ISO IEC IEEE 26515-2018 PDF

Full title and description

ISO/IEC/IEEE 26515:2018 — Systems and software engineering — Developing information for users in an agile environment. This international standard specifies requirements and guidance for planning, managing, designing, developing and providing information for users (user documentation / information for users) when software and systems are developed using agile methods. It describes information-management and information-development processes tailored to agile projects and includes an informative annex on agile practices and methods.

Abstract

ISO/IEC/IEEE 26515:2018 provides a process-oriented approach for producing information for users in agile environments. It identifies overall requirements for information development in agile software projects, defines responsibilities and activities for an information-development lead or project manager, and specifies requirements for design, development and delivery of user information. Annex A gives background on common agile practices and methods and how information activities integrate with iterative development.

General information

• Status: Published (Active international standard).
• Publication date: 20 December 2018 (Edition 2, 2018).
• Publisher: Joint publication by ISO, IEC and IEEE (ISO/IEC/IEEE).
• ICS / categories: 35.080 (Software).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2018).
• Number of pages: 22 (official ISO edition pagination).

Scope

This standard applies to organizations and teams producing information for users of software and systems that are being developed using agile methodologies. It addresses the lifecycle of information for users (not limited to a single development phase), the relationship between information development and the product development lifecycle, and the processes and roles needed to plan and manage information-development activities in an agile context. It is method-agnostic and intended for information developers, project managers, development teams, acquirers and suppliers working with agile approaches.

Key topics and requirements

• Overall requirements for information development in agile software development (principles and process alignment).
• Requirements for the information-development lead or project manager: planning, resourcing, risk and change management for information activities in sprints and iterations.
• Design and development requirements for information for users: content planning, structuring, task-based and role-based information, modular content and reuse.
• Integration of information work with agile artifacts and practices: user stories, backlogs, acceptance criteria, sprint planning and reviews.
• Information management requirements: versioning, baselines, configuration management and release coordination with product releases.
• Requirements for quality assurance of information: review, testing, usability considerations and traceability to product features.
• Considerations for translation, localization and internationalization in iterative delivery.
• Guidance on roles, collaboration, and cross-functional participation of information developers within agile teams.
• Annex with examples of agile practices and how information activities map to them (informative).

Typical use and users

Primary users are information developers (technical writers, content strategists), documentation/project leads and managers, product owners, agile team leads and development managers. The standard is used by organizations adopting or operating agile development to integrate documentation and content work into iterative workflows, to define responsibilities and processes for information delivery, and to establish consistent, auditable practices for content quality, localization and release coordination. It is also useful for buyers and suppliers of information-development services working in agile contracts.

Related standards

Part of the ISO/IEC/IEEE suite addressing information for users and software lifecycle processes. Relevant related standards include ISO/IEC/IEEE 26511 (requirements for managers of information for users), ISO/IEC/IEEE 26512 (requirements for acquirers and suppliers of user documentation), ISO/IEC/IEEE 26513 (requirements for testers and reviewers of information for users), ISO/IEC/IEEE 26514 (design and development of information for users) and the software lifecycle process standard ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207. These documents complement 26515 by covering management, acquisition, testing/review and product-structure topics.

Keywords

agile documentation, information for users, user documentation, information development, content strategy, information management, sprints, backlogs, user stories, technical writing, localization, documentation planning, information lifecycle, information-development lead.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO/IEC/IEEE 26515:2018 is an international standard that defines requirements and guidance for developing information for users (user documentation) when software and systems are developed using agile methods. It focuses on processes, roles and integration of documentation activities into agile projects.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers overall information-requirement principles for agile development, planning and management responsibilities for information-development leads, design and development requirements for user information, quality assurance and review of information, configuration and release coordination, and practical mapping of information tasks to common agile practices (Annex A).

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Information developers (technical writers and content strategists), documentation/project managers, agile product owners, development team members involved in content, QA/testers of documentation, and acquiring or supplying organizations that need to integrate documentation work with agile product development.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2018 edition (Edition 2) published 20 December 2018 supersedes the earlier 2011 edition. As of its publication it is the current edition; organizations should check their national or organizational standards catalogs for any later revisions or confirmations.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes. 26515 is part of a family of standards addressing information for users (including 26511, 26512, 26513 and 26514) and aligns with broader software and systems engineering lifecycle standards such as ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Agile documentation, information for users, user documentation, content strategy, information management, sprints, backlogs, user stories, technical writing, localization.