Systems Engineering Glossary

Something that is within the boundaries of a contract or other agreement.

A phased life cycle approach that involves planned partial system implementation followed by adding increased capabilities until the system fully meets its specifications.

An independent review performed by an organization that is not under purview of the development organization, to ensure a product can or will meet requirements.

The system’s supporting environment and facilities.

The first attainment of an agreed definition of minimum system performance in its operational environment.

A verification technique involving visual examination or measurement of product characteristics or the review of design, production, or test documentation to determine compliance with requirements.

Multi-disciplinary and cross-organizational teams used to enable a systematic approach to the integrated, concurrent design of products and their related processes.

The process of combining two or more system entities into a single entity at a specified level of the system hierarchy.

The relationships among milestones and/ or activities that affect other milestones.

The characteristics that are required to form the boundary between entities.

A controlled specification that describes the physical, functional, logical, and electrical characteristics that an entity uses to communicate with its environment.

A statement of the functional, physical, logical, and electrical constraints that exist between multiple entities that describe how they fit together.

The ability of a system or its parts to exchange services or data with other systems.