Within small systems the critical phase of a design is when the system is initially tested and evaluated, i.e., at the point when the system is "powered-up" and functionally tested.
Test and evaluation are synonymous with experiment and theory are in scientific analysis.
However, with large and complex systems the costs of building physical models for example, prototypes, etc., becomes prohibitive; due partly because of the cost of the test equipment design which can be as complex and usually even more complex than the system under test.
Mathematical models and simulations shall be used to evaluate how the system will react to all combinations of inputs. However, it shall be necessary in safety critical systems to test areas which cause doubt in the prediction(s).
Measures of time and error will provide how well the operators and equipment meet their specification requirements. These will, therefore, form the basis of the instrumentation of the tests.
The Test Requirements Document
shall form the basis of the test requirements for a specific system.
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