Maintaining verification test consistency between executable specifications and embedded software in a virtual system integration laboratory environment

The root causes of the majority of software defects discovered during the integration test phase of an embedded system development project have been attributed to errors in understanding and implementing requirements. The independence that typically exits between the system and software development processes provides ample opportunity for the introduction of these types of faults. This paper shows a viable method of verifying object software using the same tests created to verify an executable specification-based system design from which the software is developed. If the object software passes the same tests used to verify the system design, it can be said that the software has correctly implemented all of the known system requirements. This method enables the discovery of functional faults prior to the system integration test phase of a project. Previous research has shown that finding software faults early in the development cycle not only improves software assurance, but also reduces software development expense and time.