Certain embodiments of the present invention are configured to permit development and validation of a device driver or a device application program by using improved virtual devices. Such improved virtual devices facilitate driver development without use of real devices or hardware prototypes. The present invention also may be configured to permit advanced validation of a device-driver combination that would be difficult to achieve even with a real device. Certain embodiments also may detect inconsistencies between virtual and real devices, which may be used to improve drivers and device application programs and increase compatibility of such drivers and device application programs with real devices.