IEEE Std 1362-1998 IEEE Guide for Information
Technology—System Definition—Concept of Operations
(ConOps) Document -Description
Abstract: The format and contents of a concept of operations
(ConOps) document are described. A ConOps is a user-oriented document
that describes system characteristics for a proposed system from
the users’ viewpoint. The ConOps document is used to communicate
overall quantitative and qualitative system characteristics to the
user, buyer, developer, and other organizational elements (for example, training,
facilities, staffing, and maintenance). It is used to describe the
user organization(s), mission(s), and organizational objectives
from an integrated systems point of view.
Keywords: buyer, characteristics, concept of operation, concepts of operations
document, ConOps, developer, operational requirements, scenario, software-intensive system, software system, system, user, user requirements, viewpoint
Content
1. Scope
2. References
3. Definitions
4. Elements of a ConOps document
4.1 Scope (Clause 1 of the ConOps document)
4.1.1 Indentification (1.1 of the ConOps document)
4.1.2 Document overview (1.2 of the ConOps document)
4.1.3 System overview (1.3 of the ConOps document)
4.2 Referenced documents (Clause 2 of the ConOps
document)
4.3 Current system or situation (Clause 3 of the
ConOps document)
4.3.1 Background, objectives, and scope (3.1 of the
ConOps document)
4.3.2 Operational policies and constraints (3.2 of
the ConOps document)
4.3.3 Description of the current system or situation
(3.3 of the ConOps document)
4.3.4 Modes of operation for the current system or
situation (3.4 in the ConOps document)
4.3.5 User classes and other involved personnel (3.5
of the ConOps document)
4.3.6 Support environment (3.6 of the ConOps document)
4.4 Justification for and nature of changes (Clause
4 of the ConOps document)
4.4.1 Justification for changes (4.1 of the ConOps
document)
4.4.2 Description of desired changes (4.2 of the ConOps
document)
4.4.3 Priorities among changes (4.3 of the ConOps document)
4.4.4 Changes considered but not included (4.4 of the
ConOps document)
4.4.5 Assumptions and constraints (4.5 of the ConOps
document)
4.5 Concepts for the proposed system (Clause 5 of
the ConOps document)
4.5.1 Background, objectives, and scope (5.1 of the
ConOps document)
4.5.2 Operational policies and constraints (5.2 of
the ConOps document)
4.5.3 Description of the proposed system (5.3 of the
ConOps document)
4.5.4 Modes of operation (5.4 of the ConOps document)
4.5.5 User classes and other involved personnel (5.5
of the ConOps document)
4.5.6 Support environment (5.6 of the ConOps document)
4.6 Operational scenarios (Clause 6 of the ConOps
document)
4.7 Summary of impacts (Clause 7 of the ConOps document)
4.7.1 Operational impacts (7.1 of the ConOps document)
4.7.2 Organizational impacts (7.2 of the ConOps document)
4.7.3 Impacts during development (7.3 of the ConOps
document)
4.8 Analysis of the proposed system (Clause 8 of
the ConOps document)
4.8.1 Summary of improvements (8.1 of the ConOps document)
4.8.2 Disadvantages and limitations (8.2 of the ConOps
document)
4.8.3 Alternatives and trade-offs considered (8.3 of
the ConOps document)
4.9 Notes (Clause 9 on the ConOps document)
4.10 Appendices (Appendices of the ConOps document)
4.11 Glossary (Glossary of the ConOps document)
Annex A IEEE/EIA 12207.1-1997 Compliance Statement
A.1 Overview
A.1.1 Scope and purpose
A.2 Correlation
A.2.1 Terminology correlation
A.2.2 Process correlation
A.2.3 Life cycle data correlation and concept of operations
documents
A.2.4 Life cycle data correlation between other data
in IEEE/EIA 12207.1-1997 and this standard
A.3 Document compliance
A.3.1 Compliance with information requirements of IEEE/EIA
12207.0-1996
A.3.2 Compliance with generic content guidelines of
IEEE/EIA 12207.1-1997
A.3.3 Compliance with specific content requirements
of IEEE/EIA 12207.1-1997
A.3.4 Compliance with life cycle data characteristics
