Glossary
Acceptance Testing
Formal testing conducted to enable a user, customer, or other authorised entity to determine whether to accept a system or component. [ SIGIST ]
Other Definitions
Acceptance Testing [ IEEE 610.12 ]: Formal testing conducted to determine whether a system satisfies its acceptance criteria and to enable the customer to determine whether to accept the system.
Accessibility
Usability of a product, service, environment or facility by people with the widest range of capabilities. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765, ISO/IEC 25062 ]
Accuracy
The capability of the software product to provide the right or agreed results or effects with the needed degree of precision. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Accuracy [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]:
-
A qualitative assessment of correctness, or freedom from error.
-
A quantitative measure of the magnitude of error
Accuracy of Measurement
The closeness of the agreement between the result of a measurement and the true value of the measurand. [ ISO/IEC 14143-3, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Acquirer
Individual or organisation that procures a system, software product, or software service from a supplier. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Other Definitions
Acquirer [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765, ISO/IEC 12207 ]: Stakeholder that acquires or procures a product or service from a supplier.
Acquirer [ IEEE 1058, ISO/IEC 15288 ]: The individual or organization that specifies requirements for and accepts delivery of a new or modified software product and its documentation.
Action
Element of a step that a user performs during a procedure. [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]
Activity
Any step taken or function performed, both mental and physical, toward achieving some objective. Activities include all the work the managers and technical staff do to perform the tasks of the project and organization. [ CMMi ]
Other Definitions
Activity [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]: Set of cohesive tasks of a process.
Activity [ IEEE 1490 ]: A component of work performed during the course of a project.
Activity [ ISO/IEC 14756 ]: An order submitted to the system under test (SUT) by a user or an emulated user demanding the execution of a data processing operation according to a defined algorithm to produce specific output data from specific input data and (if requested) stored data.
Activity [ IEEE 1074 ]: A defined body of work to be performed, including its required input information and output information
Activity [ ISO/IEC 90003 ]: Collection of related tasks.
Activity [ IEEE 829 ]: Element of work performed during the implementation of a process.
Actor
A role (with respect to that action) in which the enterprise object fulfilling the role participates in the action. [ ISO/IEC 15414 ]
Adaptability
The capability of the software product to be adapted for different specified environments without applying actions or means other than those provided for this purpose for the software considered. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Agreement
Mutual acknowledgement of terms and conditions under which a working relationship is conducted. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Analysability
The capability of the software product to be diagnosed for deficiencies or causes of failures in the
software, or for the parts to be modified to be identified. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Analysis Model
Algorithm or calculation combining one or more base and/or derived measures with associated decision criteria. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Architecture
Fundamental organization of a system embodied in its components, their relationships to each other, and to the environment, and the principles guiding its design and evolution. [ ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Attractiveness
The capability of the software product to be attractive to the user. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Attribute
A measurable physical or abstract property of an entity. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 14598 ]
Other Definitions
Attribute [ IEEE 610.12 ]: A characteristic of an item; for example, the item’s color, size, or type.
Attribute [ ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]: Inherent property or characteristic of an entity that can be distinguished quantitatively or qualitatively by human or automated means.
Attribute for Quality Measure [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]: Attribute that relates to software product itself, to the use of the software product or to its development process.
Availability
The degree to which a system or component is operational and accessible when required for use. [ ISO/IEC 20000 ]
Other Definitions
Availability [ ISO/IEC 20000 ]: Ability of a component or service to perform its required function at a stated instant or over a stated period of time.
Base Measure
Measure defined in terms of an attribute and the method for quantifying it. [ ISO/IEC 99, ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Baseline
Formally approved version of a configuration item, regardless of media, formally designated and fixed at a specific time during the configuration item’s life cycle. [ ISO/IEC 19770-1 ]
Other Definitions
Baseline [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]: Specification or product that has been formally reviewed and agreed upon, that thereafter serves as the basis for further development, and that can be changed only through formal change control procedures.
Baseline [ ISO/IEC 20000 ]: Snapshot of the state of a service or individual configuration items at a point in time.
Baseline [ IEEE 1490 ]: An approved plan (for a project), plus or minus approved changes. It is compared to actual performance to determine if performance is within acceptable variance thresholds. Generally refers to the current baseline, but may refer to the original or some other baseline. Usually used with a modifier (e.g., cost performance baseline, schedule baseline, performance measurement baseline, technical baseline).
Branch
A Branch is either:
Other Definitions
Branch [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]:
-
a computer program construct in which one of two or more alternative sets of program statements is selected for execution.
-
a point in a computer program at which one of two or more alternative sets of program statements is selected for execution.
-
to perform the selection in (1).
-
any of the alternative sets of program statements in (1).
-
a set of evolving source file versions.
Branch Testing
Testing designed to execute each outcome of each decision point in a computer program. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Build
An operational version of a system or component that incorporates a specified subset of the capabilities that the final product will provide. [ IEEE 610.12, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Call Graph
A diagram that identifies the modules in a system or computer program and shows which modules call one another. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Capability Maturity Model
Model that contains the essential elements of effective processes for one or more disciplines and describes an evolutionary improvement path from ad hoc, immature processes to disciplined, mature processes with improved quality and effectiveness. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Capability Maturity Model [ CMMi ]: A description of the stages through which software organizations evolve as they define, implement, measure, control, and improve their software processes. This model provides a guide for selecting process improvement strategies by facilitating the determination of current process capabilities and the identification of the issues most critical to software quality and process improvement.
Certification
A formal demonstration that a system or component complies with its specified requirements and is acceptable for operational use. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Certification [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]:
-
A written guarantee that a system or component complies with its specified requirements and is acceptable for operational use.
-
The process of confirming that a system or component complies with its specified requirements and is acceptable for operational use.
Certification Criteria
A set of standards, rules, or properties to which an asset must conform in order to be certified to a certain level. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Change Control System
A collection of formal documented procedures that define how project deliverables and documentation will be controlled, changed, and approved. [ IEEE 1490, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Change Management
Judicious use of means to effect a change, or a proposed change, to a product or service. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Changeability
The capability of the software product to enable a specified modification to be implemented. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Co-existence
The capability of the software product to co-exist with other independent software in a common environment sharing common resources. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Code
In software engineering, computer instructions and data definitions expressed in a programming language or in a form output by an assembler, compiler, or other translator. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Code (verb) [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: To express a computer program in a programming language.
Code Coverage
An analysis method that determines which parts of the software have been executed (covered) by the test case suite and which parts have not been executed and therefore may require additional attention. [ SIGIST ]
Code Freeze
A period during which non-critical changes to the code are not allowed. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Code Review
A meeting at which software code is presented to project personnel, managers, users, customers, or other interested parties for comment or approval. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Code Verification
Ensures by static verification methods the conformance of source code to the specified design of the
software module, the required coding standards, and the safety planning requirements. [ IEC 61508-3 ]
Coding
In software engineering, the process of expressing a computer program in a programming language. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Coding [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The transforming of logic and data from design specifications (design descriptions) into a programming language.
Cohesion
In software design, a measure of the strength of association of the elements within a module. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Cohesion [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The manner and degree to which the tasks performed by a single software module are related to one another.
Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS)
)
Software defined by a market-driven need, commercially available, and whose fitness for use has been demonstrated by a broad spectrum of commercial users. [ ISO/IEC 25051 ]
Commit
To integrate the changes made to a developer’s private view of the source code into a branch accessible through the version control system’s repository. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Commitment
An action resulting in an obligation by one or more of the participants in the act to comply with a rule or perform a contract. [ ISO/IEC 15414 ]
Other Definitions
Commitment [ CMMi ]: A pact that is freely assumed, visible, and expected to be kept by all parties.
Compatibility
The ability of two or more systems or components to perform their required functions while sharing the same hardware or software environment. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Compatibility [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The ability of two or more systems or components to exchange information.
Compatibility [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]: The capability of a functional unit to meet the requirements of a specified interface without appreciable modification.
Complexity
The degree to which a system's design or code is difficult to understand because of numerous components or relationships among components. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Complexity [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The degree to which a system or component has a design or implementation that is difficult to understand and verify.
Component
An entity with discrete structure, such as an assembly or software module, within a system considered at a particular level of analysis. [ ISO/IEC 15026 ]
Other Definitions
Component [ SIGIST ]: A minimal software item for which a separate specification is available.
Component [ IEEE 829 ]: One of the parts that make up a system.
Component [ ISO/IEC 29881 ]: Set of functional services in the software, which, when implemented, represents a well-defined set of functions and is distinguishable by a unique name.
Software Component [ IEEE 1061 ]: A general term used to refer to a software system or an element, such as module, unit, data, or document.
Software Component [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A functionally or logically distinct part of a software configuration item, distinguished for the purpose of convenience in designing and specifying a complex SCI as an assembly of subordinate elements.
Conciseness
Software attributes that provide implementation of a function with a minimum amount of code. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Condition
A boolean expression containing no boolean operators. For instance A<B is a condition but A and B is not. [ RTCA/EUROCAE ]
Other Definitions
Condition [ ISO 5806, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: a description of a contingency to be considered in the representation of a problem, or a reference to other procedures to be considered as part of the condition.
Configuration
The arrangement of a computer system or component as defined by the number, nature, and interconnections of its constituent parts. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Configuration [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: In configuration management, the functional and physical characteristics of hardware or software as set forth in technical documentation or achieved in a product.
Configuration [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The arrangement of a system or network as defined by the nature, number, and chief characteristics of its functional units.
Configuration [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The requirements, design, and implementation that define a particular version of a system or system component.
Configuration [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]: The manner in which the hardware and software of an information processing system are organized and interconnected.
Configuration Control
An element of configuration management, consisting of the evaluation, coordination, approval or disapproval, and implementation of changes to configuration items after formal establishment of their configuration identification. [ IEEE 610.12, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Configuration Item
Entity within a configuration that satisfies an end use function and that can be uniquely identified at a given reference point. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Other Definitions
Configuration Item [ ISO/IEC 19770 ]: Item or aggregation of hardware or software or both that is designed to be managed as a single entity.
Configuration Item [ ISO/IEC 20000-1 ]: Component of an infrastructure or an item which is, or will be, under the control of configuration management.
Configuration Item [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: An aggregation of hardware, software, or both, that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process.
Configuration Item [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Aggregation of work products that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process.
Software Configuration Item [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A software entity that has been established as a configuration item.
Configuration Management
A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to
-
identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a configuration item,
-
control changes to those characteristics, record and report change processing and implementation status, and
Other Definitions
Configuration Management <ref name="sting">Software Technology Interest Group On-line Glossary, http: //www.apl.jhu.edu/Notes/Hausler/web/glossary.html .</ref>: The process of identifying, defining, recording and reporting the configuration items in a system and the change requests. Controlling the releases and change of the items throughout the life-cycle.
Configuration Management [ ISO/IEC 29881 ]: Technical and organizational activities comprising configuration identification, control, status accounting, and auditing.
Software Configuration Management [ ISO/IEC 15846 ]: The process of applying configuration management throughout the software life cycle to ensure the completeness and correctness of Software Configuration Items.
Configuration Management System
The discipline of identifying the components of a continually evolving system to control changes to those components and maintaining integrity and traceability throughout the life cycle. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Notes
-
A subsystem of the overall project management system. It is a collection of formal documented procedures used to apply technical and administrative direction and surveillance to:
-
* identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a product, result, service, or component;
-
* control any changes to such characteristics;
-
* record and report each change and its implementation status; and
-
* support the audit of the products, results, or components to verify conformance to requirements.
:It includes the documentation, tracking systems, and defined approval levels necessary for authorizing and controlling changes. [ IEEE 1490 ]
Conflict
A change in one version of a file that cannot be reconciled with the version of the file to which it is applied. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Conformance
The fulfillment by a product, process or service of specified requirements. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Connectivity
The capability of a system or device to be attached to other systems or devices without modification. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Consistency
The degree of uniformity, standardization, and freedom from contradiction among the documents or parts of a system or component. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Consistency [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Software attributes that provide uniform design and implementation techniques and notations.
Constraint
A restriction on the value of an attribute or the existence of any object based on the value or existence of one or more others. [ ISO/IEC 15474-1 ]
Other Definitions
Constraint [ IEEE 1362 ]: An externally imposed limitation on system requirements, design, or implementation or on the process used to develop or modify a system.
Constraint [ IEEE 1490 ]: The state, quality, or sense of being restricted to a given course of action or inaction. An applicable restriction or limitation, either internal or external to a project, which will affect the performance of the project or a process. For example, a schedule constraint is any limitation or restraint placed on the project schedule that affects when a schedule activity can be scheduled and is usually in the form of fixed imposed dates.
Constraint [ IEEE 1233 ]: A statement that expresses measurable bounds for an element or function of the system.
Content Coupling
A type of coupling in which some or all of the contents of one software module are included in the contents of another module. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Context of Use
Users, tasks, equipment (hardware, software and materials), and the physical and social environments in which a product is used. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Contract
Binding agreement between two parties, especially enforceable by law, or a similar internal agreement wholly within an organization. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Other Definitions
Contract [ IEEE 1490 ]: A mutually binding agreement that obligates the seller to provide the specified product or service or result and obligates the buyer to pay for it.
Control Coupling
A type of coupling in which one software module communicates information to another module for the explicit purpose of influencing the latter module’s execution. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Control Flow
The sequence in which operations are performed during the execution of a computer program. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Control Flow Diagram
A diagram that depicts the set of all possible sequences in which operations may be performed during the execution of a system or program. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Convention
Requirement employed to prescribe a disciplined, uniform approach to providing consistency in a software product, that is, a uniform pattern or form for arranging data. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Correctability
The degree of effort required to correct software defects and to cope with user complaints. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Correctness
The degree to which a system or component is free from faults in its specification, design, and implementation. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Correctness [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The degree to which software, documentation, or other items meet specified requirements.
Correctness [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The degree to which software, documentation, or other items meet user needs and expectations, whether specified or not.
Coupling
The manner and degree of interdependence between software modules. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Coupling [ ISO/IEC 19759 ]: The strength of the relationships between modules.
Coupling [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A measure of how closely connected two routines or modules are.
Coupling [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: In software design, a measure of the interdependence among modules in a computer program
Coverage
The degree, expressed as a percentage, to which a specified coverage item has been exercised by a test case suite. [ SIGIST ]
Other Definitions
Test Coverage [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]: Extent to which the test cases test the requirements for the system or software product.
test Coverage [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The degree to which a given test or set of tests addresses all specified requirements for a given system or
component.
Criteria
Specific data items identified as contents of information items for appraising a factor in an evaluation, audit, test or review. [ ISO/IEC 15289 ]
Other Definitions
Criteria [ ISO/IEC 15289 ]: standards, rules, or tests on which a judgment or decision can be based, or by which a product, service, result, or process can be evaluated.
Custom Software
Software product developed for a specific application from a user requirements specification. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Customer
Organization or person that receives a product or service. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Other Definitions
Customer [ IEEE 1233 ]: The entity or entities for whom the requirements are to be satisfied in the system being defined and developed.
Customer [ IEEE 1362 ]: An individual or organization who acts for the ultimate user of a new or modified hardware or software product to acquire the product and its documentation.
Customer [ IEEE 830 ]: The person, or persons, who pay for the product and usually (but not necessarily) decide the requirements.
Data
Collection of values assigned to base measures, derived measures, and/or indicators. [ ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Data [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A representation of facts, concepts, or instructions in a manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by humans or by automatic means.
Data [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]: A reinterpretable representation of information in a formalized manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or communication, or processing.
Data Coupling
A type of coupling in which output from one software module serves as input to another module. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Data Flow
The sequence in which data transfer, use, and transformation are performed during the execution of a computer program. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Data Flow Diagram
A diagram that depicts data sources, data sinks, data storage, and processes performed on data as nodes, and logical flow of data as links between the nodes. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Data Management
In a data processing system, the functions that provide access to data, perform or monitor the storage of data, and control input-output operations. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Other Definitions
Data Management [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The disciplined processes and systems that plan for, acquire, and provide stewardship for business and technical data, consistent with data requirements, throughout the data lifecycle.
Data Model
A model about data by which an interpretation of the data can be obtained in the modeling tool industry. [ ISO/IEC 15474-1 ]
Data Processing
The systematic performance of operations upon data. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Data Provider
Individual or organisation that is a source of data. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Data Store
Organised and persistent collection of data and information that allows for its retrieval. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Data Type
A class of data, characterized by the members of the class and the operations that can be applied to them. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Database
A collection of data organized according to a conceptual structure describing the characteristics of the data and the relationships among their corresponding entities, supporting one or more application areas. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Other Definitions
Database [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A collection of interrelated data stored together in one or more computerized files.
Database [ ISO/IEC 29881 ]: Collection of data describing a specific target area that is used and updated by one or more applications.
Decision Criteria
Thresholds, targets, or patterns used to determine the need for action or further investigation, or to describe the level of confidence in a given result. [ ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Decoupling
The process of making software modules more independent of one another to decrease the impact of changes to, and errors in, the individual modules. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Defect
A flaw in a system or system component that causes the system or component to fail to perform its required function. A defect, if encountered during execution, may cause a failure of the system. [ CMMi ]
Other Definitions
Defect [ IEEE 1490 ]: An imperfection or deficiency in a project component where that component does not meet its requirements or specifications and needs to be either repaired or replaced.
Degree of Confidence
The degree of confidence that software conforms to its requirements. [ ISO/IEC 15026 ]
Deliverable
Items whose delivery to the customer is a requirement of the contract. [ ISO/IEC 15910 ]
Other Definitions
Deliverable [ IEEE 1490 ]: Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that must be produced to complete a process, phase, or project. Often used more narrowly in reference to an external deliverable, which is a deliverable that is subject to approval by the project sponsor or customer.
Deliverable [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Item[2] to be provided to an acquirer or other designated recipient as specified in an agreement.
Deliverables [ ISO/IEC 15910 ]: Items whose delivery to the customer is a requirement of the contract.
Delivery
Release of a system or component to its customer or intended user. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Dependability
Measure of the degree to which an item is operable and capable of performing its required function at any (random) time during a specified mission profile, given item availability at the start of the mission. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Dependability [ IEEE 982 ]: Trustworthiness of a computer system such that reliance can be justifiably placed on the service it delivers.
Deployment
Phase of a project in which a system is put into operation and cut-over issues are resolved. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Derived Measure
Measure that is defined as a function of two or more values of base measures. [ ISO/IEC 99, ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Design
The process of defining the architecture, components, interfaces, and other characteristics of a system or component. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Design [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The result of the process of defining the architecture, components, interfaces, and other characteristics of a system or component.
Design [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The process of defining the software architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a software system to satisfy specified requirements.
Design [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The process of conceiving, inventing, or contriving a scheme for turning a computer program specification into an operational program.
Design [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Activity that links requirements analysis to coding and debugging.
Design [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Stage of documentation development that is concerned with determining what documentation will be provided in a product and what the nature of the documentation will be.
Design Pattern
A description of the problem and the essence of its solution to enable the solution to be reused in different settings. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Developer
Individual or organisation that performs development activities (including requirements analysis, design, testing through acceptance) during the software lifecycle process. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Development
Software life cycleprocess that contains the activities of requirements analysis, design, coding, integration, testing, installation and support for acceptance of software products. [ ISO/IEC 90003, ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Other Definitions
Development [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Activity of preparing documentation after it has been designed.
Development Testing
Formal or informal testing conducted during the development of a system or component, usually in the development environment by the developer. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Direct Measure
A measure of an attribute that does not depend upon a measure of any other attribute. [ ISO/IEC 14598, ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Document
Uniquely identified unit of information for human use, such as a report, specification, manual or book, in printed or electronic form. [ ISO/IEC 9294 ]
Other Definitions
Document (verb) [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: To add comments to a computer program.
Document [ ISO/IEC 15910 ]: An item of documentation.
Document [ ISO/IEC 20000 ]: Information and its supporting medium.
Document [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Separately identified piece of documentation which could be part of a documentation set.
Documentation
Collection of related documents that are designed, written, produced and maintained. [ ISO/IEC 9294 ]
Other Definitions
Documentation [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Information that explains how to use a software product.
Documentation [ IEEE 829 ]:
Dynamic Analysis
The process of evaluating a system or component based on its behavior during execution. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Effectiveness
The capability of the software product to enable users to achieve specified goals with accuracy and completeness in a specified context of use. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Effectiveness [ ISO/IEC 25062 ]: The accuracy and completeness with which users achieve specified goals.
Efficiency
Resources expended in relation to the accuracy and completeness with which users achieve goals. [ ISO/IEC 25062 ]
Other Definitions
Efficiency [ IEEE 610.12, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The degree to which a system or component performs its designated functions with minimum consumption of resources.
Efficiency [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]: The capability of the software product to provide appropriate performance, relative to the amount of resources used, under stated conditions.
Efficiency Compliance
The capability of the software product to adhere to standards or conventions relating to efficiency. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Encapsulation
A software development technique that consists of isolating a system function or a set of data and operations on those data within a module and providing precise specifications for the module. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Encapsulation [ IEEE 1320 ]: The concept that access to the names, meanings, and values of the responsibilities of a class is entirely separated from access to their realization.
Encapsulation [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The idea that a module has an outside that is distinct from its inside, that it has an external interface and an internal implementation.
End User
Individual person who ultimately benefits from the outcomes of the system. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
End User [ IEEE 1233 ]: The person or persons who will ultimately be using the system for its intended purpose. [ IEEE 1233 ]
End User [ ISO 9127 ]: The person who uses the software package.
End User [ ISO/IEC 29881 ]: Any person that communicates or interacts with the software at any time.
Entity
Object[3] that is to be characterised by measuring its attributes. [ ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Entity [ IEEE 1320 ]: The representation of a set of real or abstract things that are recognized as the same type because they share the same characteristics and can participate in the same relationships.
Entity [ ISO/IEC 15474 ]: An object (i.e., thing, event or concept) that occurs in a model (i.e., transfer).
Entity [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: In computer programming, any item that can be named or denoted in a program.
Entity [ ISO/IEC 29881 ]: Logical component of the data store, representing fundamental things of relevance to the user, and about which persistent information is stored.
Entry Point
A point in a software module at which execution of the module can begin. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Environment
The configuration(s) of hardware and software in which the software operates. [ ISO 9127 ]
Other Definitions
Environment [ IEEE 1362 ]: The circumstances, objects, and conditions that surround a system to be built.
Environment [ IEEE 1233 ]: The circumstances, objects, and conditions that will influence the completed system.
Environment [ IEEE 1320 ]: A concept space, i.e., an area in which a concept has an agreed-to meaning and one or more agreed-to names that are used for the concept.
Error
A human action that produces an incorrect result, such as software containing a fault. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Error [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]:
-
An incorrect step, process, or data definition.
-
An incorrect result
-
The difference between a computed, observed, or measured value or condition and the true, specified, or theoretically correct value or condition.
Notes
-
Example: omission or misinterpretation of user requirements in a software specification, incorrect translation, or
omission of a requirement in the design specification. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Error Tolerance
The ability of a system or component to continue normal operation despite the presence of erroneous inputs. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Evaluation
Systematic determination of the extent to which an entity meets its specified criteria. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Other Definitions
Evaluation [ ISO/IEC 15414 ]: An action that assesses the value of something.
Evaluation Activity
Assessment of a software product against identified and applicable quality characteristics performed using applicable techniques or methods. [ ISO/IEC 25001 ]
Evaluation Group
Organization responsible for specifying the software qualityrequirements as well as managing and implementing the software quality evaluation activities through the provision of technology, tools, experiences, and management skills. [ ISO/IEC 25001 ]
Evaluation Method
Procedure describing actions to be performed by the evaluator in order to obtain results for the specified measurement applied to the specified product components or on the product as a whole. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Evaluation Module
A package of evaluation technology for a specific software quality characteristic or sub-characteristic. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598 ]
Evaluation Technology
Technique, processes, tools, measures and relevant technical information used for evaluation. [ ISO/IEC 25001 ]
Evaluation Tool
An instrument that can be used during evaluation to collect data, to perform interpretation of data or to automate part of the evaluation. [ ISO/IEC 14598-5 ]
Execution Efficiency
The degree to which a system or component performs its designated functions with minimum consumption of time. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Execution Time
The time which elapses between task submission and completion. [ ISO/IEC 14756 ]
Exit
A point in a software module at which execution of the module can terminate. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Expandability
The degree of effort required to improve or modify software functions' efficiency. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Extendability
The ease with which a system or component can be modified to increase its storage or functional capacity. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
External Attribute
A measurable property of an entity which can only be derived with respect to how it relates to its environment. [ ISO/IEC 14598-3 ]
External Measure
An indirect measure of a product derived from measures of the behaviour of the system of which it is a part. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598 ]
External Quality
The extent to which a product satisfies stated and implied needs when used under specified conditions. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598 ]
External Software Quality
Capability of a software product to enable the behavior of a system to satisfy stated and implied needs when the system is used under specified conditions. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Facility
Physical means or equipment for facilitating the performance of an action. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Failure
The termination of the ability of a product to perform a required function or its inability to perform within previously specified limits. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598-5, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Failure [ SIGIST ]: Deviation of the software from its expected delivery or service.
Failure [ IEEE 610.12 ]: The inability of a system or component to perform its required functions within specified performance requirements.
Failure [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: An event in which a system or system component does not perform a required function within specified limits.
Failure Rate
The ratio of the number of failures of a given category to a given unit of measure. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Fault
An incorrect step, process or data definition in a computer program. [ IEEE 610.12, ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Fault [ RTCA/EUROCAE ]: A manifestation of an error in software. A fault, if encountered may cause a failure.
Fault [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]:
-
a manifestation of an error in software.
-
an incorrect step, process, or data definition in a computer program.
-
a defect in a hardware device or component.
Fault Tolerance
The capability of the software product to maintain a specified level of performance in cases of software faults or of infringement of its specified interface. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Fault Tolerance [ IEEE 610.12 ]:
-
The ability of a system or component to continue normal operation despite the presence of hardware or software faults.
-
The number of faults a system or component can withstand before normal operation is impaired.
-
Pertaining to the study of errors, faults, and failures, and of methods for enabling systems to continue normal operation in the presence of faults.
Feasibility
The degree to which the requirements, design, or plans for a system or component can be implemented under existing constraints. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Feature
Distinguishing characteristic of a system item. [ IEEE 829 ]
Finite State Machine
A computational model consisting of a finite number of states and transitions between those states, possibly with accompanying actions. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Flexibility
The ease with which a system or component can be modified for use in applications or environments other than those for which it was specifically designed. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765, IEEE 610.12 ]
Frozen Branch
A branch where no development takes place, either in preparation for a release or because active development has ceased on it. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Function
A software module that performs a specific action, is invoked by the appearance of its name in an expression, may receive input values, and returns a single value. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Function [ IEEE 1233 ]: A task, action, or activity that must be accomplished to achieve a desired outcome.
Function [ IEEE 1320 ]: A transformation of inputs to outputs, by means of some mechanisms, and subject to certain controls, that is identified by a function name and modeled by a box.
Function [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Part of an application that provides facilities for users to carry out their tasks.
Function [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A defined objective or characteristic action of a system or component.
Functional Analysis
A systematic investigation of the functions of a real or planned system. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Other Definitions
Functional Analysis [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Examination of a defined function to identify all the sub-functions necessary to accomplish that function, to identify functional relationships and interfaces (internal and external) and capture these in a functional architecture, to flow down upper-level performance requirements and to assign these requirements to lower-level sub-functions.
Functional Requirement
A statement that identifies what a product or process must accomplish to produce required behavior and/or results. [ IEEE 1220 ]
Other Definitions
Model [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A requirement that specifies a function that a system or system component must be able to perform.
Functional Size
A size of the software derived by quantifying the functional user requirements. [ ISO/IEC 14143-1 ]
Functional Testing
Testing that ignores the internal mechanism of a system or component and focuses solely on the outputs generated in response to selected inputs and execution conditions. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Functional Unit
An entity of hardware or software, or both, capable of accomplishing a specified purpose. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Functionality
The capability of the software product to provide functions which meet stated and implied needs when the software is used under specified conditions. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Functionality Compliance
The capability of the software product to adhere to standards, conventions or regulations in laws and similar prescriptions relating to functionality. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Generality
The degree to which a system or component performs a broad range of functions. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Generic Practice
An activity that, when consistently performed, contributes to the achievement of a specific process attribute. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Goal
Intended outcome of user interaction with a product. [ ISO/IEC 25062 ]
Other Definitions
Goal [ ISO/IEC 9126-4 ]: An intended outcome.
Granularity
The depth or level of detail at which data is collected. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Hybrid Coupling
A type of coupling in which different subsets of the range of values that a data item can assume are used for different and unrelated purposes in different software modules. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Impact Analysis
Identification of all system and software products that a change request affects and development of an estimate of the resources needed to accomplish the change. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Implementation
The process of translating a design into hardware components, software components, or both. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Implementation ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The installation and customization of packaged software.
Implementation ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Construction.
Implementation ISO/IEC 2382 ]: The system development phase at the end of which the hardware, software and procedures of the system considered become operational.
Implementation ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Phase of development during which user documentation is created according to the design, tested, and revised.
Implied Needs
Needs that may not have been stated but are actual needs. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Implied Needs [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598-1 ]: Needs that may not have been stated but are actual needs when the entity is used in particular conditions.
Incremental Development
A software development technique in which requirements definition, design, implementation, and testing occur in an overlapping, iterative (rather than sequential) manner, resulting in incremental completion of the overall software product. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Indicator
Measure that provides an estimate or evaluation of specified attributes derived from a model with respect to defined information needs. [ ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Indicator [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598-1 ]: A measure that can be used to estimate or predict another measure.
Indicator Value
Numerical or categorical result assigned to an indicator. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Indirect Measure
A measure of an attribute that is derived from measures of one or more other attributes. [ ISO/IEC 14598 ]
Information
An information processing, knowledge concerning objects, such as facts, events, things, processes, or ideas, including concepts, that within a certain context has a particular meaning. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Information Analysis
A systematic investigation of information and its flow in a real or planned system. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Information Management
In an information processing system, the functions of controlling the acquisition, analysis, retention, retrieval, and distribution of information. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Information Need
Insight necessary to manage objectives, goals, risks, and problems. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Information Product
One or more indicators and their associated interpretations that address an information need. [ ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Inspection
A static analysis technique that relies on visual examination of development products to detect errors, violations of development standards, and other problems. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Inspection [ IEEE 1490 ]: Examining or measuring to verify whether an activity, component, product, result, or service conforms to specified requirements.
Installability
The capability of the software product to be installed in a specified environment. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Installation Manual
Integration
The process of combining software components, hardware components, or both into an overall system. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Integration Test
The progressive linking and testing of programs or modules in order to ensure their proper functioning in the complete system. [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]
Integrity
The degree to which a system or component prevents unauthorized access to, or modification of, computer programs or data. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Interface Testing
Testing conducted to evaluate whether systems or components pass data and control correctly to one another. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Intermediate Software Product
A product of the software development process that is used as input to another stage of the software development process. [ ISO/IEC 14598, ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Internal Attribute
A measurable property of an entity which can be derived purely in terms of the entity itself. [ ISO/IEC 14598, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Internal Measure
A measure of the product itself, either direct or indirect. [ ISO/IEC 14598, ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Internal Quality
The totality of attributes of a product that determine its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs when used under specified conditions. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Internal Software Quality
Capability of a set of static attributes of a software product to satisfy stated and implied needs when the software product is used under specified conditions. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Interoperability
The capability of the software product to interact with one or more specified systems. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Interoperability Testing
Testing conducted to ensure that a modified system retains the capability of exchanging information with systems of different types, and of using that information. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Interval Scale
Scale in which the measurement values have equal distances corresponding to equal quantities of the attribute. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Item
An entity such as a part, component, subsystem, equipment or system that can be individually considered. An item may consist of hardware, software or both. [ ISO/IEC 15026 ]
Key Practices
The infrastructures and activities that contribute most to the effective implementation and institutionalization of a key process area. [ CMMi ]
Notes
In the CMMi process, each key process area is described in terms of the key practices that contribute to satisfying its goals. The key practices describe the infrastructure and activities that contribute most to the effective implementation and institutionalization of the key process area.
Each key practice consists of a single sentence, often followed by a more detailed description, which may include examples and elaboration. These
key practices, also referred to as the top-level key practices, state the fundamental policies, procedures, and activities for the key process area.
The components of the detailed description are frequently referred to as sub-practices.
The key practices describe "what" is to be done, but they should not be interpreted as mandating "how" the goals should be achieved. Alternative practices may accomplish the goals of the key process area. The key practices should be interpreted rationally to judge whether the goals of the key
process area are effectively, although perhaps differently, achieved.
Key Process Area
A cluster of related activities that, when performed collectively, achieve a set of goals considered important for establishing process capability. [ CMMi ]
Notes
The key process areas have been defined to reside at a single maturity level. They are the areas identified by the SEI to be the principal building blocks to help determine the software process capability of an organization and understand the improvements needed to advance to higher maturity levels.
-
-
The Level 4 key process areas are Quantitative Process Management and Software Quality Management.
-
The Level 5 key process areas are Defect Prevention, Technology Change Management, and Process Change Management.
-
Knowledge Base
A database that contains inference rules and information about human experience and expertise in a domain. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Learnability
The capability of the software product to enable the user to learn its application. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Lessons Learned
The learning gained from the process of performing the project. Lessons learned may be identified at any point. Also considered a project record, to be included in the lessons learned knowledge base. [ IEEE 1490 ]
Level of Performance
The degree to which the needs are satisfied, represented by a specific set of values for the quality characteristics. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Life Cycle
Evolution of a system, product, service, project or other human-made entity from conception through retirement. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Other Definitions
Life Cycle [ IEEE 1220 ]: The system or product evolution initiated by a perceived stakeholder need through the disposal of the products.
Life Cycle Model
Framework of processes and activities concerned with the life cycle that may be organized into stages, which also acts as a common reference for communication and understanding. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Maintainability
The capability of the software product to be modified. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14764 ]
Other Definitions
Maintainability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The ease with which a software system or component can be modified to change or add capabilities, correct faults or defects, improve performance or other attributes, or adapt to a changed environment.
Maintainability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The average effort required to locate and fix a software failure.
Maintainability [ IEEE 982 ]: Speed and ease with which a program can be corrected or changed.
Maintainability Compliance
The capability of the software product to adhere to standards or conventions relating to maintainability. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Maintainer
Individual or organization that performs maintenance activities. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Maintainer [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 14598 ]: An organisation that performs maintenance activities.
Maintenance
The process of modifying a software system or component after delivery to correct faults, improve performance or other attributes, or adapt to a changed environment. [ IEEE 610.12, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Software Maintenance [ ISO/IEC 14764 ]: The totality of activities required to provide cost-effective support to a software system.
Notes
+[5]
+ * * Perfective maintenance - Changes which improve the system in some way without changing its functionality; * * Adaptive maintenance - Maintenance which is required because of changes in the environment of a program; * * Corrective maintenance - The correction of previously undiscovered system errors.
+[6]
Maintenance Manual
A software engineering project-deliverable document that enables a system’s maintenance personnel (rather than users) to maintain the system. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Maturity
The capability of the software product to avoid failure as a result of faults in the software. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Measurable Concept
Abstract relationship between attributes of entities and information needs. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Measurand
Particular quantity subject to measurement. [ ISO/IEC 14143-3, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Measure
Variable to which a value is assigned as the result of measurement. [ ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definition
Measure (verb) [ ISO/IEC 14598, ISO/IEC 15939 ]: To make a measurement.
Measure [ IEEE 1061 ]: A way to ascertain or appraise value by comparing it to a norm.
Measure (verb) [ IEEE 1061 ]: To apply a metric.
Measure [ ISO/IEC 14598 ]: The number or category assigned to an attribute of an entity by making a measurement.
Measure [ IEEE 982 ]: The number or symbol assigned to an entity by a mapping from the empirical world to the formal, relational world in order to characterize an attribute.
Measure [ IEEE 982 ]: The act or process of measuring.
Measurement
Set of operations having the object of determining a value of a measure. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Measurement [ ISO/IEC 99, ISO/IEC 15939 ]: Set of operations having the object of determining a value of a measure.
Measurement [ IEEE 1061 ]: Act or process of assigning a number or category to an entity to describe an attribute of that entity.
Measurement [ ISO/IEC 19759 ]: The assignment of numbers to objects in a systematic way to represent properties of the object.
Measurement [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598 ]: The use of a metric to assign a value (which may be a number or category) from a scale to an attribute of an entity.
Measurement [ ISO/IEC 19759 ]: the assignment of values and labels to aspects of software engineering (products, processes, and resources) and the models that are derived from them, whether these models are developed using statistical, expert knowledge or other techniques.
Measurement Analyst
Individual or organisation that is responsible for the planning, performance, evaluation, and improvement of measurement. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Measurement Experience Base
Data store that contains the evaluation of the information products and the measurement process as well as any lessons learned during the measurement process. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Measurement Function
Algorithm or calculation performed to combine two or more base measures. [ ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Measurement Method
Logical sequence of operations, described generically, used in quantifying an attribute with respect to a specified scale. [ ISO/IEC 99, ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Measurement Procedure
Set of operations, described specifically, used in the performance of a particular measurement according to a given method. [ ISO/IEC 99, ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Measurement Process
The process for establishing, planning, performing and evaluating software measurement within an overall project or organisational measurement structure. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Measurement Process Owner
Individual or organisation responsible for the measurement process. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Measurement Sponsor
Individual or organisation that authorises and supports the establishment of the measurement process. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Measurement User
Individual or organisation that uses the information products. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Metric
The defined measurement method and the measurement scale. [ ISO/IEC 14598, ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Milestone
A significant point or event in the project. [ IEEE 1490 ]
Other Definitions
Milestone [ IEEE 1058 ]: A scheduled event used to measure progress.
Notes
-
Major milestones for software projects may include an acquirer or managerial sign-off, baselining of a specification, completion of system integration, and product delivery. Minor milestones might include baselining of a software module or completion of a chapter of the user manual
Mock Object
Temporary dummy objects created to aid testing until the real objects become available. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Model
A semantically closed abstraction of a system or a complete description of a system from a particular perspective. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Model [ IEEE 1233 ]: A representation of a real world process, device, or concept.
Model [ ISO/IEC 15474 ]: A related collection of instances of meta-objects, representing (describing or prescribing) an information system, or parts thereof, such as a software product.
Modifiability
The ease with which a system can be changed without introducing defects. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Modifiable
Structured and has a style such that changes can be made completely, consistently, and correctly while retaining the structure. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Modularity
The degree to which a system or computer program is composed of discrete components such that a change to one component has minimal impact on other components. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Modularity [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Software attributes that provide a structure of highly independent components.
Modularity [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The extent to which a routine or module is like a black box
Module
A program unit that is discrete and identifiable with respect to compiling, combining with other units, and loading. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Module [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]:
-
A logically separable part of a program.
-
A set of source code files under version control that can be manipulated together as one.
-
A collection of both data and the routines that act on it.
Moke Object
Temporary dummy objects created to aid testing until the real objects become available. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Multidimensional Analysis
Multidimensional analysis is a measurement function that weights different base measures to give a more relevant insight of the final goal of the measure.
It was primarily developed by Kaner and Bond in Software Engineering Metrics: What Do They Measure And How Do We Know.
Network
An arrangement of nodes and interconnecting branches. [ ISO/IEC 2382-1 ]
Nonfunctional Requirement
A software requirement that describes not what the software will do but how the software will do it. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Nontechnical Requirement
Requirement affecting product and service acquisition or development that is not a property of the product or service. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Object
An encapsulation of data and services that manipulate that data. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Object [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A specific entity that exists in a program at runtime in object-oriented programming.
Object [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Pertaining to the outcome of an assembly or compilation process.
Object [ IEEE 1320 ]: A member of an object set and an instance of an object type.
Object Model
An integrated abstraction that treats all activities as performed by collaborating objects and encompassing both the data and the operations that can be performed against that data. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Object Oriented Design
A software development technique in which a system or component is expressed in terms of objects and connections between those objects. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Observation
Instance of applying a measurement procedure to produce a value for a base measure. [ ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Observation Period
The time interval, where the measurement procedure is observed for collecting (logging) measurement results for rating or validation, consisting of the rating interval and the supplementary run. [ ISO/IEC 14756 ]
Operability
The capability of the software product to enable the user to operate and control it. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Operand
A variable, constant, or function upon which an operation is to be performed. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Operational Testing
Testing conducted to evaluate a system or component in its operational environment. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Operator
Individual or organisation that operates the system. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Operator [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A mathematical or logical symbol that represents an action to be performed in an operation.
Operator [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]: Entity that performs the operation of a system.
Operator [ IEEE 1220 ]: An individual or an organization that contributes to the functionality of a system and draws on knowledge, skills, and procedures to contribute the function.
Operator Manual
A document that provides the information necessary to initiate and operate a system or component. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Optional Requirement
Requirement of a normative document that must be fulfilled in order to comply with a particular option permitted by that document. [ ISO/IEC 14143 ]
Organisational Unit
The part of an organisation that is the subject of measurement. [ ISO/IEC 15504-9, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Path
In software engineering, a sequence of instructions that may be performed in the execution of a computer program. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Path [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: In file access, a hierarchical sequence of directory and subdirectory names specifying the storage location of a file.
Path Analysis
Analysis of a computer program to identify all possible paths through the program, to detect incomplete paths, or to discover portions of the program that are not on any path. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Path Testing
Testing designed to execute all or selected paths through a computer program. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Pathological Coupling
A type of coupling in which one software module affects or depends upon the internal implementation of another. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Peer Review
A review of a software work product, following defined procedures, by peers of the producers of the product for the purpose of identifying defects and improvements. [ CMMi ]
Other Definitions
Peer Review [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Review of work products performed by peers during development of the work products to identify defects for removal.
Performance
The degree to which a system or component accomplishes its designated functions within given constraints, such as speed, accuracy, or memory usage. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Performance Indicator
An assessment indicator that supports the judgment of the process performance of a specific process. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Performance Testing
Testing conducted to evaluate the compliance of a system or component with specified performance requirements. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Pilot Project
A project designed to test a preliminary version of an information processing system under actual but limited operating conditions and which will then be used to test the definitive version of the system. [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]
Portability
The capability of the software product to be transferred from one environment to another. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Portability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The ease with which a system or component can be transferred from one hardware or software environment to another.
Portability [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: The capability of a program to be executed on various types of data processing systems without converting the program to a different language and with little or no modification.
Portability Compliance
The capability of the software product to adhere to standards or conventions relating to portability. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Practice
An activity that contributes to the purpose or outcomes of a process or enhances the capability of a process. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Other Definitions
Practice [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Requirements employed to prescribe a disciplined uniform approach to the software development process.
Practice [ IEEE 1490 ]: A specific type of professional or management activity that contributes to the execution of a process and that may employ one or more techniques and tools.
Precision
The degree of exactness or discrimination with which a quantity is stated. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Predictive Metric
A metric applied during development and used to predict the values of a software quality factor. [ IEEE 1061 ]
Procedure
Ordered series of steps that specify how to perform a task. [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]
Other Definitions
Procedure [ ISO/IEC 19770 ]: Specified way to carry out an activity or process.
Procedure [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A portion of a computer program that is named and that performs a specific action.
Procedure [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A routine that does not return a value.
Process
System of activities, which use resources to transform inputs into outputs. [ ISO/IEC" 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Process [ ISO/IEC 15504-9, ISO/IEC 15939 ]: Set of interrelated activities that transform inputs into outputs.
Process [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: Predetermined course of events defined by its purpose or by its effect, achieved under given conditions.
Process (verb) [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: To perform operations on data.
Process [ ISO/IEC 15414 ]: A collection of steps taking place in a prescribed manner and leading to an objective.
Process [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: In data processing, the predetermined course of events that occur during the execution of all or part of a program.
Process Assessment
A disciplined evaluation of an organizational unit’s processes against a Process Assessment Model. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Assessment Model
A model suitable for the purpose of assessing process capability, based on one or more process reference models. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Capability
A characterization of the ability of a process to meet current or projected business goals. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Capability Determination
A systematic assessment and analysis of selected processes within an organization against a target capability, carried out with the aim of identifying the strengths, weaknesses and risks associated with deploying the processes to meet a particular specified requirement. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Capability Level
A point on the six-point ordinal scale (of process capability) that represents the capability of the process; each level builds on the capability of the level below. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Context
The set of factors, documented in the assessment input, that influence the judgment, comprehension and comparability of process attribute ratings. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Improvement
Actions taken to change an organization’s processes so that they more effectively and/or efficiently meet the organization’s business goals. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Improvement Objective
Set of target characteristics established to guide the effort to improve an existing process in a specific, measurable way, either in terms of resultant product or service characteristics, such as quality, performance, and conformance to standards, or in the way in which the process is executed, such as elimination of redundant process steps, combination of process steps, and improvement of cycle time. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Improvement Program
The strategies, policies, goals, responsibilities and activities concerned with the achievement of specified improvement goals. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Improvement Project
A subset of the Process Improvement Program that forms a coherent set of actions to achieve a specific improvement. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Outcome
An observable result of a process. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Other Definitions
Process Outcome [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]: Observable result of the successful achievement of the process purpose.
Process Performance
The extent to which the execution of a process achieves its purpose. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Process Purpose
High-level objective of performing the process and the likely outcomes of effective implementation of the process. [ ISO/IEC 15504, ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Product
An artifact that is produced, is quantifiable, and can be either an end item in itself or a component item. [ IEEE 1490 ]
Other Definitions
Product [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Complete set of software and documentation.
Product [ IEEE 1074 ]: Output of the software development activities (e.g., document, code, or model).
Product [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]: Result of a process.
Software Product [ ISO/IEC 9126, ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939 ]: Set of computer programs, procedures, and associated documentation and data.
Notes
-
In ISO 9000 there are four agreed generic product categories:
-
* hardware (e.g., engine mechanical part);
-
* software (e.g., computer program);
-
* services (e.g., transport); and
-
* processed materials (e.g., lubricant).
:Hardware and processed materials are generally tangible products, while software or services are generally intangible. Most products comprise elements belonging to different generic product categories. Whether the product is then called hardware, processed material, software, or service depends on the dominant element. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Product Line
Group of products or services sharing a common, managed set of features that satisfy specific needs of a selected market or mission. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Productivity
The capability of the software product to enable users to expend appropriate amounts of resources in relation to the effectiveness achieved in a specified context of use. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Programmer Manual
A document that provides the information necessary to develop or modify software for a given computer system. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Project
Endeavor with defined start and finish dates undertaken to create a product or service in accordance with specified resources and requirements. [ ISO/IEC 15288, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Other Definitions
Project [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: An undertaking with pre-specified objectives, magnitude and duration.
Project [ IEEE 1490 ]: A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.
Project Management
The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements. [ IEEE 1490 ]
Other Definitions
Project Management [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: The activities concerned with project planning and project control.
Prototype
Model or preliminary implementation of a piece of software suitable for the evaluation of system design, performance or production potential, or for the better understanding of the software requirements. [ ISO/IEC 15910 ]
Other Definitions
Prototype [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A preliminary type, form, or instance of a system that serves as a model for later stages or for the final, complete version of the system.
Qualification
Process of demonstrating whether an entity is capable of fulfilling specified requirements. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Other Definitions
Qualification [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The process of determining whether a system or component is suitable for operational use.
Qualification Testing
Testing, conducted by the developer and witnessed by the acquirer (as appropriate), to demonstrate that a software product meets its specifications and is ready for use in its target environment or integration with its containing system. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Quality
The totality of characteristics of an entity that bear on its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs. [ ISO 8402, ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Quality [ IEEE 829 ]: The degree to which a system, component, or process meets specified requirements.
Quality [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Ability of a product,service, system, component, or process to meet customer or user needs, expectations, or requirements.
Quality [ IEEE 1490 ]: The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfils requirements.
Quality Assurance
The planned and systematic activities implemented within the quality system, and demonstrated as needed, to provide adequate confidence that an entity will fulfil requirements for quality. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Other Definitions
Quality Assurance [ IEEE 610.12, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A planned and systematic pattern of all actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that an item or product conforms to established technical requirements.
Quality Assurance [ IEEE 610.12, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A set of activities designed to evaluate the process by which products are developed or manufactured.
Quality Assurance [ ISO/IEC 15288 ]: Part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled.
Quality Control
A set of activities designed to evaluate the quality of developed or manufactured products. [ IEEE 610.12 ]
Quality Evaluation
Systematic examination of the extent to which an entity is capable of fulfilling specified requirements. [ ISO 8402, ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598 ]
Quality Management
Coordinated activities to direct and control an organization with regard to quality. [ ISO/IEC 19759 ]
Quality Measure Element
Base measure or derived measure that is used for constructing software quality measures. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Quality Metric
a quantitative measure of the degree to which an item possesses a given quality attribute. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Quality Metric [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A function whose inputs are software data and whose output is a single numerical value that can be interpreted as the degree to which the software possesses a given quality attribute.
Quality Model
Defined set of characteristics, and of relationships between them, which provides a framework for specifying quality requirements and evaluating quality. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Quality Model [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598-1 ]: The set of characteristics and the relationships between them which provide the basis for specifying quality requirements and evaluating quality.
Quality in Use
The capability of the software product to enable specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, productivity, safety and satisfaction in specified contexts of use. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Rating
The action of mapping the measured value to the appropriate rating level. Used to determine the rating level associated with the software for a specific quality characteristic. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598-1, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Rating Level
A scale point on an ordinal scale which is used to categorise a measurement scale. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1, ISO/IEC 14598, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Readability
The ease with which a system’s source code can be read and understood, especially at the detailed, statement level. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Recoverability
The capability of the software product to re-establish a specified level of performance and recover the data directly affected in the case of a failure. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Recovery
The restoration of a system, program, database, or other system resource to a state in which it can perform required functions. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Reengineering
The examination and alteration of software to reconstitute it in a new form, including the subsequent implementation of the new form. [ ISO/IEC 19759 ]
Regression Testing
Selective retesting of a system or component to verify that modifications have not caused unintended effects and that the system or component still complies with its specified requirements. [ ISO/IEC 90003 ]
Other Definitions
Regression Testing [ ISO/IEC 90003 ]: Testing required to determine that a change to a system component has not adversely affected functionality, reliability or performance and has not introduced additional defects.
Release
Collection of new and/or changed configuration items which are tested and introduced into the live environment together. [ ISO/IEC 20000 ]
Other Definitions
Release [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A software version that is made formally available to a wider community.
Release [ IEEE 829, ISO/IEC 12207 ]: Particular version of a configuration item that is made available for a specific purpose.
Release [ IEEE 829 ]: The formal notification and distribution of an approved version.
Reliability
The capability of the software product to maintain a specified level of performance in cases of software faults or of infringement of its specified interface. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Reliability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The ability of a system or component to perform its required functions under stated conditions for a specified period of time.
Software Reliability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The probability[7] that software will not cause the failure of a system for a specified time under specified conditions.
Reliability Compliance
The capability of the software product to adhere to standards, conventions or regulations relating to reliability. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Repeatability of Results of Measurements
Closeness of the agreement between the results of successive measurements of the same measurand carried out under the same conditions of measurement. [ ISO/IEC 14143 ]
Replaceability
The capability of the software product to be used in place of another specified software product for the same purpose in the same environment. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Reproducibility of Results of Measurements
Closeness of the agreement between the results of measurements of the same measurand carried out under changed conditions of measurement. [ ISO/IEC 14143 ]
Request For Change
Form or screen used to record details of a request for a change to any configuration item within a service or infrastructure. [ ISO/IEC 20000 ]
Request For Proposal
A document used by the acquirer as a means to announce intention to potential bidders to acquire a specified system, product, or service. [ ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Other Definitions
Request for Proposal [ IEEE 1362 ]: A request for services, research, or a product prepared by a customer and delivered to prospective developers with the expectation that prospective developers will respond with their proposed cost, schedule, and development approach.
Request for Proposal [ IEEE 1490 ]: A type of procurement document used to request proposals from prospective sellers of products or services. In some application areas, it may have a narrower or more specific meaning.
Request for Proposal [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A collection of formal documents that includes a description of the desired form of response from a potential supplier, the relevant statement of work for the supplier, and required provisions in the supplier agreement.
Requirement
A condition or capability that must be met or possessed by a system, system component, product, or service to satisfy an agreement, standard, specification, or other formally imposed documents. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Requirement [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A condition or capability needed by a user to solve a problem or achieve an objective.
Requirement [ IEEE 1490 ]: A condition or capability that must be met or possessed by a system, product, service, result, or component to satisfy a contract, standard, specification, or other formally imposed document. Requirements include the quantified and documented needs, wants, and expectations of the sponsor, customer, and other stakeholders.
Software Requirement [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A software capability needed by a user to solve a problem to achieve an objective.
Software Requirement [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A software capability that must be met or possessed by a system or system component to satisfy a contract, standard, specification, or other formally imposed document.
Requirements Analysis
The process of studying user needs to arrive at a definition of system, hardware, or software requirements. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Requirements Analysis [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The process of studying and refining system, hardware, or software requirements.
Requirements Analysis [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: A systematic investigation of user requirements to arrive at a definition of a system.
Requirements Analysis [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Determination of product- or service-specific performance and functional characteristics based on analyses of customer needs, expectations, and constraints; operational concept; projected utilization environments for people, products, services, and processes; and measures of effectiveness
Requirements Derivation
The changing or translation of a requirement through analysis into a form that is suitable for low-level analysis or design. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Requirements Document
Document containing any combination of requirements or regulations to be met by a COTS software product. [ ISO/IEC 25051 ]
Requirements Engineering
The science and discipline concerned with analyzing and documenting requirements. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Requirements Partitioning
The separation or decomposing of a top-level requirement or design into successively lower-level detailed requirements or design. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Requirements Review
A process or meeting during which the requirements for a system, hardware item, or software item are presented to project personnel, managers, users, customers, or other interested parties for comment or approval. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Requirements Specification
A document that specifies the requirements for a system or component. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Requirements Traceability
Discernible association between a requirement and related requirements, implementations, and verifications. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Requirements Traceability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: the identification and documentation of the derivation path (upward) and allocation/ flow-down path
(downward) of requirements in the requirements hierarchy.
Requirements Traceability Matrix
A table that links requirements to their origin and traces them throughout the project life cycle. [ IEEE 1490 ]
Resource
Skilled human resources (specific disciplines either individually or in crews or teams), equipment, services, supplies, commodities, materiel, budgets, or funds. [ IEEE 1490 ]
Other Definitions
Resource [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]: Asset that is utilized or consumed during the execution of a process.
Resource [ ISO/IEC 15414 ]: A role (with respect to that action) in which the enterprise object fulfilling the role is essential to the action, requires allocation, or may become unavailable.
Resource [ ISO/IEC 15414 ]: An enterprise object which is essential to some behavior and which requires allocation or may become unavailable.
Resource Utilisation
The capability of the software product to use appropriate amounts and types of resources when the software performs its function under stated conditions. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Result
An output from performing project management processes and activities. Results include outcomes (e.g., integrated systems, revised process, restructured organization, tests, trained personnel, etc.) and documents (e.g., policies, plans, studies, procedures, specifications, reports, etc.). [ IEEE 1490 ]
Retirement
Withdrawal of active support by the operation and maintenance organization, partial or total replacement by a new system, or installation of an upgraded system. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Other Definitions
Retirement [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Removal of support from an operational system or component.
Retirement [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Permanent removal of a system or component from its operational environment.
Reverse Engineering
Determining what existing software will do and how it is constructed (to make intelligent changes). [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Notes
Reverse Engineering [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Software engineering approach that derives a system’s design or requirements from its code.
Risk
An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a project’s objectives. [ IEEE 1490 ]
Other Definitions
Risk [ IEEE 829 ]: The combination of the probability of an abnormal event or failure and the consequence(s) of that event or failure to a system’s components, operators, users, or environment.
Risk [ ISO/IEC 15026 ]: A function of the probability of occurrence of a given threat and the potential adverse consequences of that threat’s occurrence.
Risk [ IEEE 829 ]: The combination of the probability of occurrence and the consequences of a given future undesirable event.
Risk Acceptance
Acknowledgment of a risk factor’s existence along with a decision to accept the consequences if the corresponding problem occurs. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Risk Acceptance [ IEEE 1490 ]: A risk response planning technique that indicates that the project team has decided not to change the project management plan to deal with a risk, or is unable to identify any other suitable response strategy.
Risk Analysis
The process of examining identified risk factors for probability of occurrence, potential loss, and potential risk-handling strategies. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Robustness
The degree to which a system or component can function correctly in the presence of invalid inputs or stressful environmental conditions. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Role
Routine
A subprogram that is called by other programs and subprograms. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Risk [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A function or procedure invocable for a single purpose.
Risk [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: A program, or part of a program, that may have some general or frequent use.
Run
In software engineering, a single, usually continuous, execution of a computer program. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Safety
The capability of the software product to achieve acceptable levels of risk of harm to people, business, software, property or the environment in a specified context of use. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Safety [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765, ISO/IEC 15026 ]: The expectation that a system does not, under defined conditions, lead to a state in which human life, health, property, or the environment is endangered.
Satisfaction
The capability of the software product to satisfy users in a specified context of use. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Scale
Ordered set of values, continuous or discrete, or a set of categories to which the attribute is mapped. [ ISO/IEC 99, ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Scale [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A set of values with defined properties.
Notes
-
The type of scale depends on the nature of the relationship between values on the scale. Four types of scales are commonly defined:
:; Nominal: The measurement values are categorical. For example, the classification of defects by their type does not imply order among the categories.
:; Ordinal: The measurement values are rankings. For example, the assignment of defects to a severity level is a ranking.
:; Interval: The measurement values have equal distances corresponding to equal quantities of the attribute. For example, cyclomatic complexity has the minimum value of one, but each increment represents an additional path. The value of zero is not possible.
:; Ratio: The measurement values have equal distances corresponding to equal quantities of the attribute where the value of zero corresponds to none of the attribute. For example, the size of a software component in terms of LOC is a ratio scale because the value of zero corresponds to no lines of code and each additional increments represents equal amounts of code.
: These are just examples of the types of scales. Roberts[8] defines more types of scales. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Security
The capability of the software product to protect information and data so that unauthorised persons or systems cannot read or modify them and authorised persons or systems are not denied access to them. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Security [ ISO/IEC 15026 ]: The protection of system items from accidental or malicious access, use, modification, destruction, or disclosure.
Security [ ISO/IEC 15288 ]: All aspects related to defining, achieving, and maintaining confidentiality, integrity, availability, non-repudiation, accountability, authenticity, and reliability of a system.
Service
Performance of activities, work, or duties associated with a product. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Other Definitions
Software Service [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939 ]: Performance of activities, work, or duties connected with a software product, such as its development, maintenance, and operation.
Service Level Agreement
Written agreement between a service provider and a customer that documents services and agreed service levels. [ ISO/IEC 20000 ]
Simplicity
The degree to which a system or component has a design and implementation that is straightforward and easy to understand. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Simplicity [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Software attributes that provide implementation of functions in the most understandable manner.
Software
All or part of the programs, procedures, rules, and associated documentation of an information processing system. [ ISO/IEC 2382, ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Software [ IEEE 829 ]: Computer programs, procedures, and possibly associated documentation and data pertaining to the operation of a computer system.
Software [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Program or set of programs used to run a computer.
Software Asset Management
Effective management, control and protection of software assets within an organization. [ ISO/IEC 19770 ]
Software Development Process
The process by which user needs are translated into a software product. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Software Engineering
The systematic application of scientific and technological knowledge, methods, and experience to the design, implementation, testing, and documentation of software. [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]
Other Definitions
Software Engineering [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software; that is, the application of engineering to software.
Software Item
Identifiable part of a software product. [ ISO/IEC 90003 ]
Other Definitions
Software Item [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: An aggregation of software, such as a computer program or database, that satisfies an end use function and is designated for specification, qualification testing, interfacing, configuration management, or other purposes.
Software Item [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]: Source code, object code, control code, control data, or a collection of these items.
Software Life Cycle
The period of time that begins when a software product is conceived and ends when the software is no longer available for use. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Software Life Cycle [ IEEE 1074 ]: The project-specific sequence of activities that is created by mapping the activities of this standard onto a
selected software life cycle model (SLCM).
Software Life Cycle [ IEEE 1362 ]: The system or product cycle initiated by a user need or a perceived customer need and terminated by discontinued use of the product.
Software Product Evaluation
Technical operation that consists of producing an assessment of one or more characteristics of a software product according to a specified procedure. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Software Quality
Capability of a software product to satisfy stated and implied needs when used under specified conditions. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Software Quality Characteristic
Category of software quality attributes that bears on software quality. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Software Quality Evaluation
Systematic examination of the extent to which a software product is capable of satisfying stated and implied needs. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Software Quality Measure
Measure of internal software quality, external software quality or software quality in use. IEEE 1490 ]
Software Repository
A software library providing permanent, archival storage for software and related documentation. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Software Unit
Separately compilable piece of code. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Other Definitions
Software Unit [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]: The lowest element in one or more software components.
Source Code
Computer instructions and data definitions expressed in a form suitable for input to an assembler, compiler, or other translator. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Specification
A document that specifies, in a complete, precise, verifiable manner, the requirements, design, behavior, or other characteristics of a system, component, product, result, or service and, often, the procedures for determining whether these provisions have been satisfied. [ IEEE 1490 ]
Other Definitions
Specification [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: A detailed formulation, in document form, which provides a definitive description of a system for the purpose of developing or validating the system.
Specification [ IEEE 1220 ]: A document that fully describes a design element or its interfaces in terms of requirements (functional, performance, constraints, and design characteristics) and the qualification conditions and procedures for each requirement.
Stability
The capability of the software product to avoid unexpected effects from modifications of the software. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Stage
Period within the life cycle of an entity that relates to the state of its description or realization. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]
Notes
-
Stages relate to major progress and achievement milestones of the system through its life cycle. Stages may
be overlapping. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Stakeholder
Individual or organisation that sponsors measurement, provides data, is a user of the measurement results or otherwise participates in the measurement process. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Other Definitions
Stakeholder [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288, ISO/IEC 15939 ]: Individual or organization having a right, share, claim, or interest in a system or in its possession of characteristics that meet their needs and expectations.
Stakeholder [ IEEE 1490 ]: Person or organization (e.g. customer, sponsor, performing organization, or the public) that is actively involved in the project, or whose
interests may be positively or negatively affected by execution or completion of the project. A stakeholder may also exert influence over the project and its deliverables.
Standard
Set of mandatory requirements established by consensus and maintained by a recognized body to prescribe a disciplined uniform approach or specify a product, that is, mandatory conventions and practices. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Standard [ IEEE 1490 ]: A document 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.
Standard Process
The set of definitions of the basic processes that guide all processes in an organization. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Statement
In a programming language, a meaningful expression that defines data, specifies program actions, or directs the assembler or compiler. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Statement Testing
Testing designed to execute each statement of a computer program. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Statement of Work
Document used by the acquirer to describe and specify the tasks to be performed under the contract. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Other Definitions
Statement of Work [ IEEE 1490 ]: A narrative description of products, services, or results to be supplied.
Static Analysis
The process of evaluating a system or component based on its form, structure, content, or documentation. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Statistical Process Control
Statistically based analysis of a process and measures of process performance, which identify common and special causes of variation in process performance and maintain process performance within limits. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Notes
Statistical Process Control is an effective method of monitoring a process through the use of control charts.
In general, if a process exceeds the limits, we assume that it’s out of control and the project team should search for special causes to deal with it.
There are many kinds of charts, such as the 
chart and r-chart, etc.
The c-chart
The c-chart plots the number of defects in a process.
If 
denotes the number of defects obtained in the ith observation, the c-chart plots the data points at the height 
. The c-chart also has a center line (CL) at height 
(the average of and the following 3σ lines:
If LCL is negative, it is set to zero. The c-chart assumes the Poisson distribution of defects and is thus approximative.
Use of SPC in software engineering is still under debate. One major issue is that formal SPC requires data to be independent variables from homogeneous sources of variation. As exposed in Software Engineering Metrics: What Do They Measure And How Do We Know, software engineering data is often affected by many variations sources. Furthermore, software engineering is domain-specific (requirements may vary from one domain to another) and limits may vary.
Step
One element (numbered list item) in a procedure that tells a user to perform an action (or actions). [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]
Other Definitions
Step [ ISO/IEC 15414 ]: An abstraction of an action, used in a process, that may leave unspecified objects that participate in that action.
Stress Testing
Testing conducted to evaluate a system or component at or beyond the limits of its specified requirements. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Structural Testing
Testing that takes into account the internal mechanism of a system or component. Syn: glass-box testing, white-box testing. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Stub
A skeletal or special-purpose implementation of a software module, used to develop or test a module that calls or is otherwise dependent on it. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Stub [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A computer program statement substituting for the body of a software module that is or will be defined elsewhere.
Stub [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Scaffolding code written for the purpose of exercising higher-level code before the lower-level routines that will ultimately be used are available.
Suitability
The capability of the software product to provide an appropriate set of functions for specified tasks and user objectives. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Supplier
Organisation that enters into an agreement with the acquirer for the supply of a system, software product or software service under the terms of that agreement. [ ISO/IEC 9126, ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Support
The set of activities necessary to ensure that an operational system or component fulfills its original requirements and any subsequent modifications to those requirements. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Software Support [ ISO 9127 ]: The act of maintaining the software and its associated documentation in a functional state.
Support Manual
A document that provides the information necessary to service and maintain an operational system or component throughout its life cycle. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
System
Integrated composite that consists of one or more of the processes, hardware, software, facilities and people, that provides a capability to satisfy a stated need or objective. [ ISO/IEC 9126, ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Other Definitions
Software System [ IEEE 1362 ]: A software-intensive system for which software is the only component to be developed or modified.
Task
The activities required to achieve a goal. [ ISO/IEC 9126 ]
Other Definitions
Task [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288 ]: Required, recommended, or permissible action, intended to contribute to the achievement of one or more outcomes of a process.
Task [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: In software design, a [[Software Component|software component that can operate in parallel with other software components.
Task [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A concurrent object with its own thread of control.
Task [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A sequence of instructions treated as a basic unit of work by the supervisory program of an operating system.
Task [ IEEE 829 ]: Smallest unit of work subject to management accountability; a well-defined work assignment for one or more project members.
Technical Requirement
Requirements relating to the technology and environment, for the development, maintenance, support and execution of the software. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Technique
Methods and skills required to carry out a specific activity. [ ISO/IEC 25001, ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Other Definitions
Technique [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Technical or managerial procedure that aids in the evaluation and improvement of the software development process.
Test
An activity in which a system or component is executed under specified conditions, the results are observed or recorded, and an evaluation is made of some aspect of the system or component. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Test [ IEEE 829 ]: A set of one or more test cases and procedures.
Test Case
A set of inputs, execution preconditions, and expected outcomes developed for a particular objective to exercise a particular program path or to verify compliance with a specific requirement. [ IEEE 1012, SIGIST ]
Other Definitions
Test Case [ IEEE 610.12 ]: A documented instruction for the tester that specifies how a function or a combination of functions shall or should be tested. A test case includes detailed information on the following issues:
-
the test objective;
-
the functions to be tested;
-
the testing environment and other conditions;
-
the test data;
-
the procedure;
-
the expected behaviour of the system.
Test Case Suite
A collection of one or more test cases for the software under test. [ SIGIST ]
Test Coverage
Extent to which the test cases test the requirements for the system or software product. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Other Definitions
Test Coverage [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The degree to which a given test or set of tests addresses all specified requirements for a given system or component.
Test Documentation
Collection of the documentation inherent to the testing activities. [ ISO/IEC 25051 ]
Other Definitions
Test Documentation [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Documentation describing plans for, or results of, the testing of a system or component.
Test Environment
Hardware and software configuration necessary to conduct the test case. [ ISO/IEC 25051 ]
Test Objective
Identified set of software features to be measured under specified conditions by comparing actual behavior with the required behavior. [ ISO/IEC 25051, ISO/IEC 25062 ]
Test Plan
A document describing the scope, approach, resources, and schedule of intended test activities. [ IEEE 1012, ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Other Definitions
Test Plan [ IEEE 1012 ]: A document that describes the technical and management approach to be followed for testing a system or component.
Test Plan [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: A plan that establishes detailed requirements, criteria, general methodology, responsibilities, and general planning for test and evaluation of a system.
Testability
The capability of the software product to enable modified software to be validated. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Testability [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]: Extent to which an objective and feasible test can be designed to determine whether a requirement is met.
Testability [ IEEE 1233 ]: The degree to which a requirement is stated in terms that permit establishment of test criteria and performance of tests to determine whether those criteria have been met.
Testability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]:
-
The degree to which a system can be unit tested and system tested.
-
The effort required to test software.
-
The degree to which a system or component facilitates the establishment of test criteria and the performance of tests to determine whether those criteria have been met.
Testing
Activity in which a system or component is executed under specified conditions, the results are observed or recorded, and an evaluation is made of some aspect of the system or component. [ IEEE 829 ]
Other Definitions
Software Testing [ ISO/IEC 19759 ]: The dynamic verification of the behavior of a program on a finite set of test cases, suitably selected from the usually infinite executions domain, against the expected behavior.
Testing Description
Description of the test execution conditions (i.e. test procedure). [ ISO/IEC 25051, ISO/IEC 25062 ]
Time Behaviour
The capability of the software product to provide appropriate response and processing times and throughput rates when performing its function, under stated conditions. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Tool
A software product that provides support for software and system life cycle processes. [ ISO/IEC 15474 ]
Other Definitions
Tool [ IEEE 1490 ]: Something tangible, such as a template or software program, used in performing an activity to produce a product or result.
Total Quality Management
A holistic approach to quality improvement in all life-cycle phases. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Traceability
The degree to which a relationship can be established between two or more products of the development process, especially products having a predecessor-successor or master-subordinate relationship to one another. [ IEEE 1233 ]
Other Definitions
Traceability [ IEEE 1362 ]: The identification and documentation of derivation paths (upward) and allocation or flowdown paths (downward) of work products in the work product hierarchy.
Traceability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The degree to which each element in a software development product establishes its reason for existing.
Traceability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Discernible association among two or more logical entities, such as requirements, system elements, verifications, or tasks.
Traceable
Having components whose origin can be determined. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Trunk
The software’s main line of development; the main starting point of most branches. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Understandability
The capability of the software product to enable the user to understand whether the software is suitable, and how it can be used for particular tasks and conditions of use. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Understandability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The ease with which a system can be comprehended at both the system-organizational and detailed-statement levels.
Unit Test
Testing of individual routines and modules by the developer or an independent tester. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
Unit Test [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: A test of individual programs or modules in order to ensure that there are no analysis or programming errors.
Unit Test [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: A test of individual hardware or software units or groups of related units.
Unit of Measurement
Particular quantity, defined and adopted by convention, with which other quantities of the same kind are compared in order to express their magnitude relative to that quantity. [ ISO/IEC 99, ISO/IEC 15939, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Usability
The capability of the software product to be understood, learned, used and attractive to the user, when used under specified conditions. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
Other Definitions
Usability [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: The ease with which a user can learn to operate, prepare inputs for, and interpret outputs of a system or component.
Usability [ ISO/IEC 25062 ]: The extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.
Usability Compliance
The capability of the software product to adhere to standards, conventions, style guides or regulations relating to usability. [ ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]
User
Individual or organisation that uses the system to perform a specific function. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Other Definitions
User [ ISO/IEC 9126 ]: An individual that uses the software product to perform a specific function.
User [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Person who performs one or more tasks with software; a member of a specific audience.
User [ ISO/IEC 25062 ]: Person who interacts with the product.
User [ IEEE 1362 ]: Individual or organization who uses a software-intensive system in daily work activities or recreational pursuits.
User [ ISO/IEC 15288, ISO/IEC 15939 ]: Individual or group that benefits from a system during its utilization.
User [ ISO/IEC 14143, ISO/IEC 29881 ]: Any person or thing that communicates or interacts with the software at any time.
User Documentation
Documentation for users of a system, including a system description and procedures for using the system to obtain desired results. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
User Documentation [ ISO/IEC 26514 ]: Information to describe, explain, or instruct how to use software.
User Manual
A document that presents the information necessary to employ a system or component to obtain desired results. [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]
Other Definitions
User Manual [ ISO/IEC 2382 ]: A document that describes how to use a functional unit, and that may include description of the rights and responsibilities of the user, the owner, and the supplier of the unit.
Validation
Determination of the correctness of the products of software development with respect to the user needs and requirements. [ SIGIST ]
Other Definitions
Validation [ ISO 8402, ISO/IEC 9126-1 ]: Confirmation by examination and provision of objective evidence that the particular requirements for a specific intended use are fulfilled.
Validation [ ISO/IEC 15288 ]: Confirmation, through the provision of objective evidence, that the requirements for a specific intended use or application have been fulfilled.
Validation [ IEEE 1012 ]: The process of providing evidence that the software and its associated products satisfy system requirements allocated to software at the end of each life cycle activity, solve the right problem, and satisfy intended use and user needs.
Validation [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]: In a life cycle context, the set of activities ensuring and gaining confidence that a system is able to accomplish its intended use, goals and objectives.
Validation [ IEEE 1233 ]: The process of evaluating a system or component during or at the end of the development process to determine whether a system or component satisfies specified requirements.
Validation [ IEEE 1490 ]: The assurance that a product, service, or system meets the needs of the customer and other identified stakeholders. It often involves acceptance and suitability with external customers.
Value
Number or category assigned to an attribute of an entity by making a measurement. [ ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Value [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]: Numerical or categorical result assigned to a base measure, derived measure, or indicator. [ ISO/IEC 15939 ]
Verification
Confirmation, through the provision of objective evidence, that specified requirements have been fulfilled. [ ISO/IEC 12207, ISO/IEC 15288, ISO/IEC 25000 ]
Other Definitions
Verification [ IEEE 1012, SIGIST ]: The process of evaluating a system or component to determine whether the products of a given development phase satisfy the conditions imposed at the start of that phase.
Verification [ ISO 8402, ISO/IEC 9126 ]: Confirmation by examination and provision of objective evidence that specified requirements have been fulfilled.
Verification [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: Formal proof of program correctness.
Verification [ IEEE 1490 ]: The evaluation of whether a product, service, or system complies with a regulation, requirement, specification, or imposed condition. It is often an internal process.
Verification [ IEEE 829 ]: Process of providing objective evidence that the software and its associated products comply with requirements (e.g., for correctness, completeness, consistency, and accuracy) for all life cycle activities during each life cycle process (acquisition, supply, development, operation, and maintenance), satisfy standards, practices, and conventions during life cycle processes, and successfully complete each life cycle activity and satisfy all the criteria for initiating succeeding life cycle activities (e.g., building the software correctly).
Version
Identified instance of an item. [ ISO/IEC 12207 ]
Other Definitions
Version [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: An initial release or re-release of a computer software configuration item, associated with a complete compilation or recompilation of the computer software configuration item.
Version [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: An initial release or complete re-release of a document, as opposed to a revision resulting from issuing change pages to a previous release.
Version [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: An operational software product that differs from similar products in terms of capability, environmental requirements, and configuration.
Version [ ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 ]: An identifiable instance of a specific file or release of a complete system.
Work Product
An artifact associated with the execution of a process. [ ISO/IEC 15504 ]
Other Definitions
Work Product [ IEEE 1058 ]: A tangible item produced during the process of developing or modifying software.