ISO IEC IEEE 26511-2018 PDF

Full title and description

ISO/IEC/IEEE 26511:2018 — Systems and software engineering — Requirements for managers of information for users of systems, software, and services. The standard specifies requirements for strategy, planning, managing, staffing, translation, production, quality and process‑maturity assessment, and lifecycle management of information for users (user information/documentation) produced for systems, software and services.

Abstract

This international standard provides requirements for managers responsible for information for users. It covers development of a comprehensive content strategy, planning and control of information development and dissemination, monitoring information effectiveness and customer satisfaction, and planning information life‑cycle management. The guidance applies to multiple project management approaches (including agile and traditional) and to a wide range of user information types such as user assistance, training materials, multimedia, and documentation for virtual/augmented reality.

General information

• Status: Published.
• Publication date: December 2018 (IEEE record: 20 December 2018).
• Publisher: Joint ISO / IEC / IEEE (published as an ISO/IEC/IEEE international standard; IEEE Computer Society maintains a published record).
• ICS / categories: 35.080 (Software).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2018).
• Number of pages: 77 pages.

Scope

The standard applies to the management of information for users throughout the product or system life cycle. It defines requirements for establishing content strategy, assessing user information needs, planning and managing information‑development projects, staffing and team formation, review and testing of information, handling translation/localization, publishing and delivery, evaluating customer satisfaction and information quality, and measuring productivity, efficiency and costs. It is intended for managers of information for users and can also be consulted by product/system managers, acquirers, information developers, human‑factors and UI specialists.

Key topics and requirements

• Content strategy and portfolio planning for information for users (strategy, reuse, and dissemination).
• Project planning and control specific to information development (schedules, cost estimating, change management).
• Organizational and staffing requirements for information‑development teams (roles, skills, infrastructure).
• Quality assurance, review and testing of user information; metrics for productivity, efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Translation and localization management processes.
• Lifecycle management and processes for publishing and delivering information (including multimedia and emerging delivery formats).
• Compatibility with both traditional (predictive/waterfall) and agile development methods; guidance for managing information in agile environments.

Typical use and users

Primary users are managers of information for users (documentation managers, content strategists, information development leads) and organizations that produce user information. Secondary users include product and systems managers, acquirers of user information, experienced information developers, human factors/usability specialists, and user interface designers seeking requirements and management practices for producing consistent, usable information across projects and lifecycles.

Related standards

Standards commonly used alongside ISO/IEC/IEEE 26511 include ISO/IEC/IEEE 26514 (Design and development of information for users), ISO/IEC/IEEE 26515 (Developing information for users in an agile environment), ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 (system life‑cycle processes) and related technical work on instructional media such as ISO/IEC/IEEE 26516. Earlier versions of this work include the 2012/2011 editions of 26511. These documents complement 26511 by addressing design, development, agile practices and lifecycle process context.

Keywords

information for users, user documentation management, documentation strategy, content strategy, documentation planning, information lifecycle, translation management, quality assurance, documentation metrics, agile documentation.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO/IEC/IEEE 26511:2018 is an international standard that specifies requirements for managers responsible for information for users of systems, software and services — covering strategy, planning, management, staffing, translation, production and quality processes.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers management activities and required processes for planning, producing, reviewing, translating, publishing and evaluating information for users throughout the product/system life cycle, and includes requirements for key management documents such as documentation and project plans. It addresses both traditional and agile development contexts.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Documentation managers, information development leads, content strategists, product/system managers, acquirers of documentation, experienced information developers, human‑factors and UI specialists — in both supplier and in‑house documentation organizations.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO/IEC/IEEE 26511:2018 is the published (2018) edition; earlier editions (2011/2012) were superseded by the 2018 edition. National or technical committees may be working on future revisions or working drafts (watch ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7 and IEEE working groups for updates).

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is part of a family of related ISO/IEC/IEEE standards addressing information for users and user documentation (for example 26514, 26515 and related items) and is intended to be used alongside lifecycle/process standards such as ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 and 12207.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Information for users, documentation management, content strategy, documentation lifecycle, translation/localization, quality metrics, information development, agile documentation.