ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-4

ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7/WG 7/N9867
Secretariat: BIS
Date: 2025-06-30
Systems and software engineering — Life cycle management — —
Part 4:
Systems engineering management planning
Ingénierie des systèmes et du logiciel — Gestion du cycle de vie — Partie 4: Systèmes planification de la
gestion de l'ingénierie
FDIS stage
ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
© ISO/IEC/ 2025
© IEEE 2025
© IEEE 2025
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication
may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO
or IEEE at the respective address below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8  3 Park Avenue, New York
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva  NY 10016-5997, USA
Phone: + 41 22 749 01 11
Email: E-mail: copyright@iso.org  Email: stds.ipr@ieee.org
Website: www.iso.org  Website: www.ieee.org
Published in Switzerland
© ISO/IEC 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
iii
ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
Contents
Foreword . v
Introduction . vii
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 1
3.1 Terms and definitions . 1
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 3
4 Conformance . 4
4.1 Intended usage . 4
4.2 Full conformance . 4
4.3 Tailored conformance . 4
5 Key concepts and their application . 4
5.1 General . 4
5.2 System concepts . 5
5.3 Life cycle concepts . 5
5.4 Process concepts . 5
5.5 Organizational concepts . 5
5.6 Project concepts . 5
5.7 System of system concepts . 6
5.8 Model-based SE and digital engineering concepts . 6
5.9 Information items concepts . 7
5.10 SEMP development concepts . 7
6 SEMP content . 8
6.1 General . 8
6.2 Introductory material . 10
6.3 Technical planning . 11
6.4 Technical management processes . 16
6.5 Technical processes . 25
6.6 Supporting SE activities and plans . 33
6.7 Annexes . 35
Annex A (normative) Tailoring policies . 39
Annex B (informative) Expanded process view for systems engineering management planning41
Annex C (informative) Example information item content mapping tables . 54
Bibliography . 57
IEEE notices and abstract . 59

© ISO/IEC 2024 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
iv © IEEE 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members
of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types of
document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC
Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives or www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).
IEEE Standards documents are developed within IEEE Societies and subcommittees of IEEE Standards
Association (IEEE SA) Board of Governors. IEEE develops its standards through an accredited consensus
development process, which brings together volunteers representing varied viewpoints and interests to
achieve the final product. IEEE standards are documents developed by volunteers with scientific, academic,
and industry-based expertise in technical working groups. Volunteers are not necessarily members of IEEE or
IEEE SA and participate without compensation from IEEE. While IEEE administers the process and establishes
rules to promote fairness in the consensus development process, IEEE does not independently evaluate, test,
or verify the accuracy of any of the information or the soundness of any judgments contained in its standards.
ISO and IEC draw attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of
(a) patent(s). ISO and IEC take no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed
patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO and IEC had not received
notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are
cautioned that this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database
available at www.iso.org/patents and https://patents.iec.ch. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for
identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
In the IEC, see www.iec.ch/understanding-standards.
This document 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.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-4:2016), which has been
technically revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— — aligns with updates to ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1:2024, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-
2:2024, ISO/IEC/IEEE 16085:2021, and ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148:2018;
— — streamlines and reduces redundancies from the publication of ISO/IEC/IEEE 16326:2019;
© ISO/IEC 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
v
ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
— — maintains harmonization with new documents within the SC 7 portfolio, including ISO/IEC/IEEE
15289, ISO/IEC/IEEE 15939, ISO/IEC/IEEE 21839, ISO/IEC/IEEE 21840, ISO/IEC/IEEE 21841,
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-7 and ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-8;
— — addresses feedback from users and the advancement of system-related technologies, including
systems of systems and model-based systems and software engineering;
— — adds a new annex with an expanded process view for systems engineering management planning;
— — adds a new annex with example information item content mapping tables;
— — removes provisions for conformance to process.
A list of all parts in the ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748 series can be found on the ISO and IEC websites.
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 and www.iec.ch/national-
committees.
© ISO/IEC 2024 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
vi © IEEE 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
Introduction
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 provides a common process framework covering the life cycle of human-made systems,
from the conception of ideas through to the retirement of a system. It provides the processes for acquiring and
supplying systems. In addition, this framework provides for the assessment and improvement of the life cycle
processes. This common framework improves communication and cooperation among the parties that create,
utilize, and manage modern systems in order that they can work in an integrated, coherent fashion.
The acquisition or supply of a system is usually done within a project. A project prepares and implements the
technical planning, resources and schedules necessary to guide the project toward accomplishment of its
objectives and proper conclusion. The project’s authorization and objectives are documented in an
information item typically identified as a systems engineering management plan (SEMP).
This document defines a SEMP as the key vehicle for representing a project's application of systems life cycle
processes. In this document, the terms technical planning and systems engineering (SE) planning are used
interchangeably to emphasize or differentiate technical contributions in the processes under discussion.
In many organizations, the various responsibilities of technical management are assigned to more than one
person. Where the term "technical manager" or "systems engineering manager" is used in this document, the
guidance, advice or normative requirement applies to the applicable role within the project or organization.
NOTE ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1 provides guidance on the application of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, including definition or
expansion of important organization, project, process, and life cycle model concepts and their adaptation for successful
project implementation.
© ISO/IEC 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
vii
DRAFT International Standard ISO/IEC/IEEE DIS 24748-4:2025(en)

Systems and software engineering — Life cycle management — —
Part 4:
Systems engineering management planning
1 Scope
This document:
— — provides an expanded view of the processes from ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 that implement systems
engineering (SE) management for the life cycles of technical solutions;
— — describes a required information item, termed the systems engineering management plan (SEMP) for
the technical management and execution of the SE of technical solutions,
— — provides requirements and guidance for the content of the required information item.
This document is applicable to:
— — those who use or plan to use ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 on projects dealing with human-made systems,
products and services;
— — those who are responsible for the technical management of projects concerned with the engineering
of systems;
— — those responsible for planning or executing ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 system life cycle processes at a
project level;
— — organizations and individuals involved with a technical project management effort;
— — anyone developing engineering management documentation to complete technical planning aspects
of their project’s processes.
This document is intended to provide guidance for two-party situations and can be equally applied where the
two parties are from the same organization. This document can also be used by a single party as self-imposed
tasks.
This document can also serve as guidance in multi-party situations, where high risks are inherent in the supply
and integration of complex systems, and procurement can involve several suppliers, organizations or parties.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
© ISO/IEC 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
ISO, IEC and IEEE maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— — ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— — IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
— — IEEE Standards Dictionary Online: available at https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/dictionary.jsp
NOTE For additional terms and definitions in the field of systems and software engineering, see
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765, which is published periodically as a “snapshot” of the SEVOCAB (Systems and software Engineering
Vocabulary) database and which is publicly accessible at http://www.computer.org/sevocab.
3.1.1 3.1.1
audit
systematic, independent and documented process for obtaining objective evidence and evaluating it
objectively to determine the extent to which the audit criteria are fulfilled
[SOURCE: ISO 9000:2015, 3.13.1, modified — Notes to entry have been removed.]
3.1.2 3.1.2
include
has either the information or a reference to the information
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 3.1.11]
3.1.3 3.1.3
information item
separately identifiable body of information that is produced, stored, and delivered for human use
Note 1 to entry: A document produced to meet information requirements can be an information item, part of an
information item, or a combination of several information items.
Note 2 to entry: An information item can be produced in several versions during a project or system life cycle.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 3.1.12]
3.1.4 3.1.4
measure of effectiveness
MoE
measures that define the acquirer’s key indicators of achieving the mission needs for performance, suitability
and affordability across the life cycle
[SOURCE: INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook, 5th ed., © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Used with
permission.]
3.1.5 3.1.5
measure of performance
MoP
measure to assess whether the system meets design or performance requirements and has the capability to
achieve operational objective
[SOURCE: INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook, 5th ed., © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Used with
permission.]
© ISO/IEC 2024 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
2 © IEEE 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC/IEEE DISFDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
3.1.6 3.1.6
plan
information item (3.1.3(3.1.3)) that presents a systematic course of action for achieving a declared purpose,
including when, how, and by whom specific activities are to be performed
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 3.1.16]
3.1.7 3.1.7
systems engineering management plan
SEMP
top-level technical plan (3.1.6(3.1.6)) for managing the systems engineering effort which defines how the
technical aspects of the project will be organized, structured, and conducted and how the systems life cycle
processes will be controlled to provide a product that satisfies stakeholder requirements
Note 1 to entry: An alternate title, such as a systems engineering plan (SEP), can be used.
Note 2 to entry: The content of the SEMP can be incorporated into another plan such as a single integrated engineering
management plan (IEMP) that includes other management plans such as project, configuration management, and risk.
Note 3 to entry: The content of the SEMP can be distributed across multiple plans.
Note 4 to entry: This document does not prescribe the form of the information item (3.1.3(3.1.3).). The content of the
SEMP can be in the form of documents or models or other form(s) appropriate to the context of the project.
3.1.8 3.1.8
technical performance measure
TPM
measure to assess design progress, compliance to performance requirements, or technical risks and provide
visibility into the status of important technical parameters to enable effective management, thus enhancing
the likelihood of achieving the technical objectives of the project
[SOURCE: INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook, 5th ed., © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Used with
permission.]
3.2 Abbreviated terms
CS constituent system
DE digital engineering
INCOSE International Council on Systems Engineering
MBSE model-based systems engineering
MBSSE model-based system and software engineering
PMP project management plan
PLM product lifecyclelife cycle management
QA quality assurance
SE systems engineering
SEP systems engineering plan
SoI system of interest
SoS system of systems
WBS work breakdown structure
© ISO/IEC 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
4 Conformance
4.1 Intended usage
This document provides guidance for the execution of the ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 processes related to the
planning and managing a project to implement a significant technical effort. This document also provides
normative definition of the content and recommendations for the related information item, the project's
SEMP.
4.2 Full conformance
This document provides one approach to the requirements for an information item – the SEMP.
A claim of full conformance to this document means that:
— — the user produces the required information item stated in this document; and
— — the user demonstrates that the information item produced during the project planning activities
conforms to the content requirements defined in this document.
The requirements for the information item in this document are contained in Clause 6Clause 6.
The requirements for the content of the information item in this document are contained in Clause 6Clause 6.
This document addresses all of the information item elements of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 7.3 and 10.42,
but does not assert a claim of conformance to that document.
NOTE 1 If a user of this document claims full conformance to ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289, it does not imply that the user can
claim conformance to the information items and information item content in this document. The reason is that this
document adds additional information items and additional detail.
NOTE 2 In this document, for simplicity of reference, an information item is described as if it were published as a
separate document. However, information items are considered as conforming if they are unpublished but available in a
repository for reference or divided into separate documents or volumes.
4.3 Tailored conformance
The tailoring process shall be in accordance with Annex AAnnex A Annex A.
5 Key concepts and their application
5.1 General
This clause presents concepts that apply to and are necessary to understand the SE planning aspects of a
project and for the development and content of a project's SEMP.
The agreement processes of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 define the activities necessary to establish an agreement
between two organizations. The organizational project-enabling processes of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 are
concerned with providing the resources needed to enable the project to meet the needs and expectations of
the organization’s stakeholders. The technical management processes of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 are concerned
with managing the resources and assets allocated by organization management and with applying them to
fulfil the agreements into which the organization or organizations enter. The technical processes of
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 are concerned with technical actions throughout the life cycle. Technical processes
transform the needs of stakeholders into products or services.
© ISO/IEC 2024 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
4 © IEEE 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC/IEEE DISFDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
This document unifies and supplements the extensive application information available to assist organizations
and project management teams in their SE management planning.
Development of a SEMP presupposes an understanding of several key concepts. Foundational material that
explains these concepts is discussed or identified in 5.25.2 to 5.105.10.
5.2 System concepts
System concepts for systems that are any mix of products and services are introduced in
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023, 5.2. Additional discussion is in ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1:2024, 4.2, which explains
systems, system boundaries, structure in systems and projects, and enabling systems.
5.3 Life cycle concepts
System life cycle concepts are introduced in ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023, 5.5. Additional discussion is in
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1:2024, 4.3.
Project life cycle concepts and application are addressed in ISO/IEC/IEEE 16326.
[20[20]]
The INCOSE SE Handbook discusses system life cycle concepts in terms of business, budget and technical
aspects, and project cycles in terms of decision gates. Discussion of different methods, implementation
strategies and case studies highlight some of the decisions facing organizations and projects in determining
appropriate system and life cycle models to employ. Planning and management need to account for the SoS
considerations in ISO/IEC/IEEE 21839 and plan in the context of ISO/IEC/IEEE 21840.
5.4 Process concepts
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24774 provides foundational discussion of process concepts to encourage consistency in
development of standard process reference models. It presents guidelines for the elements used most
frequently in describing a process: the title, purpose, outcomes, activities, tasks and information items.
Process concepts are introduced in ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023, 5.6.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 establishes a top-level framework of the life cycle of systems from conception through
retirement. The framework is constructed with a set of processes and interrelationships among these
processes.
The recursive, iterative and concurrent application of processes is discussed in ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023,
5.8.2.
5.5 Organizational concepts
An identified part of an organization (even as small as a single individual) or an identified group of
organizations can be regarded as an organization, if it has responsibilities, authorities and relationships. In
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, when an organization, as a whole or a part, enters into an agreement, it is a “party” to
the agreement. Organizations are separate bodies, but the parties can be from the same organization or from
separate organizations.
Organizational concepts, such as responsibility, organizational relationships and project organizational
structure, are discussed in ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-2:2024, 6.5 and ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023, 5.3.
5.6 Project concepts
A project can be viewed as a single endeavour, unique in its purpose and consisting of various implemented
lifecyclelife cycle processes.
© ISO/IEC 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1:2024, 4.2.3 discusses system structure and implications in projects.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1:2024, 4.2.4, explains enabling systems in terms of the system-of-interest and its
operational environment.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-2:2024, 6.6, discusses project concepts, relationships among projects, project
relationships with enabling systems and hierarchy of projects.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 16326 provides more information on project management and the information item, project
management plan (PMP).
5.7 System of system concepts
A system of systems (SoS) is a set of systems that interact to provide a unique capability that none of the
constituent systems (CS) can accomplish on its own. In the context of SoS, the relevant pieces of the system of
interest (SoI) are, by definition, systems themselves. An SoS consists of some number of CS, plus any inter-
system infrastructure, facilities, and processes necessary to enable the CS to integrate or interoperate.
An essential characteristic of the SoS is that CS within the SoS are operationally independent. That is, the CS
can (and do) operate independently to fulfil some number of purposes on their own, separate from the SoS.
While CS operate independently from each other for their own purposes, they also operate interdependently
with each other and other elements to produce the SoS outputs. CS are never totally independent, yet they are
also never totally subservient to the SoS.
Another essential characteristic is that CS within the SoS are both managerially independent and
interdependent. Managerial independence suggests that the CS can be managed by organizations that retain
some degree of independence even though they are interdependent while participating in SoS. The implication
is that these organizations can have goals and objectives for the CS that differ from those of the SoS and the
other CS. If so, there is likely some degree of independence and interdependence of governance, as well as
some degree of independence and interdependence of management. For systems that participate in SoS, the
SEMP should elaborate shared or distributed responsibilities for interface management, configuration control,
and governance agreements across organizational boundaries.
Using essential characteristics to partition the various types of SoS provides an abbreviated nomenclature for
thinking about SoS. ISO/IEC/IEEE 21841 defines a normalised taxonomy for SoS to facilitate communications
among stakeholders. It also briefly explains what a taxonomy is and how it applies to the SoS to aid in
understanding and communication. There are many characteristics such as scale and scope, around which
taxonomies can be derived.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 21839 provides a set of SoS considerations to be addressed at key points in the life cycle of the
SoI. The considerations and key points align with those which are introduced in this document. Selected
subsets of these considerations can be applied throughout the life of systems through the involvement of
stakeholders. The ultimate goal is to achieve stakeholder satisfaction, so that when delivered, the SoI operates
effectively in the operational environment which is typically characterized as one or more systems of systems.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 21840 provides guidance for the utilization of this document in the context of SoS. While this
document applies to systems in general (including CS), ISO/IEC/IEEE 21840 provides guidance on the
application of these processes to the special case of SoS.
5.8 Model-based SE and digital engineering concepts
Model-based SE (MBSE) or model-based systems and software engineering (MBSSE) is “formalized
[9 [9]]
applications of modelling to support systems and software engineering.” .” Digital engineering (DE)
[21[21] ]
facilitates a shift from a design-build-test approach to a model-analyse-build approach . .
© ISO/IEC 2024 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
6 © IEEE 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC/IEEE DISFDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24641 deals with the tool capabilities and methods for model-based systems and software
engineering (MBSSE). ISO/IEC/IEEE 24641:
— — specifies a reference model for the overall structure and processes of MBSSE-specific processes, and
describes how the components of the reference model fit together;
— — specifies interrelationships between the components of the reference model;
— — specifies MBSSE-specific processes for model-based systems and software engineering; the processes
are described in terms of purpose, inputs, outcomes and tasks;
— — specifies methods to support the defined tasks of each process;
— — specifies tool capabilities to automate or semi-automate tasks or methods.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24641 does not bring any additional life cycle processes for system and software but specifies
an MBSSE reference model considered as activities, not only from the life cycle perspectives of SE problem
solving and the system-of-interest evolution, but also from the cognitive perspectives of modelling and model
management, which can sustain and facilitate the system and software life cycle processes during digital
transformation and in the digital age.
5.9 Information items concepts
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289 provides more detail on information items and specifies how life cycle data is managed
in information items.
NOTE This document uses the term “include” in the same sense as ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 3.1.11, that the
information “has either the information or a reference to the information.”
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289 indicates that an information item is required to be consistent with an information item
generic type. The key information item addressed in this document is of type plan.
As noted in ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-2:2024, 6.7.4.1, “Plans are developed to define project goals and objectives
(why?), the work that needs to be accomplished (what?), the project schedule (when?), the project
organizational structure (who?), and how the organization’s processes, policies and procedures are adapted
to match project-specific needs (how?). Plans should include the scope, tasks, methods, tools, measures, risks
and resources for applicable system or system element implementation, integration, verification, transition
and validation processes, so that each contingency option can be efficiently and effectively used.”
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, Clause 7 identifies several generic types of information items and provides generic
content for each information item type.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 7.3 provides generic content elements for plans.
Each information item produced as a document supports certain life cycle data characteristics. Documents are
produced and communicated for human use and contain formal elements (such as purpose, scope, and
summary), intended to make them usable by their intended audience.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 6.4 provides requirements for the management of information items through the
application of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 processes. These include the information management process and select
activities from the knowledge management process.
5.10 SEMP development concepts
Systems engineering management planning can be applied for technical efforts as practiced across an entire
organization, or to specific projects The SEMP should be developed in the earliest project planning stages. It
© ISO/IEC 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
is tightly coupled with Project Management Plan (PMP) development and content. Although sometimes
combined with the PMP, the SEMP is typically a separate information item that focuses on managing the
technical project management effort.
The SEMP provides an explanation of what needs to be done, how it will be done, who will do it, when it will
be done and where it will be done; as well as how much of a resource is necessary to do the work for each
technical process. The SEMP explains these activities and tasks within established constraints of resources
and staff and in order to meet cost, schedule and performance requirements within acceptable risks.
A SEMP should be periodically updated as plans are solidified or modified, activities move from plans to
historical facts, known risks are mitigated or significantly changed, new risks are identified, new tools and
technologies are adopted, and as a myriad of other factors cause an adjustment to the project’s overall
technical approach. Thus, it is expected that the SEMP will evolve over time and go through revisions when a
new agreement is awarded, or as the project moves from stage to stage. The SEMP should include versioning
and change history tracking, aligned with the project's configuration management plans. The SEMP should
reference or provide a link to other relevant planning information items, especially those that include more
detailed planning information for topics in the SEMP.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 16326 supplements the technical management processes of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, providing
detailed guidance and normative content specifications for project management plans. ISO/IEC/IEEE 16326
notes that a SEMP is typically developed at a lower level of abstraction than the PMP to address and gather
most of the other plans required to satisfy product requirements and agreement terms (e.g. specialty plans for
safety, security, training, integration, transition). Technical plans such as the SEMP need to coordinate the
technical and management aspects of a project (or many projects) across one or more organizations to help
ensure successful achievement of organizational and agreement goals for the project. A SEMP will typically
complete or supplement plan elements initiated at the PMP level. Organizational processes, agreement terms
and project unique requirements contribute to the determination of PMP and SEMP content and their
interfaces.
Clause 6Clause 6 contains guidance for SEMP development.
Annex BAnnex B provides an expanded process view for SE management planning.
6 SEMP content
6.1 General
This clause states the normative content, but not the form, structure, or representation of the required
information item, the SEMP.
This clause is not intended to mandate the order or titles of the sections in the SEMP, nor is it intended to
imply any activity sequence for the project.
The contents of the SEMP shall correspond to the selected and tailored processes. If the selected systems life-
cycle processes have been tailored in conformance with ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, the user of this document shall
prepare the SEMP as applicable to the selected and tailored processes of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288.
Annex BAnnex B contains a helpfulan expanded process view of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 tasks related to
technical planning.
The SEMP should be prepared and updated as necessary throughout the life of the project to guide and control
the technical efforts of the project. The SEMP preparation should be started during the initial project planning
concurrent with the development of the PMP. The SEMP should reflect an integrated technical management
effort that addresses SE interfaces to the organization, responsibilities and authorities, system scope and
boundaries, technical objectives and constraints, infrastructure and resources, schedules with milestones and
© ISO/IEC 2024 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
8 © IEEE 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC/IEEE DISFDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
decision gates, SE process definitions, technical approaches and methods, selected life cycle model and
delivery approach, and major technical deliverables.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 7.3 defines the information item content for the generic type plan, and
ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 10.42 defines the information item content for a project management plan. This
document adds content to define a systems engineering management plan. ISO/IEC/IEEE 16326 specifies
required content for project management plans. The SEMP is the key project plan for managing the technical
effort. SEMP development is tightly coupled with PMP development and content.
Table 1Table 1 provides an annotated example of an outline for a SEMP. Content mapping tables can be used
to identify where required content can be found within the information item. Annex CAnnex C provides several
examples of information item content mapping tables.
Table 1 — Example outline for a SEMP
Example SEMP SEMP requirements
outline
Example SEMP clause title in Clause 6Clause 6
Introductory material 6.26.2
1 Technical project summary 6.36.3
1.1   Purpose, scope and objectives 6.3.16.3.1
1.2   System description 6.5.36.5.3
1.3   Assumptions, dependencies and constraints 6.3.26.3.2
1.4   Schedule and budget summary 6.3.36.3.3
2 References 6.3.46.3.4
3 Definitions 6.3.56.3.5
4 Technical project organization 6.3.66.3.6
5 Technical planning
5.1   Life cycle model selection and adaptation 6.3.76.3.7
5.2   Process model selection and tailoring 6.3.86.3.8
5.3   Infrastructure and services required 6.3.96.3.9
5.4   Communications 6.3.106.3.10
5.5   Tools, methods and techniques 6.3.116.3.11
6 Technical management processes
6.1   Project assessment and control 6.4.16.4.1
6.2   Decision management 6.4.26.4.2
6.3   Risk management 6.4.36.4.3
6.4   Configuration management 6.4.46.4.4
6.5   Information management 6.4.56.4.5
6.6   Measurement 6.4.66.4.6
6.7   Quality assurance 6.4.76.4.7
7 Technical Processes
7.1   Business or mission analysis 6.5.16.5.1
7.2   Stakeholder needs and requirements analysis 6.5.26.5.2
© ISO/IEC 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
ISO/IEC/IEEE FDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
Example SEMP SEMP requirements
outline
Example SEMP clause title in Clause 6Clause 6
7.3   System requirements definition 6.5.36.5.3
7.4   System architecture definition 6.5.46.5.4
7.5   Design definition 6.5.56.5.5
7.6   System analysis 6.5.66.5.6
7.7   Implementation 6.5.76.5.7
7.8   Integration 6.5.86.5.8
7.9   Verification 6.5.96.5.9
7.10   Transition 6.5.106.5.10
7.11   Validation 6.5.116.5.11
7.12   Operation 6.5.126.5.12
7.13   Maintenance 6.5.136.5.13
7.14   Disposal 6.5.146.5.14
8 Supporting activities 6.66.6
8.1   Other plans 6.6.16.6.1
8.2   Traceability 6.6.26.6.2
8.3   Interface management 6.6.36.6.3
8.4   Critical quality characteristics 6.6.46.6.4
8.5   Critical quality areas (specialty engineering) 6.6.56.6.5
8.6   Technology management 6.6.66.6.6
Annex A Organizational project-enabling processes 6.7.26.7.2
A.1   Life cycle model management 6.7.2.26.7.2.2
A.2   Infrastructure management 6.7.2.36.7.2.3
A.3   Portfolio management 6.7.2.46.7.2.4
A.4   Human resource management 6.7.2.56.7.2.5
A.5   Quality management 6.7.2.66.7.2.6
A.6   Knowledge management 6.7.2.76.7.2.7
Annex B Agreement processes (including supplier technical 6.7.36.7.3
management)
6.26.2 to 6.76.7 identify topical content to be addressed by the SEMP. The text indicates whether a topical
discussion should be in the SEMP, or is likely found in other documentation, where an SE technical
contribution should be made, or if just a reference or link should be made to other documentation to promote
integration of the technical planning effort with other project efforts. In any event, the consideration of the
topical content and potential technical contribution is of importance; the media and location of the
information or discussion should be implemented in accordance with applicable organizational and project
information and documentation management strategies and procedures.
6.2 Introductory material
The SEMP shall contain introductory material with additional elaboration as described in this clausesubclause.
© ISO/IEC 2024 2025, © IEEE 2025 – All rights reserved
10 © IEEE 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC/IEEE DISFDIS 24748-4:2025(en)
a) a) The SEMP shall contain the date of issue and status [ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 7.3 a)].
b) b) The SEMP shall identify of the name of the issuing organization [ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019,
7.3 c)] and should include relevant organizational identifiers.
c) c) The SEMP shall contain or reference a record of approvals by the approval authority(ies)
[ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 7.3 e)].
d) d) Depending on the form of the information item, the SEMP shall include navigational aids such
as a table of contents, list of hyperlinks, list of figures, and a list of tables.
e) e) The SEMP shall identify change procedures and history [ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 7.3 u)].
The SEMP should contain the project name and any unique identifiers.
6.3 Technical planning
6.3.1 Purpose, scope and objectives
The purpose of the project planning process is to “produce and coordinate effective and workable plans”
(ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023, 6.3.1.1).
6.3.1 Purpose, scope and objectives
The SEMP shall contain purpose, scope and objectives with additional elaboration as described in this
clausesubclause.
The SEMP shall include the results of planning to:
a) a) identify the project objectives, assumptions, and constraints [ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023,
6.3.1.3.a.1];
b) b) define the project scope as established in the agreement [ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023,
6.3.1.3.a.2]. [ISO/IEC/IEEE 15289:2019, 7.3 b)].
In
...