🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the inefficiencies and impeded knowledge transfer arising from fragmented verification and validation (V&V) practices at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). To overcome these challenges, this work proposes a unified V&V architecture grounded in human-centered design. By decoupling methodologies while maintaining a common attribute set, the architecture achieves bidirectional traceability through relational design and platform-independent SysML modeling. Furthermore, it establishes a comprehensive toolchain by integrating the Jama platform, modular templates, and digital thread technologies. This research effectively balances engineering rigor with agility, facilitating process automation, pattern reuse, and efficient cross-project collaboration. Ultimately, it provides a scalable and unified paradigm for the V&V of complex systems.
📝 Abstract
Verification and validation practices (V&V) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have diverged over the past decade, creating fragmentation that increases overhead, reduces cross-project efficiencies, and inhibits institutional knowledge transfer. We present a unified V&V activity schema developed through human-centered design workshops involving 29 practitioners across multiple mission types and disciplines. The schema builds on a relationship-based architecture that allows for separating methods (Test, Analysis, Inspection, Demonstration, and Review of Design) while maintaining a common attribute set. Formalized as a platform-agnostic SysML model, the schema defines bidirectional relationships between requirements, V&V activities, venues, and evidence. Implementation in JPL's Jama platform demonstrates controlled customization through templates and modular item types, balancing rigor with agility while enabling automations, pattern reuse, and digital thread integration.