IEEE Std 12207, "Systems and software engineering -- Software life cycle processes", is an international standard that establishes a common framework for software life cycle process, with well-defined terminology.
Contents
This standard defines a comprehensive set of processes that cover the entire life-cycle of a software system—from the time a concept is made to the retirement of the software.
The standard defines a set of processes, which are in turn defined in terms of activities. The activities are broken down into a set of tasks.
The processes are defined in three broad categories: Primary Life Cycle Processes, Supporting Life Cycle Processes, and Organisational Life Cycle Processes.
IEEE Std 12207 applies to the acquisition of systems and software products and services, to the supply, development, operation, maintenance, and disposal of software products and the software portion of a system, whether performed internally or externally to an organization. Those aspects of system definition needed to provide the context for software products and services are included. Software includes the software portion of firmware. This revision integrates ISO/IEC 12207:1995 with its two amendments and was coordinated with the parallel revision of ISO/IEC 15288:2002 (System life cycle processes) to align structure, terms, and corresponding organizational and project processes. This standard may be used stand-alone or jointly with ISO/IEC 15288, and supplies a process reference model that supports process capability assessment in accordance with ISO/IEC 15504-2 (Process assessment). An annex provides support for IEEE users and describes relationships of this International Standard to IEEE standards.
IEEE Std 12207-2008 is identical to ISO/IEC 12207:2008 and AS/NZS ISO/IEC 12207:2013 is identical to IEEE Std 12207-2008. The same occurs for IEEE Std 15288-2008 and ISO/IEC 15288:2008. IEEE Std 12207-2008 replaces IEEE/EIA 12207.0-1996, "Industry Implementation of International Standard ISO/IEC 12207:1995 Standard for Information Technology -- Software Life Cycle Processes", which was an adoption with changes of ISO/IEC 12207:1995.
This standard officially replaced MIL-STD-498 for the development of DoD software systems in May 1998. Other NATO nations may have adopted the standard informally or in parallel with MIL-STD-498.