Abstract
System verification and validation are important activities in the software development process aiming at testing the software system in various quality aspects. The purpose of this study is to investigate the important characteristics of the verification and validation activities in the software development process in an organization. A qualitative research method is employed in order to facilitate the assessment and understanding of a testing key area regarding the software development process. The methodology and results could act as input to other organizations, which are likely to have other important characteristics than the ones included in this study. The main characteristics were identified in the analysis and it was concluded that the results could facilitate further process improvements in the organization.