Measurement sufficiency versus completeness: Integrating safety cases into verification and validation in nuclear control room modernization

Abstract

This paper reviews verification and validation (V&V) as applied in the context of nuclear power plant control room modernization. A common approach for V&V is summative or late-stage evaluation of the finalized design through a process called integrated system validation. Yet, common practice in user-centered design is to conduct evaluations early on in-progress system prototypes. Iterative, early-stage evaluation can form the basis of a safety case argument to ensure the regulatory acceptability of the new human-machine interface in the control room. It is argued that a series of formative evaluations provide more complete evidence of the safety of the new system than does a single summative evaluation.