My apology for the rebellious thoughts, but validation for me far not equivalent with a kind of end user testing at the end of the development activities.
Is it part of it? Yes, definitely, but the criteria set for validation can not be covered with any kind of, any depth what so ever testing activities.
For me validation is a set of activities or even more, the organizational attitude (I would not go that far at this time ...
) in the reality, but let me go back, so a set of activities performed to ensure the intended use of the product fulfills it in the intended environment.
Some examples in order to go down to the basement of every day reality.
Configuration management activities, defect management activities, acceptance activities of supplied materials or interim products during the R&D phase also targeting the fact that we want to make sure the product at the end of R&D fulfills its intended use. Are these all of the activities we carry out to do effective validation? Far not. Verification is also a kind of activities we are doing to ensure the end product is the one and only according to our best understanding at that time.
Is verification equivalent with testing? Very much not. Review, discussion, investigation of scientific literature, etc. also part of it.
Is there any predefined sequential order in the standard?
Faaar not. Read it, it is about principles, not about the sequences.
Each company has to find its own way and awareness how to manage and organize validation.
I guess ...
Cheers!