Validate the model with data and constraints

Validating the model with data and constraints helps you to check the constraints.

As mentioned in Preparing data, you need to validate your model with clean, realistic data. In fact, it is a good idea to validate your model with multiple sets of data, as combinatoric problems are notoriously sensitive to slight variations in data.

Validation is greatly simplified if a solution is already available to you. With a known solution, you can check the way that your constraints have been written so that you will be alerted to any errors in interpretation or any bug in translation between the specification and the implementation. You can also check the global coherence of your initial constraints, their coherence as a set. That is, when you have a known solution already, you can use it as a reference point in testing and verification.