TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES

Syst em Devel opment

Li f e Cyc l e
Glossary
Version 1.3 25 SEP 2007







Texas Project Delivery Framework SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY
Ver si on Hi st or y
This and other Framework Extension tools are available on the Framework Web site.
Release Date Description
25-Sep-2007 Version 1.3 released. Added terms from System Development Life Cycle Guide.
02-J ul-2007 Version 1.2 released. Added definitions for System Development Processes, System
Development Life Cycle Model, and System Life Cycle process.
13-Mar-2007 Version 1.1 released. Made minor modifications to indicate Framework Extension.
30-J un-2006 Version 1.0 Glossary released.


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Texas Project Delivery Framework SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE GLOSSARY
Cont ent s

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

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I nt r oduc t i on
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 t he Gl ossar y
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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Gl ossar y
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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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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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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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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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