TS ISO/IEC 90003

TS ISO/IEC 90003 provides guidance for applying an ISO 9001-based quality management system to software products and software services. Its focus is the adaptation of general quality management principles to the acquisition, supply, development, operation, and maintenance of computer software, taking into account that software is intangible, changeable, and managed through controlled versions and lifecycle activities.

How it fits the software lifecycle

In practice, a guidance standard of this kind helps organizations translate the process approach of ISO 9001 into software work. In software engineering, quality control depends heavily on requirements management, traceability of design and code outputs, verification and validation activities, configuration management, change control, versioning, and maintenance. ISO/IEC 90003 is a reference for interpreting ISO 9001 in that context; it is not itself a product specification or a document of technical performance limits.

Context and terminology

• Computer software is not a physical item, so quality management must address repeatability, modification, deployment, and operation across different environments.
• Acquisition, supply, development, operation, and maintenance involve different quality risks and need to be considered across the full lifecycle.
• As a guidance document, it focuses on application rather than defining product characteristics or numeric acceptance limits.
• Version control, configuration management, and change management are core concepts closely associated with software quality and with the subject of this standard.