Verification, Validation, and Testing of Engineered Systems

3.3 VVT ACTIVITIES DURING USE/MAINTENANCE

The purpose of the system Use and Maintenance phase is to operate the system in its actual anticipated user environment and to fulfill its intended purposes. During this phase, the system requires a variety of VVT activities as routine operations performed either automatically by the system (e.g., BIT) or manually by operators and maintenance personnel (e.g., daily checking of the assembly line, yearly checking of an automobile). Such activities are conducted as a scheduled preventive maintenance or whenever problems occur. The appropriateness of all such maintenance operations should be verified prior to actually conducting any maintenance activity. In addition, the proper behavior of the systems undergoing maintenance should also be verified.

3.3.1 Develop VVT Plan for System Maintenance

Objective

The objective of this activity is to plan the VVT activities during the system Use/Maintenance phase.

Description

The longest system lifecycle phase is, normally, Use/Maintenance. During this phase all necessary VVT activities are accomplished to sustain the fielded system in the most cost-effective manner possible. During this phase, modifications and product improvements are usually implemented to update and maintain the required levels of operational capability as technologies and users’ desires evolve. The following covers maintenance concepts, maintenance types, maintenance cost, maintenance obstacles and the role of the VVT engineer ...