ISO/IEC JTC1/SC7

Software and Systems Engineering

Secretariat: CANADA (SCC)

Address reply to: ISO/IEC JTC1/SC7 Secretariat École de technologie supérieure – Département de génie logiciel et des TI

1100 Notre Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec Canada H3C 1K3 secretariat@jtc1-sc7.org

www.jtc1-sc7.org

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC7 /N3840

2007-09-10

Document Type Information

Title WG22 Operations Concept for ISO/IEC 24765, Systems and Software Engineering Vocabulary

Source WG22 Convener

Project 24765

Status 2nd version

Reference 07N2282

Action ID ACT

Distribution SC7

No. of Pages 4

Note For review and comments by SC7 members. Comments due to the WG22 Convener by 10 October 2007.

Address reply to: ISO/IEC JTC1/SC7 Secretariat École de technologie supérieure – Département de génie électrique

1100 Notre Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec Canada H3C 1K3 secretariat@jtc1-sc7.org

www.jtc1-sc7.org

2

1 Purpose and Scope The purpose of the software and systems engineering vocabulary project is to support the use of consistent terminology in application practice and in international standards for software and systems engineering. The purpose of this Operations Concept is to outline the procedures for operation of ISO/IEC 24765, Systems and Software Engineering Vocabulary.

The initial project scope for WG22 is to provide a descriptive vocabulary in English of the terms as they are currently defined in approved software and systems engineering standards (IS) of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC7 and the IEEE Computer Society. The descriptive vocabulary may contain several definitions of the same term as found in the existing standards. The initial vocabulary is hosted on systems provided by the IEEE Computer Society.

In the initial vocabulary, editors combined definitions from several sources that have essentially the same meaning and editorial variation of wording. Editors numbered definitions so that those from the base standards, IEEE 610.12-1990 and ISO/IEC 12207 with amendments 1 and 2 and ISO/IEC 15288, have priority.

The database for the vocabulary is available for search at www.computer.org/sevocab

This document addresses

a. Ongoing maintenance procedures for inclusion of new/revised SC7 standards in the vocabulary

b. Governance – Procedures for harmonization of terms

2 Background and References This vocabulary project produced an online lookup capability for software and systems engineering terms, as well as printed standards. As stated in ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC7 N2882, New Work Item proposal on Systems and Software Engineering-- Vocabulary:

The primary tool for maintaining the vocabulary would be a database that would be modified in a controlled fashion. Formal, published international standards would be issued periodically as a "snapshot" of the database. Access to the database would be made publicly available. A copyright notice would be provided with the database that permits users to copy definitions from the database as long as the source of the definition is cited. Permitting public usage of the definitions in the database will provide a huge promotion to the usage of other ISO/IEC JTC1 software and systems engineering standards.

Address reply to: ISO/IEC JTC1/SC7 Secretariat École de technologie supérieure – Département de génie électrique

1100 Notre Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec Canada H3C 1K3 secretariat@jtc1-sc7.org

www.jtc1-sc7.org

3

The formal published standard would be distributed in the usual way. (In return for contributing IEEE STD 610.12 to the project, IEEE has required that they be allowed to adopt the resulting standard and republish without royalty.)

Reference documents include the following:

1. ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC7 N2882, New Work Item proposal on Systems and Software Engineering Vocabulary

2. ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC7 N2930, 2003-10-10, Letter Ballot Summary, Systems and Software Engineering – Vocabulary

3. JTC 1 N6397, 2001-03-08, Maintenance of ISs developed by SC1. This document proposes that ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC7 be responsible for maintenance of specified parts of ISO/IEC 2382: Part 1: Fundamental Terms; and Part 20, Systems Development.

4. ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC7 N3462, 2006-03-16, WG22 Requirements Document for ISO/IEC 24765, Systems and Software Engineering Vocabulary

3 Maintenance Procedures This section outlines procedures for the maintenance of the SC7 vocabulary. Maintenance includes these activities:

1. addition of new sources and their terms and definitions,

2. revision of terms and definitions as necessary when the source standard is updated,

3. archiving obsolete terms and definitions.

Maintenance will begin at the point of issuance of the Committee Draft (CD), the initial snapshot of the database, in June 2007. The CD was prepared based on the initial compilation of terms from the existing, current ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC7 standards and IEEE-CS software and systems engineering standards.

In keeping with established resolutions and policy, editors of new and updated ISO JTC 1 SC7 and IEEE software and systems engineering standards should consult the existing SC7 vocabulary in drafting new and revised terms and definitions. The current version of the online vocabulary will be accessible to JTC 1/SC7 editors and conveners to promote consistency. Editors shall either refer to the terms as defined in the vocabulary or recommend new definitions and added terms as required.

Once ISO/IEC 24765 has been approved as a standard, editors should cite it as a reference for standard definitions. Editors may cite the online database www.computer.org/sevocab for informal access before ISO/IEC 24765 is approved.

Address reply to: ISO/IEC JTC1/SC7 Secretariat École de technologie supérieure – Département de génie électrique

1100 Notre Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec Canada H3C 1K3 secretariat@jtc1-sc7.org

www.jtc1-sc7.org

4

The JTC 1 SC7 Secretariat, the IEEE Computer Society, and others responsible for issuing standards ("Issuers") are the source of maintenance changes to 24765.

The Issuers of source standards whose definitions are included in the vocabulary will provide the 24765 editor with copies of standards at the time of approval of their final ballot (FDIS for ISO standards). The 24765 editors will ensure that the new terms, new definitions for existing terms, and new sources for existing definitions are added to the vocabulary. Similarly, 24765 editors will apply changes to the terms and definitions to reflect newly revised or corrected standards.

The standards Issuers will notify the 24765 editors when standards are withdrawn. The 24765 editors will determine whether to remove the terms and definitions from the active vocabulary, either because they are no longer in use, or because they have passed into widespread use in the common dictionary definitions and no longer need to be included with special definitions. The 24765 editors may retain terms and definitions if they are still considered useful. Such retained items will show their source to be 24765 itself, rather than the withdrawn original source.

The vocabulary will be editorially reviewed and updated for FCD and FDIS balloting. Updates will include the addition of new terms and definitions and changes to definitions as required by new, updated, and withdrawn standards. Comments received on the definitions from NB ballots will be referred for guidance to the WG or Issuer that is responsible for the standard that is the source of the definition. If the issuer agrees, corrected definitions will be included with 24765 as the source, until a corrected definition is included in a revision of the original source standard. If the definition has 26514 as the source, the editors and ISO JTC1/SC7/WG22 will resolve the comments.

It is anticipated that updates of the IS will be issued at least annually to include changes made through these maintenance procedures. Forthcoming changes to procedures for JTC 1 database standards may allow for more rapid approval of changes than the normal balloting procedure.

WG 22 will release changes to the publicly available online version of the vocabulary at least annually and as often as quarterly.

4 Procedures for harmonization of terms Harmonization of terms is the adoption of common terminology and definitions throughout the JTC 1 SC7 portfolio of standards, and ultimately throughout all JTC 1 standards and those of related TC and other organizations in liaison with JTC1/SC7. However, it is recognized that multiple definitions for the same term may be appropriate for various specialties within software and systems engineering.

WG22 does not intend to enforce consistency or require revisions to definitions in existing standards. The authority for the appropriate terminology and definitions in each standard is the JTC 1 SC7 Working Group or other Issuer producing the source standard. To support consistency of definitions, WG 22 may recommend revisions in definitions in the source

Address reply to: ISO/IEC JTC1/SC7 Secretariat École de technologie supérieure – Département de génie électrique

1100 Notre Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec Canada H3C 1K3 secretariat@jtc1-sc7.org

www.jtc1-sc7.org

5

standards. Revision of definitions in source standards may be accomplished through subsequent revisions of the standards, addenda, or corrigenda as determined by the appropriate WG.

WG22 may edit definitions for inclusion in 24765. The source of the definition will be listed as 24765 if the definition is substantively revised from the original source standard. Revisions may reflect comments received through the various ballots on 24765.

WG22 will provide information to other working groups where there are inconsistencies and redundancies in terms and definitions. WG22 will issue periodic reports of terms with multiple definitions where harmonization could be appropriate. These periodic reports will be provided to the SC7 Secretariat at least four months before plenary meetings, for distribution to Heads of Delegation and WG Conveners. WG22 may hold meetings as part of the JTC 1/SC7 plenary and interim meetings for discussion and recommended resolution of discrepancies in terminology.