TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES

System Development Life Cycle

Glossary
Version 1.3 25 SEP 2007

Texas Project Delivery Framework

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY

Version History
This and other Framework Extension tools are available on the Framework Web site.
Release Date Description

25-Sep-2007 02-Jul-2007 13-Mar-2007 30-Jun-2006

Version 1.3 released. Added terms from System Development Life Cycle Guide. Version 1.2 released. Added definitions for System Development Processes, System Development Life Cycle Model, and System Life Cycle process. Version 1.1 released. Made minor modifications to indicate Framework Extension. Version 1.0 Glossary released.

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Texas Project Delivery Framework

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY

Contents
Introduction .............................................................................................................1 Use of the Glossary ................................................................................................1 Glossary..................................................................................................................2

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Texas Project Delivery Framework

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY

Introduction
The System Development Life Cycle Glossary is included within the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Extension of the Texas Project Delivery Framework (Framework) to provide common understanding of terms and acronyms used in the System Development Life Cycle additional tools. The glossary is intended to assist agencies in the use of the System Development Life Cycle additional tools of the Framework. The definitions in the glossary represent the meanings understood and shared throughout the Framework. Systems development is a science with a very complex, and possibly confusing, vocabulary of terms. The System Development Life Cycle Glossary can be used as a tool for use of the System Development Life Cycle, aiding in effective communication among stakeholders and in aligning the technology results with the business goals and objectives. Misunderstanding terminology can often lead to incorrect requirements, solutions, or expectations. This glossary is intended to be tool for use in minimizing risks of these understandings.

Use of the Glossary

The System Development Life Cycle Glossary contains an alphabetical listing of terms and acronyms used in the System Development Life Cycle template instructions, templates, and guidelines. Each term and acronym is followed by its definition.

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY

Glossary
Acceptance Testing: determines correctness of all functionality of the system in order to provide the basis for acceptance of the system Acquisition Process: process used to obtain a product or service in accordance with the acquirer's requirements Agreement Processes: processes used for the establishment of agreements with organizational entities external and internal to the organization during supply and acquisition of products or services Analysis: the assessment, calculation, or breakdown of an item under test to determine that the perceived information is correct; the process of taking the immediate data or presentation and either decomposing it or combining it with other information to assure that the item under test is correct Anomaly: a deviation from applicable laws, regulations, policies, standards, guidelines, plans, procedures, and specifications Artifact: project documentation or other item that has been archived Audit: an independent evaluation of conformance of artifacts, deliverables, products, and processes to applicable laws, regulations, policies, standards, guidelines, plans, and procedures Availability Testing: determines whether the item under test is available according to its stated availability requirements Capability: a statement of system functionality CASE: computer-aided software engineering; the use of software tools to assist in the development and maintenance of software Condition: a measurable qualitative or quantitative attribute or characteristic stipulated for a capability Configuration Item: a work product that is placed under configuration management and treated as a single entity Configuration Management: subset of project management that includes the processes for formally identifying and controlling project configuration items Constraint: a limitation or implied requirement that constrains the design solution or implementation of the systems engineering process, is not changeable by the enterprise, and is generally non-allocable Correctness: the extent to which an item under test satisfies specifications and fulfills users mission objectives

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY

Data Testing: the execution of an item under test to verify and validate both the data contained within the system and the data that is used by the system Decision Making Process: process used to select the most beneficial course of project action where alternatives exist Deliverable: products, services, processes, or plans that are created as a result of doing a project Demonstration: the simple execution of a function in the item under test where the item under test initially resides in one state and is triggered to perform some function that either results in an output and/or causes the item under test to move to a new state
Development Process: process used to build a system or system component

Discrepancy: an instance of divergence or disagreement Disposal Process: process used to end the existence of a system or system component including deactivating, disassembling, and removing the system, system components, and any waste products, as required Durability: the ability of a product to maintain its required performance over a given or long time, under the influence of foreseeable actions Efficiency: the amount of computing resources and code required to perform function Enterprise Environment Management Process: process used in the definition and maintenance of the policies and procedures for the strategic management of system life cycles Enterprise Processes: processes that manage the organizations capability to acquire and supply products or services through the initiation, support and control of projects. They provide resources and infrastructure necessary to support projects and ensure the satisfaction of organizational objectives and established agreements. Flexibility: the effort required to maintain the operational item Framework Extensions: guidance and tools for various types of technology projects and project delivery environments that interpret and extend the base set of practices already found in the Framework Functional Testing: assures that the component or system correctly performs its intended function Information Management Process: process used to provide relevant, timely, complete, valid and, if required, confidential information to stakeholders during and, as appropriate, after the system life cycle. This process is used to generate, collect, transform, retain, retrieve, disseminate and dispose of information. It is used to manage designated information, including technical, project, enterprise, agreement, and user information. Inspection: a systematic peer examination to detect and identify anomalies, issues, and recommendations; the direct perception of the correctness of the item under test

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY

Integration Testing: determines correctness of the aggregate with regard to its associated requirements Integrity/Security Testing: determines the extent to which access to software or data by unauthorized people can be controlled Interface Testing: determines correctness of the defined interfaces for the system Interoperability: the effort required to couple one system with another Investment Management Process: process that addresses initiation and sustaining sufficient and suitable projects in order to meet the objectives of the organization Load Testing: determines the ability of the item under test to support the performance requirements while under increased use up to the stated bounds of its capability Maintainability: the effort required to locate and correct an error during operation Maintenance Process: process of sustaining the capability of a system to provide the required service Middle Identifier: an element placed in the middle of an identifier to articulate or specify the identifier Milestone: a point in time representing a key or important intermediate event in the life of a project Mode of Operation: a state or setting that is associated with the conditions under which an information system operates Model Storming: just in time modeling where an issue is identified for resolution, then a few team members who have the ability to contribute to the resolution quickly explore the issue and determine a resolution, in order to enable the entire team to continue without further delay Operations Process: process for utilization of a system or component in order to deliver its required services Parallel Testing: a method used to demonstrate correctness in which the modified system and the original system are executed using identical input Performance Testing: assures that the item under test meets specified requirements for throughput, number of users, response times, maximum workloads, and other performance characteristics of the item; may include load, stress, and availability testing Physical Configuration Audit (PCA): an audit conducted to verify that a configuration item, as built, conforms to the technical documentation that defines it Portability: the effort required to transfer from one hardware or software environment to another Prefix: an element affixed to the front of an identifier to articulate or specify the identifier Product: output from a process

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY

Project Assessment Process: process used to determine the status of the project. This process evaluates, periodically and at major events, the progress and achievements against requirements, plans and overall business objectives. Information is communicated for management action when significant variances are detected. Project Control Process: process used to direct project plan execution and ensure that the project performs according to plans and schedules, within projected budgets and it satisfies technical objectives. This process includes redirecting the project activities, as appropriate, to correct identified deviations and variations from other project management or technical processes. Redirection may include re-planning as appropriate. Project Planning Process: process used to produce and communicate effective and workable project plans. This process determines the scope of the project management and technical activities, identifies process outputs, project tasks and deliverables, establishes schedules for project task conduct, including achievement criteria, and required resources to accomplish project tasks. Project Processes: processes that are used to establish and evolve project plans, to assess actual achievement and progress against the plans and to control execution of the project through to fulfillment Quality Management Processes: processes to assure that products, services and implementation of life cycle processes meet enterprise quality goals and achieve stakeholder satisfaction RAD: Rapid Application Development; a system development life cycle model that focuses on building systems in a short amount of time; traditionally with compromises in usability, features and/or execution speed Refactoring: a disciplined technique for altering the structure of an existing code base without altering functionality Reliability: the extent to which an item performs with required precision and the extent to which the system robustly responds to reliability challenges (e.g., through fail over or degraded operation) Requirement: (A) A condition or capability needed by a user to solve a problem or achieve an objective. (B) A condition or capability that must be met or possessed by a system or system component to satisfy a contract, standard, specification, or other formally imposed document. (C) A documented representation of a condition or capability as in definition (A) or (B). Resource Management Process: process used to provide resources, materials and services to projects to support organization and project objectives Reusability: the extent to which an item can be reused in another application Risk Management Process: subset of project management that includes the processes for identification, analysis, and responses to project risks Sequence Item: represents the sequence number of a sequentially numbered step of a scenario; is equivalent to the Sequence of Execution

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Setups: the assembly, arrangement, configuration, and initialization of hardware, software, tools, and their initial settings, which are required to be in place prior to executing a test State: a condition or mode of existence that a system, component, or simulation may be in Stress Testing: determines the ability of the item under test to deal with situations when loads exceed the bounds of the stated capability Supply Process: process used to provide an acquirer with a product or service that meets agreed requirements System: an interdependent group of people, objects, and procedures constituted to achieve defined objectives or some operational role by performing specified functions System Development Processes: a system development life cycle or structure imposed on the development of a system product System Development Life Cycle Model: describes the activities of the system development life cycle (SDLC) and the order in which those activities are executed System Life Cycle Processes: processes used to acquire, supply, develop, operate, and maintain systems and system components, spanning the life of the system or component from conception and definition of requirements to the termination of use System Life Cycle Processes Management Processes: processes to assure that effective system life cycle processes are available for use by the organization System Testing: determines correctness of the system and verifies that it conforms to stated requirements Technical Processes: processes executed to build a system or system component while project processes are executed in order to plan, execute, and monitor the technical processes and other aspects of the project Technical Review: an evaluation an artifact, deliverable, product, or milestone to determine its suitability for its intended use and conformance to applicable laws, regulations, policies, standards, guidelines, plans, procedures, and specifications Test-driven Approach: technique that involves implementing only the code necessary to pass the targeted testing Test Description: a test that consists of one or more test procedures and supports a subset of major functionality, as defined by the Software Requirements Specification Test Identifier: a distinguishing name or label for identifying Test Scenarios, Procedures, Descriptions, and other test information

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY

Test Procedure: a documented step-by-step process that supports a subset of major functionality, as described by the scenario Test Scenario: provides a complete test for a major function or use case for a system and consists of one or more test descriptions Testability: the effort required to test items to ensure performance as intended Testing: the methodical (and typically documented) combination of a set of inspections, analyses, and demonstrations that provide a well-defined test procedure to assure the correctness of some functionality in the item under test 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; e.g., the degree to which the requirements and design of a given system element match Unit Testing: determines correctness of specific functionality of a unit and its input, outputs, and primary and fault handling Usability: the effort required to learn, operate, prepare input, and interpret output of a system User Testing: execution of an item under test intended to ensure that the item under test meets usability, accessibility, and user documentation requirements Walk-through: to systematically examine an artifact, deliverable, or product by following paths through the artifact, deliverable, or product Well-formed Requirement: a statement of system functionality (a capability) that can be validated, and that must be met or possessed by a system to solve a customer problem or to achieve a customer objective, and is qualified by measurable conditions and bounded by constraints

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