The CPRE Glossary

The basis for successful RE is a common understanding of the terms used. The CPRE Glossary covers the core terms of Requirements Engineering—it is the central reference work across all CPRE modules and levels! The RE@Agile Glossary supplements the CPRE Glossary with terms for Requirements Engineering in an agile environment.

The glossaries are also available in various languages for download.

The CPRE Glossary: An overview of the most important Requirements Engineering terms
Please note that the definitions of terms in the glossaries are deliberately in English only in order to exclude any ambiguities or scope for interpretation that may result from translations.

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A
  • Acceptance criteria
    CPRE Glossary

    In agile: Criteria that the implementation of a ↑user story must satisfy in order to be accepted by the ↑stakeholders.

    Note:

    Acceptance criteria may also be written for ↑backlog items other than user stories.

  • Acceptance test
    CPRE Glossary

    A test that assesses whether a ↑system satisfies its ↑requirements.

    Note:

    Typically used by ↑customers to determine whether or not to accept a system.

  • Activity
    CPRE Glossary

    An action or a set of actions that a person or group performs to accomplish a ↑task .

  • Activity diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    A diagram type in ↑UML which models the flow of actions in some part of a ↑system including ↑data flows and areas of responsibility where necessary.

  • Activity model
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model of the flow of actions in some part of a ↑system .

  • Actor
    CPRE Glossary

    A person in some ↑role , a ↑system or a technical device in the context of a subject under consideration that interacts with that subject.

    Note:

    In RE, the subject under consideration typically is a ↑system . In testing, it may be a test ↑object .

  • Adequacy (of a requirement)
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which a ↑requirement expresses the ↑stakeholders' true and agreed desires and needs (i.e., those they had actually in mind when stating the requirement).

  • Agile
    CPRE Glossary


    1. In general:
    (a) Able to move quickly and easily.
    (b) Quick, smart, and clever.
    2. In software development: A development approach which builds a product ↑incrementally by dividing work into ↑iterations of fixed duration ( ↑timeboxes ).

    Note:

    Agile development is characterized by focusing on delivering a working product in each iteration, collaboration with ↑stakeholders with frequent feedback and adaptation of plans after each iteration based on feedback and changed ↑requirements.

  • Ambiguity
    CPRE Glossary

    → Unambiguity

    The contrary of ↑unambiguity

  • Application domain
    CPRE Glossary

    Those parts of the real world that are relevant for determining the ↑context of a ↑system .

  • Artifact
    CPRE Glossary

    → Work product

  • Association
    CPRE Glossary

    In UML: A relationship between two ↑classes in a ↑UML ↑class model.

  • Attribute
    CPRE Glossary

    A characteristic property of an ↑entity or an ↑object .

B
  • Backlog
    CPRE Glossary

    → Product backlog, → Sprint backlog

  • Baseline
    CPRE Glossary

    A stable, change-controlled ↑configuration of ↑work products.

    Note:

    Baselines serve for ↑release planning and release definition as well as for project management purposes such as effort estimation.

  • Behavior
    CPRE Glossary

    The way in which a ↑system reacts to stimuli, changes its state and produces observable results.

    Note:

    Stimuli may be events or changes of conditions. Their origin may be external or system-internal.

  • Behavior model
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model describing the ↑behavior of a ↑system , e.g., by a ↑state machine.

  • Branch
    CPRE Glossary

    A line of ↑configurations or ↑work product ↑versions that forks away from the main line (or from another branch) at some point in time.

    Note:

    A branch is created by making a copy of some configuration or work product version and making this copy the root of the branch. A branch may be merged with the main line or with another branch at some later point in time.

  • Bug
    CPRE Glossary

    → Defect

  • Burndown chart
    CPRE Glossary

    A diagram plotting the work items that remain to accomplish on a time scale.

  • Business requirement
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑requirement stating a business ↑goal , objective or need of an organization.

    Note:

    Business requirements typically state those business goals, objectives and needs that shall be achieved by employing a ↑system or a collection of systems.

C
  • Cardinality
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In modeling: The minimum and maximum number of ↑objects in a relationship.

    2. In mathematics: The number of elements in a set.

    Note:

    In ↑UML , the term multiplicity is used for cardinality.

  • Change control board
    CPRE Glossary

    A committee of ↑customer and ↑supplier representatives that decides on ↑change requests .

    Abbreviation: CCB

    Note:

    The Change control board should not be confused with a change advisory board, which is a committee that evaluates change requests for a ↑system in operation and typically has no decision power.

  • Change management
    CPRE Glossary

    A controlled way to effect or deny a requested change of a ↑work product.

  • Change request
    CPRE Glossary

    In RE: A well-argued request for changing one or more ↑baselined ↑requirements.

  • Changeability
    CPRE Glossary

    → Modifiability

  • Class
    CPRE Glossary

    A representation of a set of ↑objects of the same kind by describing the structure of the objects, the ways they can be manipulated and how they behave.

  • Class diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    A diagrammatic representation of a ↑class model.

  • Class model
    CPRE Glossary

    A model consisting of a set of ↑classes and relationships between them.

  • Commonality
    CPRE Glossary

    The parts of a ↑product line that are shared by all its members.

  • Completeness (of requirements)
    CPRE Glossary

    1. For a single ↑requirement : The degree to which the specification of a requirement is self-contained.

    2. For a ↑work product covering multiple requirements: The degree to which the work product contains all known requirements that are relevant in the scope of this work product.

  • Compliance
    CPRE Glossary

    The adherence of a ↑work product to ↑standards, conventions, regulations, laws, or similar prescriptions.

  • Component
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In general: A delimitable part of a ↑system .

    2. In software architecture: An encapsulated set of coherent ↑objects or ↑classes that jointly achieve some purpose.

    3. In testing: A part of a ↑system that can be tested in isolation.

    Note:

    When viewed in isolation, a component is a ↑system by itself.

  • Composition (in a technical context)
    CPRE Glossary

    1. An ↑item that is composed of a set of items; forming a whole-part relationship.

    2. The act of composing a whole from a set of parts.

  • Configuration
    CPRE Glossary

    A consistent set of logically coherent ↑items. The items are individually identifiable ↑work products or parts of work products in at most one ↑version per item.

  • Conflict (about requirements)
    CPRE Glossary

    → Requirements conflict

  • Conformity
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which a ↑work product conforms to regulations given in some ↑standard .

  • Consistency (of requirements)
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which a set of ↑requirements is free of contradicting statements.

  • Constraint (in RE)
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑requirement that limits the solution space beyond what is necessary for meeting the given ↑functional requirements and ↑quality requirements.

  • Context
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In general: The network of thoughts and meanings needed for understanding phenomena or utterances.

    2. Especially in RE: The part of a ↑system's environment being relevant for understanding the system and its ↑requirements.

    Note:

    Context in the second meaning is also called the ↑system context.

  • Context boundary
    CPRE Glossary

    The boundary between the ↑context of a ↑system and those parts of the ↑application domain that are irrelevant for the ↑system and its ↑requirements.

    Note:

    The context boundary separates the relevant part of the environment of a system to be developed from the irrelevant part, i.e., the part that does not influence the system to be developed and, thus, does not have to be considered during Requirements Engineering.

  • Context diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    1. A diagrammatic representation of a ↑context model.

    2. In ↑Structured Analysis, the context diagram is the root of the ↑data flow diagram hierarchy.

  • Context model
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model describing a ↑system in its ↑context .

  • Control flow
    CPRE Glossary

    The order in which a set of actions is executed.

  • Correctness
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which the information contained in a ↑work product is provably true.

    Note:

    In RE, correctness is sometimes used as a synonym for ↑adequacy , particularly when validating a ↑requirement rigorously against formally stated properties in the ↑context of a ↑system .

  • Customer
    CPRE Glossary

    A person or organization who receives a ↑system , a ↑product or a ↑service .

    Also see ↑stakeholder .

  • Customer requirements specification
    CPRE Glossary

    A coarse description of the required capabilities of a ↑system from the ↑customer’s perspective.

    Note:

    A customer requirements specification is usually supplied by the customer.

D
  • Data flow
    CPRE Glossary

    A sequence of data items flowing from a producer to a consumer.

  • Data flow diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    A diagrammatic representation of a ↑data flow model.

    Abbreviation: DFD

  • Data flow model
    CPRE Glossary

    A model that describes the ↑functionality of a ↑system by ↑activities , data stores and ↑data flows .

    Note:

    Incoming data flows trigger activities which then consume the received data, transform them, read/write persistent data held in data stores and then produce new data flows which may be intermediate results that trigger other activities or final results that leave the system.

  • Decision table
    CPRE Glossary

    A tabular representation of a complex decision, specifying which actions to perform for the possible combinations of condition values.

  • Defect
    CPRE Glossary

    Synonym: bug, fault

    An imperfection or deficiency in a ↑work product that impairs its intended use.

  • Design
    CPRE Glossary

    1. A plan or drawing produced to show how something will look, function or be structured before it is made.

    2. The activity of creating a design.

    3. A decorative pattern [This meaning does not apply in the software engineering ↑domain ].

    Note:

    1. In software product development, we distinguish between creative design which shapes the look and feel of the product, i.e., its perceivable form, function and quality, and technical design (also called software design) which determines the inner structure of the product, in particular the software architecture.
    2. The creative design of products is also called product design.
    3. The creative design of digital solutions is called digital design.

  • Document template
    CPRE Glossary

    A template providing a predefined skeleton structure for a document ( ↑Requirements template ).

    Note:

    In RE, document templates can be used to structure ↑requirements documents .

  • Domain
    CPRE Glossary

    A range of relevant things (for some given matter); for example, an ↑application domain .

  • Domain model
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model describing phenomena in an ↑application domain .

    Note:

    1. In RE, domain models are created with the intention to understand the ↑application domain in which a planned ↑system will be situated.

    2. Static domain models specify (business) objects and their relationships in a ↑domain of interest.

    3. Domain story models specify visual stories about how actors interact with devices, artifacts and other items in a ↑domain .

  • Domain requirement
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑domain property in the ↑context of a ↑system that is required to hold.

E
  • Effectiveness
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which an ↑item produces the intended results.

    Note:

    In RE, effectiveness frequently is the degree to which a ↑system enables its ↑users to achieve their ↑goals .

  • Efficiency
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which resources are expended in relation to results achieved.

  • Elaboration (of requirements)
    CPRE Glossary

    An umbrella term for requirements ↑elicitation, ↑negotiation and ↑validation.

  • Elicitation (of requirements)
    CPRE Glossary

    → Requirements elicitation

  • End user
    CPRE Glossary

    → User

  • Entity
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In general: Anything which is perceivable or conceivable ( ↑item ).

    2. In entity-relationship-modeling: an individual ↑item which has an identity and does not depend on another item ( ↑object ).

  • Entity-relationship diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    A diagrammatic representation of an ↑entity-realtionship model .

    Abbreviation: ERD

  • Entity-relationship model
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model of data that are relevant for a ↑system or of the data of an ↑application domain , consisting of a set of entity types that are each characterized by ↑attributes and linked by relationships.

    Abbreviation: ER Model

  • Epic
    CPRE Glossary

    In agile development: An abstract description of a ↑stakeholder need which is larger than what can be implemented in a single ↑iteration .

  • Error
    CPRE Glossary

    1. A human action that produces an incorrect result.

    2. A discrepancy between an observed ↑behavior or result and the specified behavior or result.

    Note:

    In practice, both meanings are used. Where needed, the meaning of error can be disambiguated by using human error and observed error or observed fault, respectively.

  • Evolutionary prototype
    CPRE Glossary

    A pilot system forming the core of a ↑system to be developed.

  • Exploratory prototype
    CPRE Glossary

    A throwaway ↑prototype used to create shared understanding, clarify ↑requirements or validate ↑requirements .

F G
  • Glossary
    CPRE Glossary

    A collection of definitions of terms that are relevant in some ↑domain .

    Note:

    Frequently, a glossary also contains cross-references, ↑synonyms , ↑homonyms , acronyms, and abbreviations.

  • Goal
    CPRE Glossary

    A desired state of affairs (that a ↑stakeholder wants to achieve).

    Note:

    Goals describe intentions of stakeholders. They may conflict with one another.

  • Goal model
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model representing a set ↑goals, sub-goals and the relationships between them.

    Note:

    Goal models may also include tasks and resources needed to achieve a goal, actors who want to achieve a goal, and obstacles that impede the achievement of a goal.

H
  • Homonym
    CPRE Glossary

    A term looking identical to another term, but having a different meaning.

    Note:

    For example, bill as a bank note and bill as a list (of materials) are homonyms.

I
  • Increment (in software development)
    CPRE Glossary

    An addition to a ↑system under development that extends, enhances or refactors ( ↑refactoring ) the existing parts of the ↑system .

    Note:

    In ↑agile development, every ↑iteration produces an increment.

  • Inspection
    CPRE Glossary

    A formal ↑review of a ↑work product by a group of experts according to given criteria, following a defined procedure.

  • Item
    CPRE Glossary

    Synonym: entity, object

    Anything which is perceivable or conceivable.

  • Iteration
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In general: The repetition of something, for example, a procedure, a process or a piece of program code.

    2. In agile development: A ↑timeboxed unit of work in which a development team implements an ↑increment to the ↑system under development.

    Note:

    In agile development, iteration and ↑sprint are frequently used as synonyms.

K L
  • Language
    CPRE Glossary

    A structured set of signs for expressing and communicating information.

    Note:

    Signs are any elements that are used for communication: spoken or written words or expressions, symbols, gestures, sounds, etc.

M
  • Maintainability
    CPRE Glossary

    The ease with which a ↑system can be modified by the intended maintainers.

    Note:

    Maintainability may be stated as a ↑quality requirement .

  • Method
    CPRE Glossary

    The systematic application of a ↑technique (or a set of techniques) to achieve an objective or create a work product.

  • Methodology
    CPRE Glossary

    1. The systematic study of ↑methods in a particular field, in particular, how to select, apply or evaluate methods systematically in a given situation.

    2. A set of ↑methods being applied in some combination.

  • Mock-up (of a digital system)
    CPRE Glossary

    A medium-fidelity ↑prototype that demonstrates characteristics of a user interface without implementing any real ↑functionality .

    Note:

    In RE, a mock-up primarily serves for specifying and validating user interfaces.

  • Model
    CPRE Glossary

    An abstract representation of an existing part of reality or a part of reality to be created.

    Note:

    1. The notion of reality includes any conceivable set of elements, phenomena or concepts, including other models.

    2. Models are always built for specific purposes in a specific context.

    3. With respect to a model, the modeled part of reality is called the original.

    4. In RE, ↑requirements can be specified with models.

  • Modeling language
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑language for expressing ↑models of a certain kind. May be textual, graphic, symbolic or some combination thereof.

  • Modifiability
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which a ↑work product or ↑system can be modified without degrading its ↑quality .

  • Multiplicity
    CPRE Glossary

    → Cardinality

N O
  • Object
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In general: Anything which is perceivable or conceivable ( ↑item ).

    2. In software engineering: an individual ↑item which has an identity, is characterized by the values of its ↑attributes and does not depend on another item ( ↑entity ).

  • Object diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    A diagrammatic representation of an ↑object model .

  • Object model
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model describing a set of ↑objects and relationships between them.

P
  • Performance requirement
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑requirement describing a performance characteristic (timing, speed, volume, capacity, throughput, ...).

    Note:

    In this glossary, performance requirements are regarded as a sub-category of ↑quality requirements. However, they can also be considered as a ↑kind of requirements of its own.

  • Persona
    CPRE Glossary

    A fictitious character representing a group of ↑users with similar needs, values and habits who are expected to use a ↑system in a similar way.

  • Phrase template
    CPRE Glossary

    A template for the syntactic structure of a phrase that expresses an individual ↑requirement or a ↑user story in ↑natural language. ( ↑requirements template )

  • Portability
    CPRE Glossary

    The ease with which a ↑system can be transferred to another platform while preserving its characteristics.

  • Practice
    CPRE Glossary

    A proven way of how to carry out certain types of ↑tasks or ↑activities.

  • Prioritization
    CPRE Glossary

    The process of assigning priorities to a set of ↑items.

  • Priority
    CPRE Glossary

    The level of importance assigned to an ↑item , e.g., a ↑requirement or a ↑defect , according to certain criteria.

  • Problem
    CPRE Glossary

    A difficulty, open question or undesirable condition that needs investigation, consideration, or solution.

  • Process
    CPRE Glossary

    A set of interrelated ↑activities performed in a given order to process information or materials.

    Note:

    The notion of process includes business processes (e.g., how to commission and send ordered goods to ↑customers ), information processes (e.g., how to deliver records from a database that match a given query), and technical processes (e.g., cruise control in a car).

  • Process model
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model describing a ↑process or a set of related processes.

  • Process pattern
    CPRE Glossary

    An abstract, reusable ↑model of a ↑process which can be used to configure and instantiate a concrete process for a given situation and ↑context .

  • Product (in the context of software)
    CPRE Glossary

    A software-based ↑system or a ↑service provided by a system which is developed and marketed by a ↑supplier and used by ↑customers.

  • Product backlog
    CPRE Glossary

    An ordered, typically prioritized collection of work items that a development team has to work on when developing or evolving a ↑system .

    Note:

    Items include ↑requirements , ↑defects to be fixed, or ↑refactorings to be done.

  • Product line
    CPRE Glossary

    Synonym: product family

    A jointly managed set of systems (provided as products or services) that share a common core and have a configurable set of ↑variants for satisfying needs of particular customers or market segments.

    Note:

    The points in a product line where there is more than one ↑variant to select from are called ↑variation points.

  • Product owner
    CPRE Glossary

    A person responsible for a ↑product in terms of ↑functionality , value and ↑risk .

    Note:

    The product owner maintains and prioritizes the ↑product backlog , makes sure that the ↑stakeholders’ ↑requirements as well as market needs are elicited and adequately documented in the ↑product backlog and represents the stakeholders when communicating with the development team.

  • Prototype
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In manufacturing: A piece which is built prior to the start of mass production.

    2. In software and systems engineering: A preliminary, partial realization of certain characteristics of a ↑system .

    3. In design: A preliminary, partial instance of a design solution.

    Note:

    1. In RE, prototypes are used as a means for requirements ↑elicitation (see ↑specification by example ) and ↑validation .
    2. Prototypes in RE can be classified
    (a) with respect to their degree of fidelity into ↑native prototypes, ↑mock-ups and ↑wireframes;
    (b) with respect to their purpose into ↑exploratory prototypes and ↑evolutionary prototypes.

  • Prototyping
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑process that involves the creation and evaluation of ↑prototypes.

Q
  • Quality
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In general: The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics of an item fulfills ↑requirements.

    2. In systems and software engineering: The degree to which a ↑system satisfies stated and implied needs of its ↑stakeholders.

    Note:

    Quality in this definition means fitness for intended use, as stated in the ↑requirements. This is in contrast to the colloquial notion of quality which is typically connoted with goodness or excellence.

  • Quality requirement
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑requirement that pertains to a quality concern that is not covered by ↑functional requirements.

R S
  • Safety
    CPRE Glossary

    The capability of a ↑system to achieve an acceptable level of probability that the system, under defined conditions, will not reach a state in which human life, health, property, or the environment is endangered.

    Note:

    Safety ↑requirements may be stated as ↑quality requirements or in terms of ↑functional requirements.

  • Scenario
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In general: A description of a potential sequence of events that lead to a desired (or unwanted) result.

    2. In RE: An ordered sequence of interactions between partners, in particular between a ↑system and external ↑actors . May be a concrete sequence (instance scenario) or a set of potential sequences (type scenario, ↑use case ).

  • Scope (of a system development)
    CPRE Glossary

    The range of things that can be shaped and designed when developing a ↑system .

  • Scrum
    CPRE Glossary

    A popular ↑process framework for ↑agile development of a ↑system .

  • Security
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which a ↑system protects its data and resources against unauthorized access or use and secures unobstructed access and use for its legitimate ↑users.

    Note:

    Security requirements may be stated as ↑quality requirements or in terms of ↑functional requirements.

  • Semantics
    CPRE Glossary

    The meaning of a sign or a set of signs in a ↑language .

  • Semi-formal
    CPRE Glossary

    Something which is formal to some extent, but not completely.

    Note:

    A ↑work product is called semi-formal if it contains formal parts, but isn’t formalized totally. Typically, a semi-formal work product has a defined ↑syntax , while the ↑semantics is partially defined only.

  • Sequence diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    A diagram type in ↑UML which models the interactions between a selected set of ↑objects and/or ↑actors in the sequential order in which those interactions occur.

  • Service
    CPRE Glossary

    The provision of some ↑functionality to a human or a ↑system by a provider (a system, organization, group or individual) that delivers value to the receiver.

    Note:

    In systems engineering, software engineering and Requirements Engineering, services are typically provided by a ↑system for a ↑user or another system.

  • Software requirements specification
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑requirements specification pertaining to a software ↑system .

    Abbreviation: SRS

  • Source (of a requirement)
    CPRE Glossary

    → Requirements source

  • Specification
    CPRE Glossary

    1. As a work product: A systematically represented description of the properties of an ↑item (a ↑system , a device, etc.) that satisfies given criteria.

    2. As a process: the process of specifying ( ↑eliciting , documenting and ↑validating ) the properties of an ↑item .

    Note:

    A specification may be about required properties ( ↑requirements specification ) or implemented properties (e.g., a technical product specification).

  • Specification by example
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑technique that specifies test cases and ↑requirements for a ↑system by providing examples of how the system should behave.

  • Specification language
    CPRE Glossary

    An artificial ↑language that has been created for expressing ↑specifications .

  • Spike
    CPRE Glossary

    In agile development: A task aimed at gaining insight or gathering information, rather than at producing a ↑product ↑increment .

  • Sprint
    CPRE Glossary

    An ↑iteration in ↑agile development, particularly when using ↑Scrum.

  • Sprint backlog
    CPRE Glossary

    A set of ↑product backlog items that have been selected to be implemented in the current ↑sprint .

  • Stakeholder
    CPRE Glossary

    A person or organization who influences a ↑system’s ↑requirements or who is impacted by that system.

    Note:

    Influence can also be indirect. For example, some stakeholders may have to follow instructions issued by their managers or organizations.

  • Stakeholder requirement
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑requirement expressing a ↑stakeholder desire or need.

    Note:

    Stakeholder requirements are typically written by stakeholders and express their desires and needs from their perspective.

  • Standard
    CPRE Glossary

    A formal, possibly mandatory set of regulations for how to interpret, develop, manufacture or execute something.

    Note:

    In RE, there are RE-relevant standards issued by ISO/IEC and IEEE.

  • State machine
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model describing the behavior of a ↑system by a finite set of states and state transitions. State transitions are triggered by events and can in turn trigger actions and new events.

  • State machine diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    A diagrammatic representation of a ↑state machine .

  • State-transition diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    → State machine diagram

  • Statechart
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑state machine having states that are hierarchically and/or orthogonally decomposed.

  • Steering committee
    CPRE Glossary

    A committee that supervises a project.

  • Story (in an RE context)
    CPRE Glossary

    → User story

  • Story map
    CPRE Glossary

    A two-dimensional arrangement of ↑user stories .

    Note:

    A story map helps understand the ↑functionality of a ↑system , identify gaps and plan releases.

  • Storyboard
    CPRE Glossary

    A series of sketches or pictures that visualize the execution of a ↑scenario .

  • Structured Analysis
    CPRE Glossary

    An approach for specifying the ↑functionality of a system based on a hierarchy of ↑data flow diagrams. Data flows as well as persistent data are defined in a data dictionary. A ↑context diagram models the sources of incoming and the destinations of outgoing ↑data flows.

  • Supplier
    CPRE Glossary

    A person or organization who delivers a ↑product or ↑service to a ↑customer .

  • Synonym
    CPRE Glossary

    A word having the same meaning as another word.

  • Syntax
    CPRE Glossary

    The rules for constructing structured signs in a ↑language .

  • System
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In general: A principle for ordering and structuring.
    2. In engineering: A coherent, delimitable set of elements that – by coordinated action – achieve some purpose.

    Note:

    1. A system may comprise other systems or ↑components as sub-systems.
    2. The purposes achieved by a system may be delivered by
    - deploying the system at the place(s) where it is used,
    - selling/providing the system as a ↑product to its ↑users,
    - having providers who offer the system’s capabilities as ↑services to users.
    3. Systems containing both software and physical ↑components are called cyber-physical systems.

    4. Systems spanning software, hardware, people and organizational aspects are called socio-technical systems.


    Important: In all definitions referring to system in this glossary, system is an umbrella term which includes
    - ↑products provided to customers,
    - ↑services made available to customers,
    - other work products such as devices, procedures or tools that help people or organizations achieve some goal,
    - system ↑components or ↑compositions of systems.

  • System boundary
    CPRE Glossary

    The boundary between a ↑system and its surrounding ↑context .

    Note:

    1. The system boundary delimits the system as it shall be after its implementation and deployment.

    2. At the system boundary, the external interfaces between a ↑system and its ↑context have to be defined.

    3. The system boundary frequently coincides with the ↑scope of a ↑system (which denotes the range of things that can be shaped and designed). However, this is not always the case: there may be components within the system boundary that have to be re-used as they are (i.e., cannot be shaped nor designed), while in the system context there may be things that can be re-designed when the system is developed (which means that they are in scope).

  • System context
    CPRE Glossary

    The part of a ↑system’s environment that is relevant for the definition as well as the understanding of the ↑requirements of a ↑system to be developed.

  • System requirement
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑requirement pertaining to a ↑system .

  • System requirements specification
    CPRE Glossary
    Note:

    A system requirements specification is frequently considered to be a synonym for ↑requirements specification.

    Abbreviation: SyRS

T
  • Task
    CPRE Glossary

    A coherent chunk of work to be done.

  • Technique
    CPRE Glossary

    A documented set of coherent actions for accomplishing a ↑task or achieving an objective.

  • Theme
    CPRE Glossary

    In agile development: A collection of related ↑user stories .

  • Timebox
    CPRE Glossary

    A fixed, non-extendable amount of time for completing a set of ↑tasks .

  • Tool (in software engineering)
    CPRE Glossary

    A (software) ↑system that helps develop, operate and maintain ↑systems.

    Note:

    In RE, tools support ↑requirements management as well as modeling, documenting, and validating ↑requirements.

  • Traceability
    CPRE Glossary

    1. In general: The ability to establish explicit relationships between related ↑work products or ↑items within work products.

    2. In RE: The ability to trace a ↑requirement
    (a) back to its origins,
    (b) forward to its implementation in design and code and its associated tests,
    (c) to requirements it depends on (and vice-versa).

U
  • UML
    CPRE Glossary

    Abbreviation for Unified Modeling Language, a standardized language for modeling problems or solutions.

  • Unambiguity (of requirements)
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which a ↑requirement is expressed such that it cannot be understood differently by different people.

  • Understandability
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which an ↑item is comprehensible to its intended users.

    Note:

    Typical items are: a ↑system , a ↑work product , or a part thereof.

  • Usability
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which a ↑system can be used by specified ↑users to achieve specified ↑goals in a specified context of use.

    Note:

    Usability particularly includes the capability of a ↑system to be understood, learned, used, and liked by its intended ↑users .

  • Use case
    CPRE Glossary

    A set of possible interactions between external ↑actors and a ↑system that provide a benefit for the actor(s) involved.

    Note:

    Use cases specify a system from a user’s (or other external actor’s) perspective: every use case describes some ↑functionality that the system must provide for the actors involved in the use case.

  • Use case diagram
    CPRE Glossary

    A diagram type in UML that models the ↑actors and the ↑use cases of a ↑system .

    Note:

    The boundary between the actors and the use cases constitutes the ↑system boundary.

  • Use case model
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑model consisting of a set of ↑use cases , typically together with a ↑use case diagram.

  • User
    CPRE Glossary

    A person who uses the ↑functionality provided by a ↑system .

    Note:

    Users (also called end users) always are ↑stakeholders of a ↑system .

  • User requirement
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑requirement expressing a ↑user need.

    Note:

    User requirements are typically about what a system should do for certain users and how they can interact with the system. User requirements are a subset of ↑stakeholder requirements .

  • User story
    CPRE Glossary

    A description of a need from a ↑user’s perspective together with the expected benefit when this need is satisfied.

    Note:

    1. User stories are typically written in ↑natural language using a ↑phrase template and are accompanied by ↑acceptance criteria .

    2. In ↑agile development, user stories are the main means for communicating needs between a ↑product owner and the development team.

V
  • Validation
    CPRE Glossary

    The ↑process of confirming that an ↑item (a ↑system , a ↑work product or a part thereof) matches its ↑stakeholders’ needs.

    Note:

    In RE, validation is the process of confirming that the documented ↑requirements match their ↑stakeholders’ needs; in other words: whether the right requirements have been specified.

  • Variability
    CPRE Glossary

    1. The degree to which a ↑system can be changed or customized.

    2. In product lines: The ↑features that can differ among the members of the ↑product line .

  • Variant
    CPRE Glossary

    One of the possible forms that an ↑item (e.g., a ↑requirement ) may have.

  • Variation point
    CPRE Glossary

    A point in a ↑product line where an element of the product line (typically a variable or a ↑feature ) can be chosen from a set of ↑variants .

  • Verifiability (of requirements)
    CPRE Glossary

    The degree to which the fulfillment of a ↑requirement by an implemented ↑system can be verified.

    Note:

    Such ↑verification can be performed, for example by defining ↑acceptance test cases, measurements or ↑inspection procedures.

  • Verification
    CPRE Glossary

    The process of confirming that an ↑item (a system, a work product, or a part thereof) fulfills its ↑specification .

    Note:

    Requirements verification is the process of confirming that the ↑requirements have been documented properly and satisfy the ↑quality criteria for requirements; in other words, whether the requirements have been specified right.

  • Version
    CPRE Glossary

    An occurrence of an ↑item which exists in multiple, time-ordered occurrences where each occurrence has been created by modifying one of its previous occurrences.

  • View
    CPRE Glossary

    An excerpt from a ↑work product , containing only those parts one is currently interested in.

    Note:

    A view can abstract or aggregate parts of the work product.

  • Viewpoint
    CPRE Glossary

    A certain perspective on the ↑requirements of a ↑system .

    Note:

    Typical viewpoints are perspectives that a ↑stakeholder or stakeholder group has (for example, an end user’s perspective or an operator’s perspective). However, there can also be topical viewpoints such as a security viewpoint.

  • Vision (for a system or product)
    CPRE Glossary

    A conceptual imagination of a future ↑system or ↑product , describing its key characteristics and how it will create value for its ↑users .

W
  • Walkthrough
    CPRE Glossary

    A ↑review in which the author of a ↑work product leads the reviewers systematically through the work product and the reviewers ask questions and make comments about possible issues.

  • Wireframe
    CPRE Glossary

    A low-fidelity ↑prototype built with simple materials that primarily serves for discussing and validating requirements, design ideas or user interface concepts.

    Note:

    When prototyping digital systems, wireframes are typically built with paper. Such prototypes are also called paper prototypes.

  • Work product
    CPRE Glossary

    Synonym: artifact

    A recorded, intermediate or final result generated in a work ↑process .

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