W3C

QA Framework: Operational Examples & Techniques

W3C Note 05 November 2002

This version:
http://www.w3.org/QA/WG/2002/11/qaframe-spec-extech-20021108
Latest version:
http://www.w3.org/QA/WG/qaframe-spec-extech
Previous version:
N/A
Editors:
Karl Dubost (karl@w3.org)
Lofton Henderson (lofton@rockynet.com)
Lynne Rosenthal (lsr@nist.gov)

Copyright ©2002 W3C ¨ (MIT, INRIA, Keio), All Rights Reserved. W3C liability, trademark, document use and software licensing rules apply.

Abstract

This document is part of the of the Quality Assurance (QA) Activity. It presents examples and describes the techniques of producing specifications (Technical Reports) that are clearer, more implementable, and better testable. It complements QA Framework: Specification Guidelines [QAF-SPEC], illustrating how specification authors and Working Groups might meet the specification guidelines and checkpoints of that document.

Status of this document

This is placeholder. The posting of the first public version is pending. Please check back, at the "Latest Version" location, on or after 20021128.

Table of contents

Introduction

This is a placeholder, pending the posting of the first public version of SpecET.

Examples and Techniques

Guideline 1. Define Scope.

Checkpoint 1.1Define the scope of the specification.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 1.2Provide User Scenarios.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 1.3Provide examples.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 1.4Provide an example for each formal description.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 2. Identify what needs to conform and how.

Checkpoint 2.1Identify all classes of product.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 2.2For each class of product, define the conformance requirements.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 2.3Identify which of the categories of object are specified in the document as a whole.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 3. Specify conformance policy.

Checkpoint 3.1Specify any universal requirements for minimum functionality.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 3.2Identify strict conformance requirements.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 3.3Distinguish requirements from product-specific extra features[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 3.4If special conformance terms are used, include a definition in the specification.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 4. Address the use of profiles to divide the technology.

Checkpoint 4.1Indicate whether or not the use of profiles is mandatory for conformance.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 4.2If profiles are chosen, define any minimal requirements.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 4.3If profiles are chosen, define their relationships and interaction with other dimensions of variability.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 4.4If profiles are chosen, address rules for profiles.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 5. Address the use of modules to divide the technology.

Checkpoint 5.1If modules are chosen, indicate any mandatory conditions or constraints on their usage.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 5.2If modules are chosen, define their relationships and interaction with other dimensions of variability.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 6. Address the use of functional levels to divide the technology.

Checkpoint 6.1If levels are used, define their relationships and interaction with other dimensions of variability.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 7. Identify the relation between deprecated features and conformance.

Checkpoint 7.1Identify each deprecated feature.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 7.2For each class of product, specify the degree of support required for each deprecated feature and the conformance consequences of the deprecation.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 7.3Include an explanation for the deprecation.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 7.4Include examples to illustrate how to avoid using deprecated features.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 8. Define discretionary items.

Checkpoint 8.1State the circumstances for when discretionary items are allowed[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 8.2For implementation dependencies, address the allowable differences between implementations [Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 8.3Indicate any constraints on the number of choices/options that can be implemented[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 8.4Promote consistent handling of discretionary choices.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 9. Allow extensions or NOT!

Checkpoint 9.1Indicate if extensions are disallowed[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 9.2Indicate if extensions are allowed.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 9.3 Prevent extensions from contradicting the specification.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 9.4Use a standard mechanism to define the extension.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 9.5Require that extensions be published.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 9.6Require implementations to include a way to "turn off" extensions.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 10. Provide a conformance clause.

Checkpoint 10.1Include a conformance clause.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 10.2Include a conformance section.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 10.3Make normative reference to specifications on which the current specification depends[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 11. Specify how to make conformance claims.

Checkpoint 11.1Identify and define all conformance designations.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 11.2Provide specific wording of the claim.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 11.3Provide a conformance disclaimer.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 11.4Impose no restrictions about who can make a claim or where claims can be published.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 12. Publish an Implementation Conformance Statement proforma.

Checkpoint 12.1Provide an Implementation Conformance Statement proforma.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 12.2Require the ICS be completed as part of the conformance claim.[Priority 3]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 13. Support general document conformance conventions.

Checkpoint 13.1Use conformance key words.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 13.2Distinguish normative and informative text.[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 13.3Use consistent terminology.[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 13.4Provide a fast way to find conformance information[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Guideline 14. Provide test assertions.

Checkpoint 14.1Provide test assertions[Priority 1]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Checkpoint 14.2Provide a mapping between the specification and the test assertions list[Priority 2]

(Under construction, please check back on or after 20021128.)

Conformance

There is no concept of conformance to this document. Rather, conformance is measured relative to the checkpoints of the companion document, QA Framework: Specification Guidelines[QAF-SPEC]. This document relates real-world examples to the checkpoints' requirements, and also presents techniques by which the checkpoints may be satisfied. In that sense, it defines conformance criteria for the conformance requirements (checkpoints) of the operational guidelines document.

Acknowledgments

The following QA Working Group and Interest Group participants have contributed significantly to the content of this document:

References

DOM-TS-PROC
DOM TS Process Document, D. Dimitriadis, Ed., 15 January 2002, available at http://www.w3.org/DOM/DOMTS-Process.
PROCESS
World Wide Web Consortium Process Document, I. Jacobs, Ed., 19 July 2001, available at http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process-20010719/.
QAF-OPS
QA Framework: Operational Guidelines, K. Gavrylyuk, D. Dimitriadis, L. Henderson, L. Rosenthal, Eds., W3C Working Draft, May 2002, companion version to this document, available at [...].
QAF-SPEC
QA Framework: Specification Guidelines, L. Rosenthal, D. Dimitriadis, L. Henderson, K. Gavrylyuk, Eds., W3C Working Draft, May 2002, Working Draft companion version to this document, available at [...].
SVG-MAN
SVG Conformance Test Suite -- Test Builder's Manual, L. Henderson, 1 October 2001, available at http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/Test/svgTest-manual.htm.
QAIG
Quality Assurance Interest Group of the W3C QA Activity, which may be found at http://www.w3.org/QA/IG/.
QAWG
Quality Assurance Working Group of the W3C QA Activity, which may be found at http://www.w3.org/QA/WG/.
W3C-TR
Location of all published W3C technical reports, see http://www.w3.org/TR/.

Change history

2002-11-08, first posted placeholder