ISO/IEC 29110 Terminology

This is a compilation of the ISO/IEC 29110 terminology. Source at ISO/IEC TR 29110-1:2016.

COTS

Commercial off-the-shelf software

PG

Profile Group

DP

Deployment Package

SE

Systems Engineering

SOW

Statement of Work

SW

Software Engineering

VSE

Very Small Entity

WBS

Work Breakdown Structure

ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC7

International Organization for Standardization/ International Electrotechnical Commission Joint Technical Committee 1/Sub Committee 7

[3.1] activity

set of cohesive tasks (3.69) of a process (3.36)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

[3.2] acquirer

stakeholder that acquires or procures a product or service (3.53) from a supplier Note 1 to entry: Other terms commonly used for an acquirer are buyer, customer (3.22), owner, purchaser or internal/organizational sponsor.

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

[3.3] advanced profile

profile (3.45) targeted at VSEs which want to sustain and grow as an independent competitive system and/or software (3.56) development business

[3.4] agreement

mutual acknowledgement of terms and conditions under which a working relationship is conducted

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

[3.5] assessment indicator

sources of objective evidence used to support the assessors’ (3.6) judgment in rating process (3.36) attributes

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33001]

[3.6] assessor

individual who participates in the rating of process (3.36) attributes

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33001]

[3.7] audit

systematic, independent, documented process (3.36) for obtaining records (3.48), statements of fact or other relevant information and assessing them objectively, to determine the extent to which specified requirements are fulfilled.

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17000]

Note 1 to entry: While “audit” applies to management systems, “assessment” applies to conformity assessment (3.20) bodies, as well as more generally.

[3.8] auditee

organization (3.34) being audited

[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2011, 3.7]

[3.9] auditor

person who conducts an audit (3.7)

[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2011, 3.8]

[3.10] audit team

one or more auditors (3.9) conducting an audit (3.7), supported if needed by technical experts

[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2011, 3.9, modified]

Note 1 to entry: One auditor of the audit team is appointed as the audit team leader.

Note 2 to entry: The audit team may include auditors-in-training.

[3.11] autonomy-based improvement

self-motivated and self-determined professional process improvement (3.41) with an understanding of the work (process) objectives, latest technology, and outcomes from product use

[3.12] baseline

formally approved version of a configuration item, regardless of media, formally designated and fixed at a specific time during the configuration item’s lifecycle

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765]

[3.13] base standard

approved International Standard (3.30) or Telecommunication Standardization Sector of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-T) Recommendation

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/TR 10000‐1]

[3.14] basic profile

profile (3.45) targeted at VSEs developing a single application by a single work team

[3.15] certification

third-party attestation related to products, processes (3.36), systems (3.62) or persons

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17000]

Note 1 to entry: Certification of a management system is sometimes also called registration.

Note 2 to entry: Certification is applicable to all objects of conformity assessment (3.20), except for conformity assessment bodies themselves, to which accreditation is applicable.

[3.16] certification body

third-party conformity assessment (3.20) body operating certification schemes (3.17)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17065]

[3.17] certification scheme

certification system related to specified products, to which the same specified requirements, specific rules and procedures apply

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17065, modified]

Note 1 to entry: For definition of “certification system”, refer to ISO/IEC 17000:2004, 2.7.

Note 2 to entry: The criteria for the rules, procedures and management for implementing product, process (3.36) and service (3.53).

[3.18] certification scheme owner

person or organization (3.34) that is responsible for developing and maintaining a specific certification scheme (3.17)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17065]

Note 1 to entry: The certification scheme owner can be the certification body (3.16) itself, a governmental authority, trade association, group of certification bodies or other.

[3.19] client

organization (3.34) that is responsible to a certification body (3.16) for ensuring certification (3.15) requirements, including product requirements, are fulfilled

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17065]

[3.20] conformity assessment

demonstration that specified requirements relating to a product, process (3.36), system (3.62), person or body are fulfilled

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17000]

[3.21] critical system

system (3.62) having the potential for serious impact on the users (3.72) or environment, due to factors including safety, performance, and security

[3.22] customer

person or organization (3.34) that could or does receive a product or a service (3.53) that is intended for or required by this person or organization

[SOURCE: ISO 9000]

Note 1 to entry: A customer can either be internal or external to the organization.

[3.23] deployment package

set of artefacts developed to facilitate the implementation of a set of practices, of the selected framework, in a very small entity (3.75)

[3.24] disposed system

system (3.62) that has been transformed (i.e. state change) by applying the disposal process

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288]

Note 1 to entry: A systems approach considers the total system and the total lifecycle (3.32) of the system. This includes all aspects of the system and the system throughout its life until the day users dispose of the system and the external enterprises complete the handling of the disposed system products.

[3.25] entity

registered organization (3.34), group within a registered organization, or a project (3.47) within an organization

[3.26] entry profile

profile (3.45) targeted at start-up VSEs (i.e. VSEs who started their operation less than three years) and/or at VSEs working on small project (3.47) (e.g. project size of less than six person-months)

[3.27] generic profile group

profile group (3.46) applicable to VSEs (very small entities) that do not develop critical systems (3.21) or software (3.56) products and have typical situational factors

[3.28] guide

document published by ISO or IEC giving rules, orientation, advice or recommendations relating to international standardization

[3.29] intermediate profile

profile (3.45) targeted at VSEs involved in the development of more than one project (3.47) in parallel with more than one work team

[3.30] international standard

standard (3.59) that is adopted by an international standardizing/standards organization and made available to the public

[3.31] lead assessor

assessor (3.6) who has demonstrated the competencies to conduct an assessment and to monitor and verify the conformance of a process assessment (3.37)

[SOURCE: ISO 33001]

[3.32] lifecycle

evolution of a system (3.62), product, service (3.53), project (3.47) or other human-made entity (3.25), from conception through retirement

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288]

[3.33] operator

individual or organization (3.34) that performs the operations of a system (3.62)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

Note 1 to entry: The role of operator and the role of user (3.72) can be vested, simultaneously or sequentially, in the same individual or organization.

Note 2 to entry: An individual operator combined with knowledge, skills and procedures can be considered as an element of the system.

Note 3 to entry: An operator may perform operations on a system that is operated, or of a system that is operated, depending on whether or not operating instructions are placed within the system boundary.

[3.34] organization

person or a group of people that has its own functions responsibilities, authorities and relationships to achieve its objectives

[SOURCE: ISO 9000]

[3.35] organizational management profile

profile (3.45) targeted at VSEs to provide them with additional organizational management guidance

[3.36] process

set of interrelated or interacting activities that use inputs to deliver an intended result

[SOURCE: ISO 9000]

[3.37] process assessment

disciplined evaluation of an organizational unit’s processes against a process assessment model (3.38)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33001]

[3.38] process assessment model

model suitable for the purpose of assessing a specified process quality characteristic, based on one or more process reference models (3.44)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33001]

[3.39] process capability

characterization of the ability of a process to meet current or projected business goals

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33020]

[3.40] process capability level

characterization of a process on an ordinal measurement scale of process capability (3.39)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33000]

[3.41] process improvement

actions taken to improve the quality of the organization’s processes aligned with the business needs

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33001]

[3.42] process outcome

observable result of the successful achievement of the process purpose

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

[3.43] process profile

set of process attribute ratings for an assessed process

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33001]

[3.44] process reference model

model comprising definitions of processes in a lifecycle (3.32) described in terms of process purpose and outcomes, together with an architecture describing the relationships between the processes

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33001]

[3.45] profile

set of one or more base standards (3.13) and/or profiles, and where applicable, the identification of chosen classes, conforming subsets, option and parameters of those base standard, or standardized profiles necessary to accomplish a particular function

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/TR 10000‐1]

[3.46] profile group

collection of profiles (3.45) which are related either by composition of processes [e.g. activities (3.1) and tasks (3.69)], or by capability level, or both

[3.47] project

endeavour with defined start and finish dates undertaken to create a product or service (3.53) in accordance with specified resources (3.51) and requirements

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

Note 1 to entry: A project is sometimes viewed as a unique process comprising coordinated and controlled activities and composed of activities from the Technical Management processes and Technical processes defined in this part of ISO/IEC 29110.

[3.48] record

set of related data items treated as a unit

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289]

[3.49] report

information item that describe the results of activities such as investigations, observations, assessments, or tests

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289]

[3.50] repository

1. collection of all system elements or software (3.56) related artefacts belonging to a system. 2. The location/format in which such a collection is stored

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765]

[3.51] resource

asset that is utilized or consumed during the execution of a process

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

Note 1 to entry: Includes diverse entities such as funding, personnel, facilities, capital equipment, tools, and utilities such as power, water, fuel and communication infrastructures.

Note 2 to entry: Resources include those that are reusable, renewable or consumable.

[3.52] review

process or meeting during which a work product (3.77), or set of work products, is presented to project personnel, managers, users (3.72), customers (3.22), or other interested parties for comment or approval

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765]

[3.53] service

performance of activities, work, or duties

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288]

Note 1 to entry: A service is self contained, coherent, discrete, and can be composed of other services.

Note 2 to entry: A service is generally an intangible product.

[3.54] service delivery profile

profile targeted at VSEs that need to perform and manage service delivery processes, either for systems (3.62) or software (3.56) products that they have developed or that were developed by others

[3.55] SME/ small and medium enterprise

enterprise which employ fewer than 250 persons

[SOURCE: OECD 2005, modified]

[3.56] software

computer programs, procedures, and possibly associated documentation and data pertaining to the operation of a computer system

[SOURCE: IEEE 828]

[3.57] software component

general term used to refer to a software system or an element, such as module, unit, data, or document

[SOURCE: IEEE 1061]

[3.58] software engineering

application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software (3.56); that is, the application of engineering to software

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

[3.59] standard

document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context

Note 1 to entry: Standards should be based on the consolidated results of science, technology and experience, and aimed at the promotion of optimum community benefits.

[3.60] standardized profile

internationally agreed-to, harmonized standard (3.59) which describes one or more profiles (3.45)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/TR 10000‐1]

[3.61] surveillance

systematic iteration of conformity assessment (3.20) activities as a basis for maintaining the validity of the statement of conformity

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17000]

[3.62] system

combination of interacting elements organized to achieve one or more stated purposes

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288]

Note 1 to entry: A system is sometimes considered as a product or as the services it provides.

Note 2 to entry: In practice, the interpretation of its meaning is frequently clarified by the use of an associative noun, e.g. aircraft system or database management system. Alternatively, the word “system” is substituted simply by a context dependent synonym, e.g. aircraft or database, though this potentially obscures a system principles perspective.

[3.63] systems engineering

interdisciplinary approach governing the total technical and managerial effort required to transform a set of customer (3.22) needs, expectations, and constraints into a solution and to support that solution throughout its life

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288]

[3.64] SEMP / systems engineering management plan

top level technical planning document for a project (3.47), which addresses technical management processes established by three principal sources [the project’s contract or agreement (3.4), applicable organizational processes, and the systems engineering (3.63) project team], as necessary to successfully accomplish the systems engineering-related tasks (3.69) of the project

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 24748‐4]

[3.65] SOW / statement of work

means to describe and specify the tasks (3.69) to be performed under the contract

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

[3.66] system structure

decomposition of a system of interest into a set of interacting systems and system elements

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2008]

Note 1 to entry: The system structure is described in a System Breakdown Structure (SBS).

[3.67] taxonomy

classification scheme for referencing profiles (3.45) or sets of profiles unambiguously

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/TR 10000‐1]

[3.68] technical report

document published by ISO or IEC containing collected data of a different kind from that normally published as an International Standard (3.30) or Technical Specification

Note 1 to entry: Such data may include, for example, data obtained from a survey carried out among the national bodies, data on work in other international organizations or data on the “state of the art” in relation to standards (3.59) of national bodies on a particular subject.

[3.69] task

requirement, recommendation, or permissible action, intended to contribute to the achievement of one or more outcomes of a process

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

[3.70] trade-off

decision-making actions that select from various requirements and alternative solutions on the basis of net benefit to the stakeholders

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

[3.71] traceability

describes association among two or more logical entities, such as requirements, system elements, verifications (3.74), or tasks (3.69)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207]

[3.72] user

individual or group that interacts with a system (3.62) or benefits from a system during its utilization

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 25010]

Note 1 to entry: The role of user and the role of operator (3.33) are sometimes vested, simultaneously or sequentially, in the same individual or organization (3.34).

[3.73] validation

confirmation, through the provision of objective evidence, that the requirements for a specific intended use or application have been fulfilled

[SOURCE: ISO 9000, modified — Note 1 to entry and Note 2 to entry have been added]

Note 1 to entry: A system (3.62) is able to accomplish its intended use, goals and objectives (i.e. meet stakeholder requirements) in the intended operational environment. The right system was built.

Note 2 to entry: In a lifecycle (3.32) context, validation involves the set of activities for gaining confidence that a system is able to accomplish its intended use, goals and objectives in an environment like the operational environment.

[3.74] verification

confirmation, through the provision of objective evidence, that specified requirements have been fulfilled.

[SOURCE: ISO 9000:2015, modified — Note 1 to entry has been added]

Note 1 to entry: Verification is a set of activities that compares a system (3.62) or system element against the required characteristics. This includes, but is not limited to, specified requirements, design, descriptions, and the system itself. The system was built right.

[3.75] very small entity

enterprise, an organization (3.34), a department or a project (3.47) having up to 25 people

[3.76] WBS / work breakdown structure

deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables; it organizes and defines the total scope of the project (3.47)

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765]

[3.77] work product

artefact associated with the execution of a process

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 33000]