Overview
ISO/IEC 24773-1:2019 - "Software and systems engineering - Certification of software and systems engineering professionals - Part 1: General requirements" defines the common requirements, terminology and concepts that apply across the ISO/IEC 24773 series. It establishes a framework for certification schemes and bodies that assess and certify professionals in software engineering and systems engineering. Part 1 is intended to be used with ISO/IEC 17024 (general requirements for bodies certifying persons) and serves as the foundation for subsequent parts (guidance on knowledge/skill/competence, systems engineering and software engineering specific requirements).
Key topics and requirements
ISO/IEC 24773-1:2019 addresses core elements of professional certification for software and systems engineering, including:
- Terminology and definitions used across certification schemes (scope, conformance, competence).
- Conformance requirements and relationship to ISO/IEC 17024.
- Concepts relating to certification and qualification, including distinctions between certification and qualification.
- Knowledge, Body of Knowledge (BOK) and cognitive level - how knowledge domains and cognitive expectations are described.
- Skill and performance levels - descriptions of practical skills and measurable performance criteria.
- Competence and proficiency - mapping competence to professional roles and proficiency levels.
- Assessment methods - acceptable approaches to evaluate knowledge, skill and competence.
- General requirements for schemes such as fundamental components, identification of BOK, cognitive-level specification, and skills definition.
- Ethics and professional practices - requirements for codes of ethics within certification schemes.
- Maintenance of certification - renewal, continuing professional development (CPD) and ongoing competency requirements.
Applications and who uses it
ISO/IEC 24773-1:2019 is practical for stakeholders involved with professional credentials in software and systems engineering:
- Certification bodies designing or updating certification schemes to be internationally comparable and credible.
- Employers and hiring managers evaluating candidate credentials and comparing certifications across jurisdictions.
- Individual professionals planning career development, certification selection, and CPD to maintain credentials.
- Academic and training providers aligning curricula or continuing education with recognized BOK and competency expectations.
- Regulators and professional associations seeking a common framework to interpret or compare certifications (note: certification is not a license to practice).
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 17024 - General requirements for bodies certifying persons (normative reference for ISO/IEC 24773-1).
- Other parts of the ISO/IEC 24773 series:
- Part 2 - Guidance on description of knowledge, skill and competence
- Part 3 - Systems engineering specific requirements
- Part 4 - Software engineering specific requirements
ISO/IEC 24773-1:2019 supports global recognition, comparability and quality of certification schemes by standardizing how knowledge, skill and competence are described, assessed and maintained for software and systems engineering professionals.