Agile-INCOSE V Cycle Process Framework

Integrating Agile flexibility with INCOSE Systems Engineering rigor

Introduction & Philosophy

This document outlines a hybrid software development process that integrates the iterative, customer-centric principles of Agile with the thorough, system-level rigor of the INCOSE Systems Engineering “V” Cycle. The goal is to achieve both rapid value delivery and high reliability, ensuring that the software not only works correctly but also fulfills all system-level requirements and constraints.

Core Principle: We will execute the left side of the “V” (Definition) iteratively using Agile Sprints, and the right side of the “V” (Verification & Validation) continuously and at milestone points.

Key Departments / Roles

For this process, we define the following primary roles/departments:

Product Management / Business Analysis: Defines the “What” and “Why.”
Systems Engineering / Architecture: Defines the “How” at the system level.
Software Development (Agile Teams): Builds the product iteratively.
Quality Assurance (QA) & Testing: Verifies and validates the product.
Operations / DevOps: Manages deployment, infrastructure, and monitoring.

The Integrated Process: V-Cycle Visualization

Concept & Stakeholder Needs

System Requirements Definition

Architecture & Design

Software Implementation

Component & Unit Verification

Integration & System Verification

System Validation

Deployment & Operations

Process Phases: Inputs and Outputs

Concept & Stakeholder Needs

Product Management

Inputs:

Market Analysis

Customer Feedback

Business Goals

Regulatory Constraints

Outputs:

Stakeholder Requirements Document (SRD)

Concept of Operations (ConOps)

System Requirements Definition

Systems Engineering

Inputs:

Stakeholder Requirements Document (SRD)

Concept of Operations (ConOps)

Outputs:

System Requirements Specification (SyRS)

Initial Risk Register

Architecture & Design

Systems Engineering

Inputs:

System Requirements Specification (SyRS)

Outputs:

System Architecture Document (SAD)

Interface Control Documents (ICDs)

Updated Risk Register

Software Implementation

Software Development

Inputs:

User Stories (from SyRS)

System Architecture Document (SAD)

Definition of Ready (DoR)

Outputs:

Working, Tested Software Increment

Source Code & Version Control Commits

Unit/Component Tests

Updated System Documentation

Component & Unit Verification

Software Development

Inputs:

Source Code

Unit/Component Test Cases

Outputs:

Automated Test Results

Code Quality Metrics

Verified Code ready for integration

Integration & System Verification

QA & Testing

Inputs:

Working Software Increment

System Requirements Specification (SyRS)

System Test Plan

Outputs:

System Verification Report

Defect/Bug Reports

Test Automation Scripts

System Validation

QA & Testing

Inputs:

Verified System

Stakeholder Requirements Document (SRD)

Concept of Operations (ConOps)

Validation Test Plan

Outputs:

System Validation Report

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Sign-off

Deployment & Operations

Operations / DevOps

Inputs:

Validated Software Package

Deployment Runbook

Monitoring Specifications

Outputs:

Deployed System in Production

Operational Monitoring & Logging

Incident Reports (if any)

Detailed Role Responsibilities & Deliverables

Product Management / Business Analysis

Elicit and prioritize stakeholder needs
Create and maintain the Product Roadmap
Own and prioritize the Product Backlog
Define acceptance criteria for user stories
Represent the customer’s voice

Key Deliverables:

Stakeholder Requirements Document (SRD)

Concept of Operations (ConOps)

Prioritized Product Backlog

Release Plan

Systems Engineering / Architecture

Translate needs into precise requirements
Design the system architecture
Manage technical risks and interfaces
Support development teams
Ensure design traces back to requirements

Key Deliverables:

System Requirements Specification (SyRS)

System Architecture Document (SAD)

Interface Control Documents (ICDs)

Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)

Software Development (Agile Teams)

Deliver shippable increment each sprint
Design, code, test, and document software
Participate in Agile ceremonies
Refine backlog with technical input
Maintain high code quality standards

Key Deliverables:

Working Software Increment

Source Code

Unit and Integration Tests

Technical Documentation

Quality Assurance (QA) & Testing

Develop test plans and cases
Execute system-level verification tests
Facilitate User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
Report defects and work with developers
Automate tests wherever possible

Key Deliverables:

Test Plans (System, UAT)

Test Cases & Automation Scripts

Verification & Validation Reports

Defect Reports

Operations / DevOps

Manage the CI/CD pipeline
Provision and maintain environments
Execute and automate deployment
Monitor system health and performance
Manage incident response

Key Deliverables:

CI/CD Pipeline

Deployment Runbooks

Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) scripts

System Monitoring Dashboards

Traceability: The Golden Thread

A critical success factor is maintaining traceability. Changes in stakeholder needs must be traceable through requirements, design, code, and tests. This is managed primarily through a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) maintained by Systems Engineering, which links:

Stakeholder Need → System Requirement → Architectural Component → Software User Story → Verification Test Case → Validation Test Result

This ensures that every piece of functionality can be justified and validated against an original need, a core tenet of both INCOSE and high-maturity Agile.