Defining review vs validation

Reviewing and validating a specification serve different but complementary purposes in the product development process. A review focuses on internal quality. It checks whether every section of the document is clear, consistent, and technically feasible. The goal is to confirm that requirements are complete, measurable, and aligned with the project’s objectives before any design or build work begins. During this step, teams look for missing details, conflicting descriptions, and assumptions that could lead to confusion later.

Validation, by contrast, examines whether the proposed product solution will work for real users. It connects the written specification with real-world behavior by testing how people interact with prototypes or early concepts. A validated specification gives evidence that what is planned is not only technically correct but also valuable and usable. This process helps teams confirm that they are building the right product, not just building it correctly.