Software Engineering
a report on:
"Standards"
What is meant by Standard?
A level of quality or attainment
Something used as a measure , norm or model in comparative evaluations
Used or accepted as normal or average
What is Software Engineering Standard?
Standards are documented agreements containing technical specifications or other precise criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines or definitions of characteristics, to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose. [ISO 1997]
Standards are about providing rules, guidelines and heuristics which, if followed deliver an assurance of “good practice” – they are not intended to be about “best practice”.
Why adopt a standard?
As a means of transferring ‘good practice’ in software engineering
As a result of the demands of clients or procurement agencies
As a safety net
As a result of the adoption of other standards or software process improvement initiatives
As a knock-on consequence of product certification requirements
What can standards deliver?
It is only through the use of standards that the requirements of interconnectivity and interoperability can be assured. It is only through the application of standards that the credibility of new products and new markets can be verified. In summary standards fuel the development and implementation of technologies that influence and transform the way
we live, work and communicate.
To give an understanding of what standards are and what they can deliver
Standards are published documents that establish specifications and procedures designed to maximize the reliability of the materials, products, methods, and/or services people use every day. Standards address a range of issues, including but not limited to
various protocols to help maximize product functionality and compatibility, facilitate interoperability and support consumer safety and public health.
Standards form the fundamental building blocks for product development by establishing consistent protocols that can be universally understood and adopted. This helps fuel compatibility and interoperability and simplifies product development, and speeds time-to-market. Standards also make it easier to understand and compare competing products. As standards are globally adopted and applied in many markets, they also fuel international trade. It is only through the use of standards that the requirements of interconnectivity and interoperability can be assured. It is only through the application of standards that the credibility of new products and new markets can be verified. In summary standards fuel the development and implementation of technologies that influence and transform the way
we live, work and communicate.
Standardization
Standardization is the process of implementing and developing technical standards based on the consensus of different parties that include firms, users, interest groups, standards organizations and governments Standardization can help to maximize compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability
Benefits of International Standards
International Standards bring technological, economic and societal benefits. They help to harmonize technical specifications of products and services making industry more efficient and breaking down barriers to international trade. Conformity to International Standards helps reassure consumers that products are safe, efficient and good for the environment. For business International Standards are strategic tools and guidelines to help companies tackle some of the most demanding challenges of modern business. They ensure that business operations are as efficient as possible, increase productivity and help company’s access new markets.
From a governmental perspective, nations can draw on international expertise and experience and are therefore a vital resource for governments when developing public policy, where for example, national governments can use standards to support public policy when developing market regulations for the benefit of its citizens. By integrating standards into national regulation, governments help to ensure that requirements for imports and exports are the same the world over, therefore facilitating the movement of goods, services and technologies from country to country.
Drawbacks of International Standards
Parts of the software and IT engineering community harbor many misconceptions associated with standards, especially process standards. The most common are that standards are rigid, obsolete, and plain boring. Standards are also perceived as being the antithesis of agility.
How are standards created?
The process of developing a standard is typically facilitated by a Standards Development Organization (SDO), which adheres to fair and equitable processes that ensure the highest quality outputs and reinforce the market relevance of standards. SDOs, such as IEEE, IEC, ISO, and others, offer time-tested platforms, rules, governance, methodologies and even facilitation services that objectively address the standards development lifecycle, and help facilitate the development, distribution and maintenance of standards . While the goals of each SDO are essentially the same, each SDO applies its own rules, processes, and terminology to the standards development process. Typically, each SDO is comprised of Boards, Committees and staff who establish and maintain the policies, procedures and guidelines that help ensure the integrity of the standards development process, and the standards that are generated as an outcome of this process.
How does ISO develop standards?
An ISO standard is developed by a panel of experts, within a technical committee.
Once the need for a standard has been established, these experts meet to discuss and
negotiate a draft standard. As soon as a draft has been developed it is shared with ISO’s
members who are asked to comment and vote on it. If a consensus is reached the draft
Essentially the ISO follows a six-step process:
1. Proposal
A new work item proposal (NP) is submitted for vote by members of the relevant committee. A project leader is appointed.
2. Preparatory
Working group is set up. Successive working drafts are considered
until the group is satisfied it has the best solution to the problem. The draft is forwarded to the working group’s parent committee.
3. Committee
A first committee draft is registered by the ISO Central Secretariat. It
is distributed for comment and voting. Successive drafts may be considered until consensus is reached and the text is then finalized for submission as a draft International Standard (DIS).
4. Enquiry
Draft International Standard (DIS) is circulated for comment and voting. It’s approved as a final draft International Standard (FDIS) if a two-thirds majority are in favor and not more than one-quarter of the total number of votes cast are negative.
5. Approval
A final draft International Standard (FDIS) is circulated to all ISO
member bodies. It’s approved as an International Standard if a two-thirds majority of members are in favor and not more than one-quarter of the total number of votes cast are negative.
6. Publication
Once a final draft International Standard has been approved, the final
text is sent to the ISO Central Secretariat to publish the International Standard the key principles in ISO standards development are:
• ISO standards respond to a need in the market
ISO does not decide when to develop a new standard, but responds to a request from industry or other stakeholders such as consumer groups. Typically, an industry sector or group communicates the need for a standard to its national member who then contacts ISO.
• ISO standards are based on global expert opinion
ISO standards are developed by groups of experts from all over the world that are part of larger groups called technical committees. These experts negotiate all aspects of the standard, including its scope, key definitions and content.
WHO CREATES STANDARDS
The typical stakeholders active in the development of International Standards are: Industry covering utilities, manufacturers, installers, suppliers etc. either at the company level or via trade associations, consortia, etc.; Consumers normally organized at the national, regional or international level; Academia – universities and research institutes;
Test laboratories; and Governments and regulators. It is essential that all of the interested parties in the value chain are represented and active in the development of International Standards to ensure that the final deliverables correspond to market needs and fulfill user expectations.
Who develops ISO standards?
ISO standards are developed by groups of experts, within technical committees (TCs). TCs are made up of representatives of industry, NGOs, governments and other stakeholders, who are put forward by ISO’s members. Each TC deals with a different subject, for example there are TCs focusing on screw threads, shipping technology, food products and many, many more. Currently ISO has over 250 technical committees.
The best opportunity to influence ISO’s technical work is offered by direct
participation in technical committees, subcommittees and working groups. As a member of a committee, delegates can input the views of the national stakeholders they represent and can pro- pose new projects and nominate project leaders. Individuals may contribute to the work of a committee in various ways: as experts, especially in working groups, or as heads or members of national delegations.
Why get involved in standards development?
One of the strengths of ISO standards is that they are created by the people that need them. Industry and academic experts drive all aspects of the standard development process, from deciding whether a new standard is needed to defining all the technical content. Getting involved in standards development brings your concerns and needs to bear on a process that will affect you in the future. Getting involved in this process can bring significant advantages to commercial organizations such as: Giving early access to
information that could shape the market in the future; Giving your company a voice in the development of standards; and Helping to keep market access open. However an often overlooked aspect of involvement in the development of standards is the potential benefits to researcher and academic career development.
KANSAS UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY POLICY
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Standards is to describe the minimum required phases and considerations for developing and/or implementing new software and systems at the University of Kansas.
APPLIES TO:
University employees (faculty, staff, and student employees), students, and other covered individuals (e.g., University affiliates, vendors, independent contractors, etc.) that do any type of software or systems development work under the auspices of the University.
In the event a KU Department or Unit chooses to seek an exemption for reasons such as inability to meet specific points, tasks, or subtasks within the SDLC Policy or Standards, a SDLC Review Committee, comprised of representatives from across campus as designated by Information Technology, will convene in order to assess the specific merits of the exemption request(s) while still adhering to the main principles behind the SDLC Policy and Standards.
CAMPUS:
Lawrence
Edwards
POLICY STATEMENT:
All systems and software development work done at the University of Kansas shall adhere to industry best practices with regard to a Systems (Software) Development Life Cycle. These industry standard development phases are defined by ISO/IEC 15288 and ISO/IEC 12207. The minimum required phases and the tasks and considerations within these Systems development phases are outlined below. All of the following sub-tasks and considerations, as listed in the below respective standard development phases, are mandatory if the system or software development deals with Level 1 data in any way. Otherwise, the sub-tasks and considerations are recommended steps within the required standard development phases.
System Initiation:
A need or opportunity is defined.
Concept proposal is made.
An initial feasibility study is conducted.
A project charter (if necessary) is formulated.
System Requirements Analysis:
Analyze user needs and develop user requirements.
Create a detailed Functional Requirements Document.
Break down the system, process, or problem into discrete units or modules and utilize diagrams and other visual tools in order to analyze the situation or need.
Any security requirements must be defined.
System Design
This phase transforms the requirements into a Design Document.
The functions and operations of the system or software being designed are described in detail.
A risk analysis should be done between the System Requirements and System Design phases.
A final design review should be done to ensure the design addresses practicality, efficiency, cost, flexibility, and security.
System Construction (Procurement):
This phase entails the transformation of the detailed design documents into a finished product or solution.
Manual and automated testing at a unit or module level is done throughout this phase by the system or software developers. Security considerations are taken into account during testing.
A third-party product may be utilized as a system or software solution if it best fits the user requirements and is more practical from a budgetary and/or resource perspective. However, all of the next phases should be followed regardless of whether the solution was developed in-house or purchased.
System Testing and Acceptance:
This phase should validate or confirm that the developed system or software meets all functional requirements as captured during the System Requirements Analysis phase.
Representatives separate from the development group should conduct internal Quality Assurance (QA) testing.
Representative(s) from the user group should conduct user acceptance testing.
Documentation during testing should detail and match testing criteria to specific requirements.
While unit and module testing should be done throughout the entire SDLC, this phase entails holistic testing of the finished product and the final acceptance testing by the user(s).
Final security assessment testing is now conducted.
Any problems identified during the previous phases must be resolved or remediated before implementation.
System Implementation:
The finished, tested, and user-accepted system or software is moved from the testing environment to production.
All tools, code, or access mechanisms used for development or testing of the system or software must be removed from the software that is being moved into a production environment.
Any necessary user training should be done prior to or during this phase.
System Maintenance
This phase is the ongoing life of the system or software. Unlike the other phases, this phase only ends when the system or software is decommissioned.
A customer/user support structure and any other necessary operational support processes should be in place.
Any planned changes to the system or software should be scheduled, communicated, and documented.
Continuous security penetration testing is conducted on the system or software throughout its life cycle at regularly scheduled intervals.
Mandatory security testing is conducted when any major configuration or architecture change is made.
EXCLUSIONS OR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
Exceptions to these standards and associated policy shall be allowed only if previously approved by the KU SDLC Review Committee and such approval documented and verified by the Chief Information Officer.
CONSEQUENCES:
Faculty, staff, and student employees who violate these University standards may be subject to disciplinary action for misconduct and/or performance based on the administrative process appropriate to their employment.
Students who violate these University standards may be subject to proceedings for non-academic misconduct based on their student status.
Faculty, staff, student employees, and students may also be subject to the discontinuance of specified information technology services based on standards violation.
Issues arising from the control and evolution of standards
To show how standards can be selected and
tailored.
Standards vs protocols
Examples of standards
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