ARCHIVED - Glossary

A complex set (or web) of tasks performed as part of a specific process. [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]

(1) A finite set of well-defined rules for the solution of a problem in a finite number of steps; for example, a complete specification of a sequence of arithmetic operations for evaluating sine x to a given precision. [IEEE-STD-610]

(2) Any sequence of operations for performing a specific task. [IEEE-STD-610]

The subset of the system requirements that are to be implemented in the software components of the system. The allocated requirements are a primary input to the software development plan. Software requirements analysis elaborates and refines the allocated requirements and results in software requirements that are documented.

An independent examination of a work product or set of work products to assess compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements, or other criteria. [IEEE-STD-610 Glossary]

Employs simple rules of thumb, published industry experience and project team expertise to calculate estimates:

• Calculates size using a rudimentary sizing algorithm
• Adjusts size depending on understanding of the requirements
• Calculates effort using industry productivity rules of thumb
• Calculates simple approximation of the schedule required

Distributes effort using basic rules of thumb

This is a methodology for the identification, justification and selection of information technology projects that relates information technology strategies and plans to program priorities and the measurable improvements in program performance. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

Assets, whether tangible or intangible that are durable in nature and have a useful or economic life that extends beyond one year. Such tangible and intangible assets are material in value and include land, buildings, engineering structures and works (such as canals, harbours and roads), machinery, furnishings, equipment, vessels, vehicles, and software. Capital assets are either owned or acquired through purchase. Also included are capital assets, leases or rental agreements that transfer the rights and obligations of ownership to the Crown. For real property, the asset includes any right, interest or benefit in land, and includes mines, minerals and improvements on, above or below the surface of the land. Capital assets exclude inventories consisting of physical assets that are either held for issue or whose economic benefit is consumed over a short period of time after they are brought into use, as well as spare parts and consumable items.[TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

All expenditures made to acquire or improve capital assets. Acquisition includes the design, development, construction or purchase of capital assets. Also included are capital leases or rental agreements (e.g. that transfer the rights and obligations of ownership to the Crown). Improvements include any alterations or renovations that significantly increase the performance, value or capability of a capital asset or extend its useful or economic life by more than a year. For purposes of the Long-term Capital Plan policy, capital expenditures refer to controlled capital expenditures as determined under the Operating Budget regime or the capital input factor or the capital reference level used in preparing Multi-Year Operational Plans [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

See Project, Capital.

A meeting, conducted after completing a specific task, to analyze defects uncovered during the performance of that task.

This is the formal handover of operational responsibility and maintenance responsibility for the end-product of the project from the project manager to the departmental operational and maintenance authorities, respectively. The commissioning documents normally include an agreed listing of operational and maintenance deficiencies, together with an agreed plan for clearing up these deficiencies. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

A pact that is freely assumed, visible, and expected to be kept by all parties.

A cause of a defect that is inherently part of a process or system. Common causes affect every outcome of the process and everyone working in the process.

An aggregation of hardware, software, or both, that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process. [IEEE-STD-610 Glossary]

This is an estimate expressed in terms of the dollars of a particular base fiscal year-that is, it includes no provision for inflation. Cash flows over a number of fiscal years may also be expressed in constant dollars of the base year including no allowance for inflation in the calculation of costs. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

(For a legal definition, which emphasizes that the authority is "the appropriate Minister", see Appendix B of the Contracting volume of the Treasury Board Manual). For purposes of the policies contained in this volume, the contracting authority is the department or common service organization exercising the powers of its minister to enter into contract. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

Mechanism that explicitly directs, constrains, or influences how the activity is to be conducted. Examples would be policies, standards and service level agreements. [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]

This is an estimate based on costs arising in each FY of the project schedule. It is escalated to account for inflation and other economic factors affecting the period covered by the estimate. It is also called the budget year (BY) estimate. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

Defect Prevention involves analyzing defects that were encountered in the past and taking specific actions to prevent the occurrence of those types of defects in the future. The defects may have been identified on other projects as well as in earlier stages or tasks of the current project. Trends are analyzed to track the types of defects that have been encountered and to identify defects that are likely to recur. Both the project and the organization take specific actions to prevent recurrence of the defects.

A written description of a course of action to be taken to perform a given task. [IEEE-STD-610 Glossary]

This is a means of applying expected inflationary and other economic factors to costs arising in each year of the project duration. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is Treasury Board's approval of the objectives (project baseline), including the Cost Objective, of the project implementation phase and provides the necessary authority to proceed with implementation. Sponsoring departments submit for EPA when the scope of the overall project has been defined and when the estimates have been refined to the substantive level. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

An artifact's tangible state, an event, or an expired period of time, which is required before the activity (or a task within the activity), can begin. [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]

The estimate at completion is a cost figure used to assess and monitor a project's cost throughout its implementation. At the outset, the estimate is usually the approved cost estimate for the project. During the implementation the EAC can be determined from the actual costs incurred to-date plus the estimated cost to complete at this stage. It must be noted that the EAC should also take into consideration the confidence level of outstanding expenditures as compared to those already incurred. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

A review or activity that is performed based on the occurrence of an event within the project (e.g., a formal review or the completion of a life-cycle stage).

An artifact's tangible state (or Condition) required before the activity can be declared "complete". [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]

A pictorial representation of the inputs, activities, sequence, decision points, and outputs within a work process. [Xerox]

This is a low quality, order of magnitude estimate that is not sufficiently accurate to warrant Treasury Board approval as a Cost Objective. It replaces the classes of estimates formerly referred to as Class C or D. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

Information technology refers to the scientific, technological and engineering disciplines as well as to the management technologies used in information handling, communication and processing, their applications and associated software and equipment and their interaction. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

An artifact consumed by an activity. [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]

Inputs are screens or forms through which human users of an application or other programs add new data or update existing data. If an input screen is too large for a single normal display and flows over onto a second screen, the set counts as 1 input. Inputs that require unique processing are what should be considered. [Capers]

Inquiries are screens which allow users to interrogate an application and ask for assistance or information, such as HELP screens. [Capers]

The purpose of Integrated Software Management is to integrate the software engineering and management activities into a coherent, defined software process that is tailored from the organization's standard software process and related process assets. Integrated Software Management involves developing the project's defined software process and managing the software project using this defined software process. The project's defined software process is tailored from the organization's standard software process to address the specific characteristics of the project. The software development plan is based on the project's defined software process and describes how the activities of the project's defined software process will be implemented and managed.

This is an arrangement concluded between the sponsoring department and a participating department (including the contracting authority) for certain specific responsibilities essential for a particular project. It is not required for services routinely provided by existing arrangements or legislation. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

Interfaces are files shared with other applications, such as incoming or outgoing tape files, shared databases, and parameter lists. [Capers]

The purpose of Intergroup Coordination is to establish a means for the software engineering group to participate actively with the other engineering groups so the project is better able to satisfy the customer's needs effectively and efficiently. Intergroup Coordination involves the software engineering group's participation with other project engineering groups to address system-level requirements, objectives, and issues. Representatives of the project's engineering groups participate in establishing the system-level requirements, objectives, and plans by working with the customer and end users, as appropriate. These requirements, objectives, and plans become the basis for all engineering activities.

A project is deemed to be a Major Crown Project when its estimated cost will exceed $100 million and the Treasury Board would assess the project as high risk. Treasury Board may direct that projects with total projected cost less than $100 million but with a current risk assessment of high be managed as an MCP. Further, Treasury Board reserves the right to require any project exceeding the minister's delegated project approval authority to be managed as an MCP. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

Data files that are logical collections of records which the application modifies or updates. [Capers]

The purpose of Organization Process Definition is to develop and maintain a usable set of software process assets that improve process performance across the projects and provide a basis for cumulative, long-term benefits to the organization. Organization Process Definition involves developing and maintaining the organization's standard software process, along with related process assets, such as descriptions of software life cycles, process tailoring guidelines and criteria, the organization's software process database, and a library of software process-related documentation.

The purpose of Organization Process Focus is to establish the organizational responsibility for software process activities that improve the organization's overall software process capability. Organization Process Focus involves developing and maintaining an understanding of the organization's and projects' software processes and coordinating the activities to assess, develop, maintain, and improve these processes. The organization provides long-term commitments and resources to coordinate the development and maintenance of the software processes across current and future software projects via a group such as a software engineering process group. This group is responsible for the organization's software process activities.

The operational definition of the basic process that guides the establishment of a common software process across the software projects in an organization. It describes the fundamental software process elements that each software project is expected to incorporate into its defined software process. It also describes the relationships (e.g., ordering and interfaces) between these software process elements.

An artifact produced or modified by an activity. [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]

Outputs are screens or reports, which the application produces for human use or for other programs. Note that outputs requiring separate processing are the units to count: In a payroll application, an output function that created 100 cheques would still count as 1 output. [Capers]

This is a department whose mandate, programs, or other responsibilities require it to undertake specific project responsibilities, or are affected by the project, and has so notified the sponsoring department. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

The purpose of Peer Reviews is to remove defects from the software work products early and efficiently. An important corollary effect is to develop a better understanding of the software work products and of defects that might be prevented. Peer Reviews involve a methodical examination of software work products by the producers' peers to identify defects and areas where changes are needed. The specific products that will undergo a peer review are identified in the project's defined software process and scheduled as part of the software project planning activities.

A review/activity that occurs at a specified regular time interval, rather than at the completion of major events.

For the purposes of the policies in this volume, phases are the top-level breakdown of the project. In a typical project, the sponsoring department may determine that appropriate phases of the project management cycle are:

• Initial Planning and Identification;
• Project Definition;
• Project Implementation; and
• Project Close-out. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

A guiding principle, typically established by senior management, which is adopted by an organization or project to influence and determine decisions.

This is Treasury Board's authority to initiate a project in terms of its intended operational requirement, including approval of the objectives of the project definition phase and any associated expenditures. Sponsoring departments submit for PPA when the project's complete scope has been examined and costed, normally to the indicative level, and when the cost of the project definition phase has been estimated to the substantive level. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is Treasury Board's authority to initiate a project in terms of its intended operational requirement, including approval of the objectives of the project definition phase and any associated expenditures. Sponsoring departments submit for PPA when the project's complete scope has been examined and costed, normally to the indicative level, and when the cost of the project definition phase has been estimated to the substantive level. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

Initiatives which federal departments support or otherwise become involved in, but where immediate management responsibility rests outside the federal government with a private sector organization (or possibly another governmental jurisdiction) and where the involvement is unique in the sense that it does not derive from legislation or an ongoing program. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

A written description of a course of action to be taken to perform a given task. [IEEE-STD-610]

A sequence of events performed for a given purpose; for example, the software development process. [IEEE-std-610]

A system of skilled people using documents, tools, and resources to plan, perform, and improve activities in order to produce a desired result. [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]

Process Change Management involves defining process improvement goals and, with senior management sponsorship, proactively and systematically identifying, evaluating, and implementing improvements to the organization's standard software process and the projects' defined software processes on a continuous basis. Training and incentive programs are established to enable and encourage everyone in the organization to participate in process improvement activities. Improvement opportunities are identified and evaluated for potential payback to the organization. Pilot efforts are performed to assess process changes before they are incorporated into normal practice. When software process improvements are approved for normal practice, the organization's standard software process and the projects' defined software processes are revised as appropriate.

This is a strategy dealing principally with procurement of projects and is the direction resulting from decisions of Cabinet Committees, strategic procurement review processes, or the result of submitting a specific proposed project procurement strategy to the procurement review process. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

A set of activities required to produce certain defined outputs, or to accomplish specific goals or objectives, within a defined schedule and resource budget. A project exists only for the duration of time required to complete its stated objectives. The policies in chapters 1-1 through 3-2 of this volume apply to any project for which the federal government will be:

• the owner of the end-product; or,
• the prime user of the end-product; or
• the entity responsible for delivering the end product, including managing a contract or contracts for that purpose.

Federal departments sometimes also support or otherwise become involved in projects undertaken by the private sector or other jurisdictions where none of these criteria applies. To avoid confusion with the federal government's own projects, this type of activity is referred to in this volume as Private Sector Initiatives in which the Government has Specific Interests (see separate definition). Chapter 4-1 of this volume sets out minimum requirements for managing federal interests in such initiatives. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

A project specifically intended to acquire or improve a capital asset. Acquisition of a capital asset refers to obtaining the use of that asset over the long term, irrespective of whether the method of acquisition is construction, purchase, lease/purchase or lease. A project to improve a capital asset is considered to be a capital project when the performance, value or capability of that asset is significantly increased or its useful or economic life is extended by more than one year. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

An Information Technology project refers to an aggregate package of activities leading to the implementation of an information technology application in the scientific, technological and engineering disciplines as well as to the management technologies used in information handling, communications, and processing. It covers both software development and hardware and software acquisition. It also applies to the replacements of and enhancements to existing applications, and to information technology components of larger projects. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This activity consists of the commissioning of the end-product of the project (or the last site/end-item in a multi-site/end-item project); the clearance of remaining deficiencies (or the acceptance by the departmental maintenance authority of responsibility for residual deficiencies); and the completion of the project evaluation report and any related staff activity. Normally, the project management office is disbanded at the completion of the project close-out phase. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

The operational definition of the software process used by a project. The project's defined software process is a well-characterized and understood software process, described in terms of software standards, procedures, tools, and methods. It is developed by tailoring the organization's standard software process to fit the specific characteristics of the project.

This is a distinct phase of the project life cycle. Its purpose is to establish sound objectives, refine the implementation phase estimate (which may include design and property acquisition costs), reduce project risk, and support development of an item that will be part of the end-product of the project. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is the phase of the project, usually following a project definition phase, in which the full objectives of the project are to be achieved. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is the person appointed by the sponsoring department to be accountable for all external and internal aspects of a capital project. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

Project management is the systematic planning, organizing and controlling of allocated resources to accomplish project cost, time and performance objectives. Project management is normally reserved for focused, non-repetitive, time-limited activities with some degree of risk and that are beyond the usual scope of program (operational) activities for which the organization is responsible. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is a person formally appointed to manage a project with specific accountability for achieving defined project objectives within allocated resources. A project manager has access to, and a formally defined relationship with, the project leader to which the specific project has been assigned. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is a document that sets out the responsibilities, delegated authorities, and allocated resources of the project manager. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is the interdepartmental forum that provides advice on project management policy to the Treasury Board Secretariat and a mutual exchange of information on project management techniques, to sponsor project management training and other matters related to managing government projects. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is a distinct and temporary organizational unit led by the project manager tasked to administer a project. It consists of assigned full or part-time members of the sponsoring department and, when appropriate, representatives of participating departments working together in accordance with any interdepartmental agreements or MOUs. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

These are the measurable goals of a project. They are sub-divided into cost; schedule; technical performance; industrial and regional benefits; and other national objectives (such as protection of the environment). [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is the initial phase of the project life cycle during which the sponsoring department establishes the operational need(s), produces the statement of operational requirements, conducts initial options analyses and feasibility studies, sets up appropriate management framework and agreements, assigns resources and makes an initial assessment of project risk. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is the likelihood that the objectives of a project will not be met or that unacceptable outcomes will arise during a project's life cycle. As well as cost, schedule and performance objectives, elements of risk can pertain to damage and loss, or environmental, political, social or other aspects of a project. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is the assessment of overall project risk based on a determination of the risks associated with each project element. Treasury Board is the final authority for the risk-level decision. The project leader, in consultation with any participating departments, the contracting authority, and Treasury Board Secretariat (if appropriate) assesses at what level Treasury Board would deem the risk to be. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is a methodical examination of each element of a project during its life cycle to determine its associated perils, hazards, modes of failure and adverse outcomes that could arise during the project life cycle. Project risk is the aggregate of the risks associated with each element. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is an overall risk level assigned for the project life cycle at the time that a risk assessment is conducted. It is assigned by comparing the project with completed projects. The relative risk level is as follows:

• low risk - It is highly likely that objectives will be met, and adverse outcomes are unlikely;
• medium risk - The likelihood that objectives will be met and adverse outcomes will arise is comparable with that for relatively successfully completed projects for which management experience and lessons-learned are available;
• high risk - Due to project specific factors, it is likely that, without a rigorous project management framework, significant adverse outcomes may arise; or that project objectives will not be met. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

The project scope is defined by the boundaries of the project that are the limits within which critical objectives are to be achieved and accountability assessed. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

The purpose of Quantitative Process Management is to control the process performance of the software project quantitatively. Quantitative Process Management involves taking measurements of the process performance, analyzing these measurements, and making adjustments to maintain process performance within acceptable limits. When the process performance is stabilized within acceptable limits, the project's defined software process, the associated measurements, and the acceptable limits for the measurements are established as a baseline and used to control process performance quantitatively.

The purpose of Requirements Management is to establish a common understanding between the customer and the software project of the customer's requirements that will be addressed by the software project. Requirements Management involves establishing and maintaining an agreement with the customer on the requirements for the software project. The agreement covers both the technical and nontechnical (e.g., delivery dates) requirements. The agreement forms the basis for estimating, planning, performing, and tracking the software project's activities throughout the software life cycle. Whenever the system requirements allocated to software are changed, the affected software plans, work products, and activities are adjusted to remain consistent with the updated requirements.

This is the interdepartmental senior-level forum for considering appropriate steps to orient a major project to achieve relevant national objectives. When appropriate, the SPAC stimulates agreements between the sponsoring department and relevant participating departments, and acts as a forum for the resolution of issues that arise. For a project deemed to be an MCP, the SPAC is chaired by the project leader, and is to provide a forum for the review and discussion of project objectives, requests for proposals and other key project instruments. The SPAC performs the role of procurement review that is accomplished by the Procurement Review Committee (PRC) for projects of value less than $100M. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

A set of configuration items (software documents and software components) that has been formally reviewed and agreed upon, that thereafter serves as the basis for future development, and that can be changed only through formal change control procedures.

The purpose of Software Configuration Management (SCM) is to establish and maintain the integrity of the products of the software project throughout the project's software life cycle. Software Configuration Management involves identifying the configuration of the software (i.e., selected software work products and their descriptions) at given points in time, systematically controlling changes to the configuration, and maintaining the integrity and traceability of the configuration throughout the software life cycle. The work products placed under software configuration management include the software products that are delivered to the customer and the items that are identified with or required to create these software The purpose of Software Configuration Management (SCM) is to establish and maintain the integrity of the products of the software project throughout the project's software life cycle. Software Configuration Management involves identifying the configuration of the software (i.e., selected software work products and their descriptions) at given points in time, systematically controlling changes to the configuration, and maintaining the integrity and traceability of the configuration throughout the software life cycle. The work products placed under software configuration management include the software products that are delivered to the customer and the items that are identified with or required to create these software products.

The collection of plans, both formal and informal, used to express how software development and/or maintenance activities will be performed. Examples of plans that could be included: software development plan, software quality assurance plan, software configuration management plan, software test plan, risk management plan, and process improvement plan.

A set of activities, methods, practices, and transformations that people use to develop and maintain software and the associated products (e.g., project plans, design documents, code, test cases, and user manuals)

An appraisal by a trained team of software professionals to determine the state of an organization's current software process, to determine the high-priority software process-related issues facing an organization, and to obtain the organizational support for software process improvement.

The purpose of Software Product Engineering is to consistently perform a well-defined engineering process that integrates all the software engineering activities to produce correct, consistent software products effectively and efficiently. Software Product Engineering involves performing the engineering tasks to build and maintain the software using the project's defined software process and appropriate methods and tools. The software engineering tasks include analyzing the system requirements allocated to software, developing the software architecture, designing the software, implementing the software in the code, and testing the software to verify that it satisfies the specified requirements.

The purpose of Software Project Planning is to establish reasonable plans for performing the software engineering activities and for managing the software project. Software Project Planning involves developing estimates for the work to be performed, establishing the necessary commitments, and defining the plan to perform the work.

The purpose of Software Project Tracking and Oversight is to provide adequate visibility into actual progress so that management can take corrective actions when the software project's performance deviates significantly from the software plans. Corrective actions may include revising the software development plan to reflect the actual accomplishments and replanning the remaining work or taking actions to improve the performance. Software Project Tracking and Oversight involves tracking and reviewing the software accomplishments and results against documented estimates, commitments, and plans, and adjusting these plans based on the actual accomplishments and results.

The purpose of Software Quality Assurance (SQA) is to provide management with appropriate visibility into the process being used by the software project and of the products being built. Software Quality Assurance involves reviewing and auditing the software products and activities to verify that they comply with the applicable procedures and standards and providing the software project and other appropriate managers with the results of these reviews and audits.

A planned and systematic pattern of all actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that a software work product conforms to established technical requirements. (2) A set of activities designed to evaluate the process by which software work products are developed and/or maintained.

Software Quality Management involves defining quality goals for the software products, establishing plans to achieve these goals, and monitoring and adjusting the software plans, software work products, activities, and quality goals to satisfy the needs and desires of the customer and end user. Quantitative product quality goals are established based on the needs of the organization, customer, and end user for high-quality products. So that these goals may be achieved, the organization establishes strategies and plans, and the project specifically adjusts its defined software process, to accomplish the quality goals.

The purpose of Software Subcontract Management is to select qualified software subcontractors and manage them effectively. Software Subcontract Management involves selecting a software subcontractor, establishing commitments with the subcontractor, and tracking and reviewing the subcontractor's performance and results. These practices cover the Management of a software (only) subcontract, as well as the management of the software component of a subcontract that includes software, hardware, and possibly other system components.

Any artifact created as part of defining, maintaining, or using a software process, including process descriptions, plans, procedures, computer programs, and associated documentation, which may or may not be intended for delivery to a customer or end user.

This is a department that has the operational requirement to be met by the project; for which Parliament has appropriated the funds for the project; that makes submissions to Treasury Board for approval of project objectives and expenditure authority; and which is accountable for the overall management of the project. The accountability for the project includes the case where another department or common service agency has agreed to perform project implementation. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This is the first level of subdivision of the project phase normally related to project performance milestones. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

Mandatory requirements employed and enforced to prescribe a disciplined, uniform approach to software development.

This is the sponsoring department's documentation of the operational requirements stated as the performance objectives of the project in qualitative and quantitative terms. SORs are normally expressed in operational or mission terms and related to the department's mandate or program accountability. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

This estimate is one of sufficiently high quality and reliability so as to warrant Treasury Board approval as a Cost Objective for the project phase under consideration. It is based on detailed system and component design and taking into account all project objectives and deliverables. [TBS Capital Plans Glossary]

To modify a process, standard, or procedure to better match process or product requirements.

A single step (of work) usually performed by a specific individual or group. [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]

Technology Change Management involves identifying, selecting, and evaluating new technologies, and incorporating effective technologies into the organization. The objective is to improve software quality, increase productivity, and decrease the cycle time for product development. The organization establishes a group (such as a software engineering process group or a technology support group) that works with the software projects to introduce and evaluate new technologies and manage changes to existing technologies. Particular emphasis is placed on technology changes that are likely to improve the capability of the organization's standard software process. Pilot efforts are performed to assess new and unproven technologies before they are incorporated into normal practice. With appropriate sponsorship of the organization's management, the selected technologies are incorporated into the organization's standard software process and current projects, as appropriate.

The purpose of the Training Program key process area is to develop the skills and knowledge of individuals so they can perform their roles effectively and efficiently. Training Program involves first identifying the training needed by the organization, projects, and individuals, then developing or procuring training to address the identified needs. Some skills are effectively and efficiently imparted through informal vehicles (e.g., on-the-job training and informal mentoring), whereas other skills need more formal training vehicles (e.g., classroom training and guided self-study) to be effectively and efficiently imparted. The appropriate vehicles are selected and used.

A task or activity conducted to determine whether a product or service is usable (building the right product). [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]

A task or activity conducted to determine whether a product or service is within specifications (building the product right). [D. Hart, SEPG 1999]