1. Requirements

3.5.4 The project shall complete and deliver the software product to the customer with appropriate documentation to support the operations and maintenance phase of the software's life cycle.

1.1 Notes">1.1 Notes

Delivery includes, as applicable, Software User's Manual (as defined in Chapter 5), source files, executable software, procedures for creating executable software, procedures for modifying the software, and a Software Version Description. Open source software licenses are reviewed by the Center's Chief of Patent/Intellectual Property Counsel before being accepted into software development projects. Other documentation considered for delivery includes:

a. Summary and status of all accepted Change Requests to the baselined Software Requirements Specifications.
b. Summary and status of all major software capability changes since baselining of the Software Design Documents.
c. Summary and status of all major software tests (including development, verification, and performance testing).
d. Summary and status of all Problem Reports written against the software.
e. Summary and status of all software requirements deviations and waivers.
f. Summary and status of all software user notes.
g. Summary and status of all quality measures historically and for this software.
h. Definition of open work, if any.
i. Software configuration records defining the verified and validated software, including requirements verification data (e.g., requirements verification matrix).
j. Final version of the software documentation, including the final Software Version Description document(s).
k. Summary and status of any open software-related risks.

1.2 Applicability Across Classes

Key:    A_SC = Class A Software, Safety-Critical | A_NSC = Class A Software, Not Safety-Critical | ... | - Applicable | - Not Applicable
^X - Applicable with details, read above for more | P(C) - P(Center), follow center requirements or procedures

2. Rationale

The ultimate goal of software development is to provide a product to the customer. To ensure proper understanding, use and maintenance of the delivered product, it is necessary that documentation accompany that delivery.

3. Guidance

Typical contents of a software delivery package for a completed software project include executables (the product), a user's manual, and a version description document that describes the delivered product. Other items listed in the note for this NPR 7150.2 requirement may also be part of the delivery package as appropriate for the project and its software classification ([SWE-020]). It is important, however, to keep in mind that the note which accompanies the requirement is only additional information and is not part of the requirement.

In addition to the items listed in this requirement, consider the following items for the software delivery package:

• Certifications¹
• Software safety plan²
• Hazard analyses²
• Safety-critical software development audit reports²
• Safety-related verification reports²
• Installation instructions, including description of hardware environment³
• Operational constraints, including environmental limitations³
• Configuration files³
• Project documentation (e.g., software development/management plan (SDP/SMP), assurance plan, software requirements document (SRS), design documents, configuration management plan (CMP), test plan)³
• Testing performed and the results of those tests³
• Training manuals4, training agreement⁵
• Maintenance/service/support agreement, processes, procedures⁵

Both the delivered software and the delivered documentation are generated/pulled from the project's configuration management system ([SWE-085]) as a baseline to ensure the latest versions are delivered to the customer.

It is important to perform an audit prior to delivery to ensure that "all delivered products are complete, contain the proper versions, and that all discrepancies, open work, and deviations and waivers are properly documented and approved."¹

Delivery package contents from a contracted software provider needs to be fully described in the contract to ensure the acquirer receives all critical information required to operate and maintain the software. Other contract considerations related to delivery include:

• Ownership and delivery of source code
• Usage considerations for off-the-shelf (OTS) software
• Delivery format, security⁶ and method for all deliverables
• Acceptance criteria ([SWE-034])

See the Acquisition Guidance topic in this handbook for additional guidance regarding delivery for contracted software development.

Additionally, guidance related to delivery of software products may be found in the following requirements in this handbook:

4. Small Projects

No additional guidance is available for small projects. The community of practice is encouraged to submit guidance candidates for this paragraph.

5. Resources

1. NASA Technical Standard, NASA Software Assurance Standard, NASA-STD-8739.8, 2004.
2. NASA Technical Standard, "NASA Software Safety Standard", NASA-STD-8719.13B, 2004.
3. NASA Technical Standard, "NASA Software Safety Guidebook", NASA-GB-8719.13, 2004.
4. NASA Procedural Requirement, "NASA Systems Engineering Processes and Requirements w/ Change 1", NPR 7123.1A, 2009.
5. "Systems and software engineering - Software life cycle processes", ISO/IEC 12207, IEEE Std 12207-2008, 2008. This link requires an account on the NASA START (AGCY NTSS) system (http://standards.nasa.gov). Once logged in, users can access Standards Organizations, IEEE and then search to get to authorized copies of IEEE standards.
6. NASA Scientific and Technical Information (STI), NASA Center for AeroSpace Information, "NASA Systems Engineering Handbook", NASA/SP-2007-6105, Rev1, 2007.
7. Software Engineering Institute, "CMMI for Development, Version 1.3", CMU/SEI-2010-TR-033, 2010 (particularly the Product Integration (PI) section).
8. Flight and Ground Software Division, MSFC, "Software Development Process Description Document", EI32-OI-001, Revision R, 2010 .

5.1 Tools

Tools to aid in compliance with this SWE, if any, may be found in the Tools Library in the NASA Engineering Network (NEN).

NASA users find this in the Tools Library in the Software Processes Across NASA (SPAN) site of the Software Engineering Community in NEN.

The list is informational only and does not represent an “approved tool list”, nor does it represent an endorsement of any particular tool. The purpose is to provide examples of tools being used across the Agency and to help projects and centers decide what tools to consider.

6. Lessons Learned

The NASA Lesson Learned database contains the following lessons learned related to delivery of software products:

• Provide Detailed WBS for Flight Software in the RFP, Lesson Number: 0911 "This organizational segregation of flight software from the spacecraft subsystems leads to a "lack of ownership" of the subsystem flight software by the Subsystem Manager. Typically, the Subsystem Manager is only concerned that he finalize his requirements and design prior to Spacecraft CDR. This in turn leads to late delivery of flight software ICDs, requirements, design algorithms, data constants, and test cases from the subsystem to the Flight Software Manager." (http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/llis/0911.html)

• Firmware Documentation: "NASA should ensure that all firmware code, ..., is properly documented and archived for future reference. Further, NASA should ensure that it retains the rights to such software... Direction to deliver copies of the documentation (requirement, design, test, etc.) of the firmware controller software prepared as part of their software development process is being given to each vendor." (http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/llis/1024.html)