In 1994 the SAE G-11 Reliability, Maintainability, Supportability, and Logistics (RMSL) Division chartered a software committee, G-11SW, to create several software standards and guidance documents across the RMSL spectrum, including a software supportability program standard. The committee was formed as a cross section of international representatives from commercial industries and governments. The G-11SW committee has attempted to develop a standard that is consistent with a SAE G-11 system level supportability program standard and augmented by necessary software-specific support information. The G-11SW committee believes this document reflects the best current commercial practices, and meets the objectives of the United States Department of Defense Acquisition Reform initiative. This document is performance based and is intended to be used by industries to address market demands for supportable software products that facilitate system evolution, time to market, and implementation of cost-effective functionality. As appropriate, governments may also reference this document. Software has been recognized by SAE G-11 as an important system component that is not adequately addressed at the system level. Software requires interpretation and variations on RMSL methods used by hardware. This document relies on the simple concept of supplier-customer dialogue and partnership to define, meet, and demonstrate assurance of software product supportability requirements. This document describes, within a Plan- Case framework, what performance requirements are necessary. An accompanying implementation guide (SAE JA1005) sets forth current best practices for how to structure the Plan in terms of activities, tasks, and methods so as to achieve the requirements of this document and provide demonstration evidence of supportability achievement in the form of a Case. Development of this document and the accompanying implementation guide, as well as other supporting information reports, has required dedication by a few participants and extended review by a wider audience of potential users. The professionalism of all these individuals and the support they received from their companies, governments, and other organizations is gratefully acknowledged. Abstract-This SAE Standard defines recommended practices for the achievement of suitable supportability and through-life support arrangements for software within an overall systems engineering framework. The Software Supportability Plan (goals to achieve) and the Software Supportability Case (demonstration of achievement) are presented as the basis for program management. This document is applicable to all projects incorporating software, and aims to meet the needs of end-users and of organizations that acquire, develop, or provide postdelivery support for software.
