practices lack theoretical foundations and measurable ways to quantify validity. This paper serves as a preliminary step toward establishing mathematical bases for validation in systems engineering. To ensure the correct and accurate validity of the system of interest, several artifacts throughout the system life cycle must be considered, including but not limited to stakeholders’ needs, requirements, design, verification, etc. This paper formally characterizes validation in terms of these artifacts using propositional logic as the foundation. Theoretical insights relating artifact validities to overall system validity are derived through formal proofs. By formalizing validation concepts, metrics, and integrations between phases like needs, design, and verification, this paper enables quantification of validity and optimal planning of validation strategies.