ISO/IEC/IEEE 21839:2019

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC/
STANDARD IEEE
First edition
2019-07
Systems and software engineering —
System of systems (SoS) considerations
in life cycle stages of a system
Ingénierie du logiciel et des systèmes — Études du système des
systèmes (SdS) dans les étapes du cycle de vie d'un système
Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2019
©
IEEE 2019
© ISO/IEC 2019
© IEEE 2019
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Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
1.1 Purpose . 1
1.2 Field of application . 1
1.3 Limitations . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 1
3.1 Terms and definitions . 1
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 2
4 Concepts . 3
4.1 System of systems. 3
4.2 Constituent systems . 3
4.3 System life cycle stages . 4
4.4 SoS technical base . 6
5 System of systems considerations in SoI life cycle stages . 6
5.1 SoS considerations in the Concept Stage . 6
5.1.1 General. 6
5.1.2 Concept stage capability considerations . 6
5.1.3 Concept Stage technical considerations . 9
5.1.4 Concept Stage management considerations .11
5.2 Addressing SoS considerations in the development stage .12
5.2.1 General.12
5.2.2 Development stage capability considerations.12
5.2.3 Development stage technical considerations . .15
5.2.4 Development stage management considerations .17
5.3 Addressing SoS considerations during the production stage .19
5.4 Addressing SoS considerations during utilization and support stages .20
5.4.1 General.20
5.4.2 Utilization and support stage capability considerations.20
5.4.3 Utilization and support stage technical considerations . .23
5.4.4 Utilization and support stage management considerations .24
5.5 Addressing SoS considerations in retirement stage .24
Annex A (informative) System of systems technical base .27
Annex B (informative) Example SoS considerations in the life cycle stages of a constituent
system .28
Annex C (informative) Relationship to other standards .30
Bibliography .31
IEEE notices and abstract .32
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Foreword
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rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/directives).
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ISO/IEC/IEEE 21839 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 7, Software and systems engineering, in cooperation with the Systems and Software
Engineering Standards Committee of the IEEE Computer Society, under the Partner Standards
Development Organization cooperation agreement between ISO and IEEE.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 21839 is one of three standards dealing with systems of systems. The relationship among
the three standards is described in Annex C.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/members .html.
© ISO/IEC 2019 – All rights reserved
iv © IEEE 2019 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC/IEEE 21839:2019(E)
Systems and software engineering — System of systems
(SoS) considerations in life cycle stages of a system
1 Scope
1.1 Purpose
This document provides a set of critical system of systems (SoS) considerations to be addressed at key
points in the life cycle of the system of interest (SoI). This document refers to considerations that apply
to an SoI that is a constituent system that interacts in an SoS. The considerations and life cycle model
align with those which are already defined in ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 and ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1. Selected
subsets of these considerations can be applied throughout the life of systems through the involvement
of stakeholders. The ultimate goal is to achieve customer satisfaction, so that when delivered, the SoI
will operate effectively in the operational or business environment which is typically characterized as
one or more systems of systems.
This document concerns those systems that are man-made and are configured with one or more of the
following: hardware, software, humans, procedures and facilities.
1.2 Field of application
This document addresses SoS considerations that apply to systems at each stage of their respective
life cycles.
There is a wide variety of systems in terms of their purpose, domain of application, complexity, size,
novelty, adaptability, quantities, locations, life spans and evolution. This document is concerned
with describing the system of systems considerations that apply to a system that is the SoI; that is a
constituent system within a system of systems. It applies to one-of-a-kind systems, mass produced
systems or customized, adaptable systems.
1.3 Limitations
This document does not detail the approach to addressing system of systems considerations in terms of
methods or procedures.
This document does not detail the described documentation in terms of name, format, explicit content
and recording media of documentation.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765, Systems and software engineering — Vocabulary
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions in ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 and the
following apply.
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3.1.1
constituent system
independent system that forms part of a system of systems (SoS) (3.1.4)
Note 1 to entry: Constituent systems can be part of one
...