INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook, 5th Edition

APPENDIX C: TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Note: Terms that carry meanings consistent with general dictionary definitions are not included in this glossary. Sources of definitions are as indicated. Other related terms can be found in ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 (2017) and SEVOCAB (2023). Definitions of the typical inputs and outputs on the IPO diagrams can be found in Appendix E.

Term	Definition
Ability	A term used in human resource management denoting an acquired or natural capacity or talent that enables an individual to perform a particular task successfully. (INCOSE SECF)
Acquirer	The stakeholder that acquires or procures a product or service from a supplier. (ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, 2023)
Activity	A set of cohesive tasks of a process. (ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, 2023)
Agile systems-engineering	An SE process using agile approach.
Agile-systems engineering	An engineering process producing agile systems.
Agreement	The mutual acknowledgment of terms and conditions under which a working relationship is conducted. (ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, 2023)
Architect	See System architect.
Architecture	See System architecture.
Artifact	Work product that is produced and used during a project to capture and convey information. (ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, 2023)
Attribute	An attribute of a system (or system element) is an observable characteristic or property of the system (or system element).
Baseline	An agreed‐to description of the attributes of a product at a point in time, which serves as a basis for ...