Development Activity Differences

Requirements and Product Design

Very Low: Little detail with many To-Be-Determines. Little verification. Minimal QA, CM, draft user manual, or test plans. Minimal preliminary design review.
Low: Basic information, verification. Frequent To-Be-Determines. Basic QA, CM, standards, draft user manual, or test plans.
Nominal: Nominal or average project verification and validation activities.
High: Detailed verification, QA, CM, standards, preliminary design review, documentation. Detailed test plans and procedures.
Very High: Detailed verification, QA, CM, standards, preliminary design review, documentation. Independent verification and validation interface. Very detailed test plans and procedures.

Detailed Design

Very Low: Basic design information. Minimal QA, CM, draft user manual, test plans. Informal design inspections.
Low: Moderate detail. Basic QA, CM, draft user manual, or test plans.
Nominal: Nominal or average project verification and validation activities.
High: Detailed verification, QA, CM, standards, critical design review, documentation. Detailed test plans and procedures.
Very High: Detailed verification, QA, CM, standards, critical design review, documentation. Very thorough design inspections. Very detailed test plans and procedures. Independent verification and validation interface.

Code and Unit Test

Very Low: No test procedures. Minimal path testing or standards checking. Minimal QA or CM. Minimal I/O and off-nominal tests. Minimal user manual.
Low: Minimal test procedures. Partial path testing and standards checking. Basic QA, CM, and user manual. Partial I/O and off-nominal tests.
Nominal: Nominal or average project verification and validation activities.
High: Detailed test procedures, QA, CM, documentation. Extensive off-nominal tests.
Very High: Detailed test procedures, QA, CM, documentation. Very thorough code inspections. Very extensive off-nominal tests. Independent verification and validation interface.

Integration and Test

Very Low: No test procedures. Many requirements untested. Minimal QA and CM. Minimal stress or off-nominal tests. Minimal as-built documentation.
Low: Minimal test procedures. Frequent requirements untested. Basis QA, CM, and User manual. Partial stress and off-nominal tests.
Nominal: Nominal or average project verification and validation activities.
High: Detailed test procedures, QA, CM, or documentation. Extensive stress and off-nominal tests.
Very High: Very detailed test procedures, QA, CM, and documentation. Very extensive stress and off-nominal tests. Independent verification and validation interfaces.