1. Purpose and scope
Validation checks that what was built is what the product requirements asked for, in the systems customers will use it in. First parts are brought up on boards and test equipment, tested against each requirement, measured across voltage, temperature and process spread, and every known difference from the specification is written down as an erratum with a workaround where one exists.
The stage serves a business decision, not only an engineering one. At Engineering samples, the business decides whether parts are good enough to put in lead customers' hands, with what scope and with what documented limits. Sending samples too early damages customer confidence; sending them too late loses design windows. Validation provides the evidence for getting that timing right.
The engineering lifecycles carry much of this work. The SoC lifecycle's foundry and mask, packaging and test, and bring-up and silicon validation stages fall here; so do analog characterisation, chiplet known-good-die, assembly and final test, and FPGA board bring-up and system validation. The product stage brings their results together and adds the customer-facing items: evaluation kits, preliminary datasheets, sample agreements and the export classification.
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