Manage selected interfaces.

Managing interfaces includes the maintenance of the consistency of the interfaces throughout the life of the product and the resolution of conflict, noncompliance, and change issues. In a system of systems environment, the management of interfaces between products or services acquired from suppliers and other systems within the system of systems is critical for success of the project.

Refer to the Acquisition Requirements Development process area for more information about establishing and maintaining interface requirements.

Refer to the Requirements Management process area for more information about managing changes to interface requirements.

Refer to the Configuration Management process area for more information about managing changes to interface descriptions (i.e., specifications) as configuration items so that stakeholders can be made aware of the current state of the interfaces.

Interface changes are documented, maintained, and readily accessible.

Typical Work Products

1.    Table of relationships among the supplier’s product or service and the external environment

2.    Updated interface description or agreement

Typical Supplier Deliverables

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

2.    Reports from interface control working group meetings

3.    Action items for updating interfaces

4.    Application program interface (API)

Subpractices

1.    Review and analyze selected interface definitions and designs.

2.    Confirm that interface descriptions adhere to allocated requirements.

3.    Confirm the compatibility of selected interfaces throughout the life of the product or service.

Confirm that interface descriptions adhere to applicable standards, criteria, and interface requirements between the supplier’s product and acquirer’s intended environment.

4.    Verify that interfaces have been sufficiently tested by the supplier

5.    Verify that issues identified during testing have been resolved appropriately, with product revisions, if necessary.

6.    Resolve conflict, noncompliance, and change issues for the selected interfaces.

7.    Periodically review the adequacy of interface descriptions.

Once established, interface descriptions must be periodically reviewed to ensure there is no deviation between existing descriptions and the products being developed, processed, produced, or bought.

The interface descriptions should be reviewed with relevant stakeholders to avoid misinterpretations, reduce delays, and prevent the development of interfaces that do not work properly.