Manage internal and external interface definitions, designs, and changes for products and product components.

Interface requirements drive the development of the interfaces necessary to integrate product components. Managing product and product component interfaces starts early in the development of the product. The definitions and designs for interfaces affect not only the product components and external systems, but can also affect the verification and validation environments.

Refer to the Requirements Development process area for more information about identifying interface requirements.

Refer to the Technical Solution process area for more information about designing interfaces using criteria.

Refer to the Configuration Management process area for more information about establishing and maintaining the integrity of work products using configuration identification, configuration control, configuration status accounting, and configuration audits.

Refer to the Manage Requirements Changes specific practice in the Requirements Management process area for more information about managing the changes to the interface requirements.

Management of the interfaces includes maintenance of the consistency of the interfaces throughout the life of the product, compliance with architectural decisions and constraints, and resolution of conflict, noncompliance, and change issues. The management of interfaces between products acquired from suppliers and other products or product components is critical for success of the project.

Refer to the Supplier Agreement Management process area for more information about managing the acquisition of products and services from suppliers.

The interfaces should include, in addition to product component interfaces, all the interfaces with the environment as well as other environments for verification, validation, operations, and support.

The interface changes are documented, maintained, and readily accessible.

Example Work Products

1.    Table of relationships among the product components and the external environment (e.g., main power supply, fastening product, computer bus system)

2.    Table of relationships among the different product components

3.    List of agreed-to interfaces defined for each pair of product components, when applicable

4.    Reports from the interface control working group meetings

5.    Action items for updating interfaces

6.    Application program interface (API)

7.    Updated interface description or agreement

Subpractices

1.    Ensure the compatibility of the interfaces throughout the life of the product.

2.    Resolve conflict, noncompliance, and change issues.

3.    Maintain a repository for interface data accessible to project participants.

A common accessible repository for interface data provides a mechanism to ensure that everyone knows where the current interface data reside and can access them for use.