How do you validate and verify the functionality and usability of the migrated system?

1 Define the validation and verification criteria

Before beginning the migration, it is important to define the criteria that will be used to evaluate the success of the migration. These criteria should be based on the requirements, specifications, and expectations of the system, as well as the risks and challenges involved in the migration. To ensure a successful migration, some of the common criteria to consider include data integrity, functional compatibility, user acceptance, and business continuity. Data integrity ensures that the migrated data is accurate, complete, and consistent with the source data and target system. Functional compatibility ensures that the migrated system performs the same functions as the source system without compromising quality, performance, or security. User acceptance means that the migrated system should be easy to use and understand by end-users and meet their needs and preferences. Finally, business continuity ensures that the migrated system supports business processes and objectives of the organization without disrupting or degrading service delivery or customer satisfaction.

2 Plan and execute the migration testing

Once you have defined the validation and verification criteria, you need to plan and execute the migration testing. Migration testing is a type of testing that aims to ensure that the migrated system works as intended and meets the criteria. It typically involves four phases: pre-migration testing, which involves testing the source and target systems separately; migration testing, which involves verifying that data, applications, and other components are transferred correctly; post-migration testing, which includes functional, regression, performance, security, and user acceptance testing; and backout testing, which involves testing the contingency plan should a migration fail or be aborted. This last phase is necessary to ensure that the system can be restored to its original state without any data loss or damage.

3 Use tools and techniques to support the validation and verification

When migrating, the complexity and scope of the process may require the use of various tools and techniques to support validation and verification. Data validation tools are useful for comparing, verifying, and reconciling data between the source system and target system, as well as detecting and resolving any data quality issues. Migration automation tools are beneficial for automating migration tasks such as data extraction, transformation, loading, and verification, while also monitoring and controlling the migration progress. User feedback tools can help collect feedback from end-users and stakeholders regarding the migrated system in order to measure user satisfaction, usability, acceptance of the system, and identify any issues or improvements.

4 Review and document the validation and verification results

The final step of the validation and verification process is to review and document the results. This involves evaluating the outcomes of the migration testing, comparing them with the criteria, and determining if the migration is successful or not. Additionally, it involves documenting the findings, observations, recommendations, and lessons learned from the process. Reviewing and documenting the results can provide evidence that the migrated system meets requirements and expectations, as well as help you communicate results to stakeholders. It also assists in identifying any gaps or risks that may affect system performance, quality, or security. Finally, it can capture and share best practices for future migration projects or system improvements.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?