NASA Procedures and Guidelines
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NPR 7150.2B Eff. Date: November 19, 2014 Cancellation Date:	NASA Software Engineering Requirements
| TOC | Preface | Chapter1 | Chapter2 | Chapter3 | Chapter4 | Chapter5 | Chapter6 | AppendixA | AppendixB | AppendixC | AppendixD | AppendixE | ALL |

Chapter 5: Supporting Software Life-Cycle Requirements

Unlike development processes, support processes are not targeted primarily at a specific phase of the project life cycle, but typically occur with similar intensity throughout the complete project or product life cycle. For example, typical configuration management baselines (e.g., requirements, code, and products) happen across the life cycle. Support processes are software management and engineering processes that typically support the entire software life cycle (e.g., configuration management).

5.1 Software Configuration Management (SCM)

5.1.1 SCM is the process of applying configuration management throughout the software life cycle to ensure the completeness and correctness of software configuration items. SCM applies technical and administrative direction and surveillance to: identify and record the functional and physical characteristics of software configuration items, control changes to those characteristics, record and report change processing and implementation status, and verify compliance with specified requirements. SCM establishes and maintains the integrity of the products of a software project throughout the software life cycle. Use of standard Center or organizational SCM processes and procedures is encouraged where applicable.

5.1.2 The project manager shall develop a software configuration management plan that describes the functions, responsibilities, and authority for the implementation of software configuration management for the project. [SWE-079]

5.1.3 The project manager shall track and evaluate changes to software products. [SWE-080]

5.1.4 The project manager shall identify the software configuration items (e.g., software records, code, data, tools, models, scripts) and their versions to be controlled for the project. [SWE-081]

5.1.5 The project manager shall establish and implement procedures to: [SWE-082]

a. Designate the levels of control through which each identified software configuration item is required to pass.

b. Identify the persons or groups with authority to authorize changes.

c. Identify the persons or groups to make changes at each level.

Note: IEEE Standard for Configuration Management in Systems and Software Engineering, IEEE 828-2012, describes configuration management processes to be established, how they are to be accomplished, who is responsible for doing specific activities, when they are to happen, and what specific resources are required. It addresses configuration management activities over a product's life cycle. Configuration management in systems and software Engineering is a specialty discipline within the larger discipline of configuration management. Configuration management is essential to systems engineering and to software engineering.

5.1.6 The project manager shall prepare and maintain records of the configuration status of software configuration items. [SWE-083]

5.1.7 The project manager shall perform software configuration audits to determine the correct version of the software configuration items and verify that they conform to the records that define them. [SWE-084]

5.1.8 The project manager shall establish and implement procedures for the storage, handling, delivery, release, and maintenance of deliverable software products. [SWE-085]

5.2 Software Risk Management

5.2.1 Identification and management of risks provide a basis for systematically examining changing situations over time to uncover and correct circumstances that impact the ability of the project to meet its objectives.

5.2.2 The project manager shall identify, analyze, plan, track, control, communicate, and record software risks and mitigation plans in accordance with NPR 8000.4. [SWE-086]

5.3 Software Peer Reviews and Inspections

5.3.1 Software peer reviews and inspections are the in-process technical examination of work products by peers to find and eliminate defects early in the life cycle. Software peer reviews and inspections are performed following defined procedures covering the preparation for the review, the review itself is conducted, results are recorded, results are reported, and completion criteria is certified. When planning the composition of a software peer review or inspection team, consider including software testing, system testing, software assurance, software safety, and software IV&V personnel.

5.3.2 The project manager shall perform and report the results of software peer reviews or software inspections for: [SWE-087]

a. Software requirements.

b. Software plans.

c. Any design items that the project identified for software peer review or software inspections according to the software development plans.

d. Software code as defined in the software and or project plans.

e. Software test procedures.

Note: Software peer reviews or software inspections are a recommended best practice for all safety and mission-success related software components. Recommended best practices and guidelines for software formal inspections are contained in NASA-STD-8739.9.

5.3.3 The project manager shall, for each planned software peer review or software inspection: [SWE-088]

a. Use a checklist or formal reading technique (e.g., perspective based reading) to evaluate the work products.

b. Use established readiness and completion criteria.

c. Track actions identified in the reviews until they are resolved.

d. Identify required participants.

5.3.4 The project manager shall, for each planned software peer review or software inspection, record basic measurements. [SWE-089]

5.4 Software Measurement

5.4.1 Software measurement is a primary tool for managing software processes and evaluating the quality of software products. Analysis of measures provides insight into the capability of the software organization and identifies opportunities for software process and product improvements. Software measurement programs at multiple levels are established to meet measurement objectives. The requirements below are designed to reinforce the use of measurement at the project, Center software organization, and NASA Chief Engineer levels to assist in managing projects, assuring quality, and improving software engineering practices. Measurement programs are designed to meet the following goals:

a. Improve future software planning and software cost estimation.

b. Describe and record information about a software product during its life-cycle.

c. Assist usability and maintainability of a software product.

d. Monitor and control life-cycle processes.

e. Communicate information about the system, software product, or service.

f. Provide a history, including lessons learned, during the development and maintenance to support management and process improvement.

g. Provide evidence that the processes were followed.

h. Provide indicators of software quality.

i. Track the status of software engineering improvement and assurance programs.

j. Report the status of software engineering improvements and assurance programs to Center software organizations and Center SMA.

5.4.2 The project manager shall establish, record, maintain, report, and utilize software management and technical measurements. [SWE-090]

Note: IEEE Standard Adoption of ISO/IEC 15939 - Systems and Software Engineering - Measurement Process is a good generic model for developing a software measurement process for a project or Center. This international standard contains a set of activities and tasks that comprise a measurement process that meets the specific needs of organizations, enterprises, and projects. The NASA Chief Engineer may identify and document additional Center measurement objectives, software measurements, collection procedures and guidelines, and analysis procedures for selected software projects and software development organizations. This includes collecting software technical measurement data from the project's software supplier(s).

5.4.3 The project manager shall analyze software measurement data collected using documented project-specified and/or Center/organizational analysis procedures. [SWE-093]

5.4.4 The project manager shall provide access to the software measurement data, measurement analyses, and software development status as requested to the sponsoring Mission Directorate, the NASA Chief Engineer, Center and Headquarters SMA, and Center repositories. [SWE-094]

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