ISO/IEC TR 12182:1998

TECHNICAL ISO/IEC
REPORT TR 12182
First edition
1998-11-01
Information technology — Categorization of
software
Technologies de l'information — Classement des logiciels
Reference number
B C
ISO/IEC TR 12182:1998(E)

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ISO/IEC TR 12182:1998(E)
Contents
1 Scope.1
2 Conformance .1
3 Normative references.2
4 Terms and definitions.2
5 Symbols (and abbreviated terms) .2
6 Concept of a categorization of software.2
6.1 Structure of views .3
6.2 Selection of views and categories.3
7 Scheme of categorization.4
7.1 Software function.4
7.2 Application area of information system.4
7.3 Operation mode.5
7.4 Scale of software.5
7.5 Data representation.6
7.6 Primary language .6
7.7 Software criticality .6
7.8 User class .7
7.9 Software stability.7
7.10 Software product availability .7
7.11 Usage of software data.7
7.12 Required performance.8
7.13 Security requirement .8
7.14 Reliability requirement.9
©  ISO/IEC 1998
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7.15 Computer system and environment. 10
7.16 Computer resource requirement . 10
8 Application of the scheme . 10
8.1 Application to scope of standards . 10
8.2 Application to standards. 11
8.3 Application to software packages. 11
8.4 Example Categorization of: Word Processing Package . 12
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Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical Commission)
form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of ISO or IEC
participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees established by the
respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC technical committees
collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in
liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work.
In the field of information technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards, but in exceptional circumstances a
technical committee may propose the publication of a Technical Report of one of the following types:
— type 1, when the required support cannot be obtained for the publication of an International Standard, despite
repeated efforts;
— type 2, when the subject is still under technical development or where for any other reason there is the future
but not immediate possibility of an agreement on an International Standard;
— type 3, when a technical committee has collected data of a different kind from that which is normally published
as an International Standard (“state of the art”, for example).
Technical Reports of types 1 and 2 are subject to review within three years of publication, to decide whether they
can be transformed into International Standards. Technical Reports of type 3 do not necessarily have to be
reviewed until the data they provide are considered to be no longer valid or useful.
ISO/IEC TR 12182, which is a Technical Report of type 2, was prepared by Joint Technical Committee
ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology, Subcommittee SC 7, Software engineering.
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Introduction
This Technical Report has several purposes which are directed towards its various intended audiences: the
software engineering community; the users of software engineering standards, specifically those developed by
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7; and developers of software engineering standards, primarily SC 7.
For the software engineering community, this document will identify the types of software to which particular
software engineering standards apply. This will help the software engineer to establish the risk planning criteria, the
adequate life-cycle model to apply, the specific effort required for specific life-cycle phases, and the tools needed.
For the users and developers of software engineering standards, it will establish a framework for discussing and
identifying candidate software engineering standards based on the software categorization scheme and for using
the scheme to relate software and software engineering standards.
Specifically for SC 7, this Technical Report will provide an aid for positioning software engineering standards and
work items within the structure of SC 7 and it is intended that new projects, working drafts, committee drafts, and
draft international standards will identify the target categorization(s) relevant to the area of application. With respect
to the latter, it is understood that, in some documents, only part of this Technical Report will address the specified
categorization.
Examples are given to clarify the categorization scheme for software. For the standards developer, this Technical
Report helps position existing standards and work items. For the software engineer, it provides a high level scheme
with which to locate existing standards.
In addition to the normal introductory clauses, this Technical Report provides a Framework for Categorization of
Software, a Scheme of Categorization, and Examples of Application of the Standard.
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TECHNICAL REPORT  ISO/IEC ISO/IEC TR 12182:1998(E)
Information technology — Categorization of software
1 Scope
The scope of this Technical Report is the categories of software (including relevant software development products
and data) that are produced by software engineering processes. It describes a categorization scheme for software
that encompasses different points of view and significant characteristics and attributes that describe and define
software and software categories.
1.1 Field of application
The field of application of the Categorization of Software includes software engineering and its associated
standards, software, data, and methodologies.
1.2 Audience and purpose
This Technical Report is primarily directed towards several audiences: the software engineering community; the
users of software engineering standards, specifically those developed by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7; and developers of
software engineering standards, primarily SC 7.
The purpose or usage of the Categorization of Software is the identifying of software categories, identifying of
applicable software engineering standards for software, and determining the relationship of software tasks,
processes, or products to software engineering standards.
The use of the Categorization of Software is defined as the generation of a justifiable entry for each of the views
specified in Clause 7 for the given software product or in a mapping of a software engineering standard. In some
circumstances a null entry is appropriate.
It often occurs that the software engineering processes, and the products of those processes, apply to the
procurement or development of certain kinds of software. For example, ISO 6592 applies to large application
systems and ISO 9127 applies to packaged software. This Technical Report provides a categorization scheme to
assist in (1) the understanding of the area of application of a standard or software, (2) the identification and
selection of standards applicable to a software application, and (3) the positioning of new standards.
1.3 Limitations
Since software engineering is a fast changing field, the categorization outlined herein can only be a conceptual
scheme. Users, therefore, should use judgement when applying it to applications. The categorization scheme in
this Technical Report is empirical in nature. Its formulation is not based on well-defined user needs. The scheme
has not been validated in field trials.
2 Conformance
Not applicable.
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3 Normative references
No normative references are made within the Categorization of Software.
4 Terms and definitions
This clause provides definitions for terms used in this Technical Report. It does not define the concepts which are
explained in the body of the document. It does not define terms which are not specific to the subject matter and are
used in accordance with their ordinary English language usage.
For the purposes of this Technical Report, the following terms and definitions apply.
4.1
categorization scheme
an orderly combination of views and categories related to software
4.2
view
a set of related categories
4.3
category
a specifically defined division or grouping of software based upon one or more attributes or characteristics
5 Symbols (and abbreviated terms)
Not applicable.
6 Concept of a categorization of software
The concept of a categorization of software is diagrammatically represented by Figure 1.
VI E W
Softw are
Figure 1 — Categorization of software
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As is implied by the figure, the categorization of software is composed of a number of views of software and each
view contains categories relevant to the view. The various views are discussed in Clause 7. The selection of
categories is at the discretion of the user.
It should be noted that it may be appropriate that a category exists in more than one view and, in several instances,
the domain of one category overlaps that of another.
6.1 Structure of views
The categorization scheme consists of 16 views. In use, views of software may be grouped into collections of views
such as:
• Internal
• Operation mode (7.3)
• Scale of software (7.4)
• Software stability (7.9)
• Functionality
• Software function (7.1)
• Security requirement (7.13)
• Reliability requirement (7.14)
• Required performance (7.12)
• Primary language (7.6)
• Environment
• Application area of information system (7.2)
• Computer system and environment (7.15)
• User class (7.8)
• Computer resource requirement (7.16)
• Software criticality (7.7)
• Software product availability (7.10)
• Data
• Data representation (7.5)
• Usage of software data (7.11)
6.2 Selection of views and categories
For any given instance, such as when the categorization scheme is applied to other so
...