Glossary

Acronyms and abbreviations used in Holarch, its Help and these Docs, with what each stands for. In the app and on this site, a dotted underline marks an acronym: point at it, tap it or move to it with Tab to see its meaning.

A

ADCS

Attitude Determination and Control System. The spacecraft subsystem that senses and controls which way the spacecraft points.

AI

Artificial Intelligence. Software that generates or analyzes text. In Holarch, AI features send your request to the provider you choose and preview every change.

API

Application Programming Interface. A defined way for programs to talk to each other. AI providers offer an API that is used with an API key.

APP-6

Allied Procedural Publication 6, NATO Joint Military Symbology. The NATO standard for military map symbols. It closely matches MIL-STD-2525.

AV

All Viewpoint. DoDAF viewpoint with the context of the whole architecture: scope, purpose and the shared vocabulary.

AV-1

Overview and Summary Information. DoDAF All Viewpoint product: executive summary of the architecture effort: purpose, scope, goals, plans, timeframe and findings.

AV-2

Integrated Dictionary. DoDAF All Viewpoint product: glossary of every term, element and abbreviation used across the architecture, with its meaning.

B

BDD

Block Definition Diagram. A SysML diagram that defines blocks, their properties and how they relate, such as composition and generalization.

BYOK

Bring Your Own Key. Use AI features with an API key from your own account with an AI provider.

C

C&DH

Command and Data Handling. The spacecraft subsystem that runs the flight computer, handles commands and stores and routes data.

CBE

Current Best Estimate. The present best estimate of a budget value, such as mass or power, before contingency is added.

CDR

Critical Design Review. A milestone review that confirms the detailed design is complete and ready to build and test.

CLI

Command-Line Interface. A program that runs in a terminal window and is controlled with typed commands.

ConOps (also CONOPS)

Concept of Operations. A description, in user terms, of how a system will be used in its environment: who uses it, when and for what.

CSV

Comma-Separated Values. A plain-text table format: one row per line, cells separated by commas. Opens in any spreadsheet.

CUI

Controlled Unclassified Information. US government information that is not classified but must be protected or controlled by law, regulation or policy.

CV

Capability Viewpoint. DoDAF viewpoint that describes capabilities, how they break down, and when they are delivered.

CV-1

Vision. DoDAF Capability Viewpoint product: the strategic vision and goals that frame a set of capabilities, and the outcomes they are meant to achieve.

CV-2

Capability Taxonomy. DoDAF Capability Viewpoint product: hierarchy of capabilities from broad to specific, optionally tagged with the period in which each is needed.

CV-3

Capability Phasing. DoDAF Capability Viewpoint product: when each capability is expected to be delivered, laid out across planned increments or phases.

CV-4

Capability Dependencies. DoDAF Capability Viewpoint product: which capabilities rely on which others, and how capabilities are grouped logically.

CV-5

Capability to Organizational Development Mapping. DoDAF Capability Viewpoint product: which organizations field or develop each capability during a given phase.

CV-6

Capability to Operational Activities Mapping. DoDAF Capability Viewpoint product: which operational activities each capability supports.

CV-7

Capability to Services Mapping. DoDAF Capability Viewpoint product: which services help realize each capability.

D

DES

Discrete-Event Simulation. A simulation that steps from event to event (an action starts, a resource frees up) instead of in fixed time steps.

DIV

Data and Information Viewpoint. DoDAF viewpoint that describes data concepts and structures, from conceptual to physical.

DIV-1

Conceptual Data Model. DoDAF Data and Information Viewpoint product: business-level information concepts and how they relate, without implementation detail.

DIV-2

Logical Data Model. DoDAF Data and Information Viewpoint product: data entities, attributes and relationships needed by the business, independent of technology (OV-7 in DoDAF 1.5).

DIV-3

Physical Data Model. DoDAF Data and Information Viewpoint product: implementation-level data structures such as schemas, file layouts and message formats (SV-11 in DoDAF 1.5).

DM2

DoDAF Meta-Model. The data model behind DoDAF that defines its concepts and how they relate.

DOCX

Word document. The file format of Microsoft Word documents.

DoD

Department of Defense. The US Department of Defense.

DoDAF

Department of Defense Architecture Framework. The US DoD framework for describing architectures as a set of viewpoints and products, such as OV-1 and SV-1.

E

EAR

Export Administration Regulations. US rules that control the export of commercial and dual-use items and technology.

EFFBD

Enhanced Functional Flow Block Diagram. An FFBD that also shows the inputs and outputs passed between functions.

En-Pm

Environment Parameters. UAF viewpoint for the environments and conditions that the architecture must cope with.

EPS

Electrical Power System. The subsystem that generates, stores and distributes electrical power, such as solar arrays and batteries.

F

FedRAMP

Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program. The US government program that authorizes cloud services for use by federal agencies.

FERPA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. A US law that protects the privacy of student education records.

FFBD

Functional Flow Block Diagram. A diagram of functions in the order they run, with branches, loops and parallel paths.

FMECA

Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis. A method that lists how each part can fail, what each failure causes and how severe and likely it is.

FOUO

For Official Use Only. An older US marking for unclassified information that is not for public release. Treated as CUI today.

G

GDPR

General Data Protection Regulation. The European Union law on the protection and privacy of personal data.

GIF

Graphics Interchange Format. An older image format with a limited palette; it supports simple animation.

H

HTML

HyperText Markup Language. The markup language of web pages.

I

IBD

Internal Block Diagram. A SysML diagram of the parts inside a block and the connections between them.

ICD

Interface Control Document. The agreed definition of an interface between two systems: what crosses it, how, and who owns it. Holarch also has an Interface Control Diagram.

ICOM

Inputs, Controls, Outputs, Mechanisms. The four kinds of arrows on an IDEF0 box, each entering or leaving on its own side.

IDEF0

Integration Definition for Function Modeling. A function-modeling method: each box is a function, with inputs, controls, outputs and mechanisms on fixed sides.

INCOSE

International Council on Systems Engineering. The professional society for systems engineering. It publishes the Systems Engineering Handbook.

IRS

Interface Requirements Specification. A document of the requirements an interface must meet, written before the interface is designed.

ISO

International Organization for Standardization. The international body that publishes standards, such as ISO 8601 dates.

ITAR

International Traffic in Arms Regulations. US rules that control the export of defense articles, services and related technical data.

IV&V

Independent Verification and Validation. Verification and validation done by an organization that is independent of the developer.

I² (also I2)

I-squared. An N²-style chart for physical structure: assets on the diagonal and the conduits that connect them in the cells.

J

JPG (also JPEG)

Joint Photographic Experts Group. A compressed image format, suited to photographs.

JSON

JavaScript Object Notation. A plain-text data format of named values and lists. Holarch project exports are JSON files.

K

KPP

Key Performance Parameter. A performance attribute so critical that failing its threshold can put the whole program in question.

L

LML

Lifecycle Modeling Language. An open modeling language with a small set of classes and relationships that covers a system's whole lifecycle. Holarch models are LML models.

LVDS

Low-Voltage Differential Signaling. A fast, low-power way to send digital data over a pair of wires.

M

MBSE

Model-Based Systems Engineering. Systems engineering that keeps requirements, behavior, structure and tests in one connected model instead of separate documents.

Me-Pm

Measurement Parameters. UAF viewpoint for the quantities and units used to measure elements of the architecture.

MIL-STD-2525 (also MIL-STD-2525D)

US military standard 2525, Joint Military Symbology. The US standard for military map symbols: frames, colors and icons that show what a unit or platform is and its affiliation.

MIL-STD-882E

US military standard 882E, System Safety. The US standard practice for system safety, with a matrix of hazard severity against probability.

MOE

Measure of Effectiveness. A measure of how well a system meets the mission need, from the user's point of view.

MOP

Measure of Performance. A measure of a technical characteristic of a system that contributes to a measure of effectiveness.

N

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The North Atlantic military alliance.

N² (also N2)

N-squared. A square chart with elements on the diagonal and what passes between them in the off-diagonal cells. Used to find and check interfaces.

O

OMG

Object Management Group. The standards body that maintains UML, SysML, UAF and XMI.

OV

Operational Viewpoint. DoDAF viewpoint that describes the mission: operational activities, performers and what they exchange.

OV-1

High-Level Operational Concept Graphic. DoDAF Operational Viewpoint product: a picture-plus-narrative overview of the mission, its main players and how they interact.

OV-2

Operational Resource Flow Description. DoDAF Operational Viewpoint product: operational nodes or performers and the flows of resources that pass between them.

OV-3

Operational Resource Flow Matrix. DoDAF Operational Viewpoint product: table of operational resource exchanges: what is exchanged, between whom, and its key characteristics.

OV-4

Organizational Relationships Chart. DoDAF Operational Viewpoint product: organizations, roles and the command, coordination or reporting relationships among them.

OV-5

Operational Activity Model. DoDAF Operational Viewpoint product family: operational activities as a decomposition tree (OV-5a) and as a flow model (OV-5b).

OV-5a

Operational Activity Decomposition Tree. DoDAF Operational Viewpoint product: operational activities arranged as a parent/child breakdown.

OV-5b

Operational Activity Model. Operational activities with the inputs, outputs and controls that link them; can be annotated with cost, performers or other attributes.

OV-6a

Operational Rules Model. DoDAF Operational Viewpoint product: the business rules that constrain operations.

OV-6b

State Transition Description. DoDAF Operational Viewpoint product: how an operational element changes state in response to events.

OV-6c

Event-Trace Description. DoDAF Operational Viewpoint product: time-ordered sequence of exchanges among operational performers for a given scenario.

P

PDF

Portable Document Format. A fixed-layout document format that looks the same on every device and printer.

PDR

Preliminary Design Review. A milestone review that confirms the preliminary design meets the requirements and is ready for detailed design.

PES

Physical Exchange Specification. The XML format DoDAF defines for exchanging architecture data based on DM2.

PNG

Portable Network Graphics. A lossless image format, suited to screenshots and diagrams.

PPTX

PowerPoint presentation. The file format of Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.

PV

Project Viewpoint. DoDAF viewpoint that describes projects, their timelines and the capabilities they deliver.

PV-1

Project Portfolio Relationships. DoDAF Project Viewpoint product: how projects and the organizations that run them are grouped and depend on one another within a portfolio.

PV-2

Project Timelines. DoDAF Project Viewpoint product: project or program schedules with milestones and the dependencies between them.

PV-3

Project to Capability Mapping. DoDAF Project Viewpoint product: which projects contribute to which capabilities.

R

ReqIF

Requirements Interchange Format. An OMG XML standard for exchanging requirements, with their attributes and links, between tools.

Rk-Pm

Risk Parameters. UAF viewpoint for risks with their probability, impact and related measures.

RPA

Remotely Piloted Aircraft. An aircraft flown by a pilot from a remote station.

RSM

Requirements Satisfaction Matrix. A report of requirements and the design items that satisfy them.

RTM

Requirements Traceability Matrix. A report of requirements and the items they trace to.

RVM

Requirements Verification Matrix. A report of requirements and the items that verify them.

RVTM

Requirements Verification Traceability Matrix. A table of each requirement with how it is verified, the tests that verify it and their latest result.

S

SI

International System of Units. The metric system of units: meter, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, mole and candela, plus derived units.

SIDC

Symbol Identification Code. The code that defines a military symbol in MIL-STD-2525 and APP-6: its affiliation, dimension, function and modifiers.

Sm-Ov

Summary and Overview. UAF viewpoint with a short, high-level synopsis of the architecture for decision makers.

SPI

Serial Peripheral Interface. A simple serial bus that connects a processor to chips and peripherals.

SRR

System Requirements Review. A milestone review that confirms the system requirements are complete and agreed before design starts.

SRS

System Requirements Specification. A document that states the requirements for a system (or software, as Software Requirements Specification).

SSO

Single Sign-On. Signing in once with one account (for example your organization's) to reach several services.

StdV

Standards Viewpoint. DoDAF viewpoint that lists the standards that apply now and those expected later.

StdV-1

Standards Profile. DoDAF Standards Viewpoint product: the standards that currently apply to elements of the solution.

StdV-2

Standards Forecast. DoDAF Standards Viewpoint product: standards expected to emerge or change over time, and how they may affect the solution.

SV

Systems Viewpoint. DoDAF viewpoint that describes systems, their interfaces, functions and resource flows.

SV-1

Systems Interface Description. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: the systems in scope, what they are made of, and the interfaces between them.

SV-10a

Systems Rules Model. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: the rules that constrain how systems are built and operate.

SV-10b

Systems State Transition Description. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: how a system changes state in response to events.

SV-10c

Systems Event-Trace Description. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: time-ordered sequence of interactions among systems for a given scenario.

SV-2

Systems Resource Flow Description. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: the resources that flow between systems.

SV-3

Systems-Systems Matrix. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: matrix showing which systems interface with which, optionally typed by kind of interface or status.

SV-4

Systems Functionality Description. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product family: system functions as a decomposition tree (SV-4a) and as a flow model (SV-4b).

SV-4a

Systems Functionality Decomposition Tree. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: system functions arranged as a parent/child breakdown.

SV-4b

Systems Functionality Model. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: system functions with the inputs and outputs that link them; can be annotated with cost, performance or other attributes.

SV-5

Operational Activity to Systems Traceability. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product family: traceability from system functions (SV-5a) or systems (SV-5b) to operational activities.

SV-5a

Operational Activity to Systems Function Traceability Matrix. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: traceability from system functions back to the operational activities they support.

SV-5b

Operational Activity to Systems Traceability Matrix. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: traceability from systems back to the operational activities or capabilities they support.

SV-6

Systems Resource Flow Matrix. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: table of resources exchanged between systems, with the properties of each exchange.

SV-7

Systems Measures Matrix. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: performance and other measures for systems, for the relevant time periods.

SV-8

Systems Evolution Description. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: planned stages for moving from today’s systems to the target systems.

SV-9

Systems Technology & Skills Forecast. DoDAF Systems Viewpoint product: technologies and skills expected to become available over time that could affect the systems.

SvcV

Services Viewpoint. DoDAF viewpoint that describes services, their resource flows and their functions.

SvcV-1

Services Context Description. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: the services in scope, what they are made of, and how they connect.

SvcV-10a

Services Rules Model. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: the rules that constrain how services are provided.

SvcV-10b

Services State Transition Description. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: how a service changes state in response to events.

SvcV-10c

Services Event-Trace Description. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: time-ordered sequence of interactions among services for a given scenario.

SvcV-2

Services Resource Flow Description. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: the resources that flow between services.

SvcV-3a

Systems-Services Matrix. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: matrix showing which systems interact with which services.

SvcV-3b

Services-Services Matrix. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: matrix showing how services interact with each other, e.g. which consume or orchestrate others.

SvcV-4

Services Functionality Description. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product family: service functions as a decomposition tree (SvcV-4a) and as a flow model (SvcV-4b).

SvcV-4a

Services Functionality Decomposition Tree. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: service functions arranged as a parent/child breakdown.

SvcV-4b

Services Functionality Model. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: service functions with the inputs and outputs that link them; can be annotated with cost, performance or other attributes.

SvcV-5

Operational Activity to Services Traceability Matrix. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: traceability from services back to the operational activities they support.

SvcV-6

Services Resource Flow Matrix. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: table of resources exchanged between services, with the properties of each exchange.

SvcV-7

Services Measures Matrix. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: performance and other measures for services, for the relevant time periods.

SvcV-8

Services Evolution Description. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: planned stages for moving from today’s services to the target set of services.

SvcV-9

Services Technology & Skills Forecast. DoDAF Services Viewpoint product: technologies and skills expected to become available over time that could affect the services.

SVG

Scalable Vector Graphics. A vector image format that stays sharp at any size.

SWOT

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. A planning grid of internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats.

SysML

Systems Modeling Language. A graphical modeling language for systems engineering, based on UML, with block, activity, state machine and parametric diagrams.

T

TBD

To Be Determined. A requirement value or detail that is not known yet. Holarch tracks TBDs with an owner and a due date.

TBR

To Be Reviewed. A requirement value that is filled in but still needs to be confirmed.

TBS

To Be Supplied. A value that another party will provide later. Holarch treats it as an open item, like a TBD.

TPM

Technical Performance Measure. A key technical parameter, such as mass or power, tracked over time against its target and threshold.

TRL

Technology Readiness Level. A 1 to 9 scale of how mature a technology is, from basic principles (1) to proven in operation (9).

TVM

Test Verification Matrix. A report of test cases against the requirements they verify.

U

UAF

Unified Architecture Framework. An OMG architecture framework that organizes views in a grid of viewpoints and aspects. It covers DoDAF and NATO needs.

UAS

Uncrewed Aircraft System. A UAV together with its ground control station and communication links.

UAV

Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle. An aircraft without a pilot on board, flown remotely or autonomously.

UHF

Ultra High Frequency. Radio frequencies from 300 MHz to 3 GHz, often used for spacecraft command links.

UML

Unified Modeling Language. A standard graphical language for modeling software and systems. SysML is built on it.

URL

Uniform Resource Locator. A web address.

UTC

Coordinated Universal Time. The world time standard, with no time zone offset or daylight saving time.

UTF-8

Unicode Transformation Format, 8-bit. The standard text encoding for all languages and symbols.

V

V&V

Verification and Validation. Verification checks the system was built right (meets its requirements); validation checks the right system was built (meets user needs).

VCRM

Verification Cross-Reference Matrix. A table that maps requirements to verification methods (test, analysis, inspection, demonstration) and events.

X

XHTML

Extensible HyperText Markup Language. HTML written with strict XML rules. ReqIF uses it for rich-text requirement content.

XLSX

Excel workbook. The file format of Microsoft Excel workbooks.

XMI

XML Metadata Interchange. An OMG XML format for exchanging UML and SysML models between tools.

XML

Extensible Markup Language. A plain-text format for structured data with nested, named elements.

Z

ZIP

ZIP archive. A file that packs several files into one, compressed.