Taxonomy/supplement/IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology

The IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology lists several hundred terms, each with a short description.

It may be useful as a glossary. If one comes across a term in the literature or in some documentation, there is a fair chance that the IEEE Glossary gives a definition that is not too far away from what the author had in mind.

It is not useful as a standard, however. It is just a long alphabetical list more or less close to the mainstream terminology. It is as inconsistent as mainstream terminology is. But if you have a concept in mind and are in search of the standard term for it, you will have to read some eighty pages sequentially until you find it.

Its use in teaching is limited because it does not provide orientation. It resembles a descriptive dictionary of a natural language rather than a grammar and thesaurus.

Look for example at these three terms in the IEEE Glossary:

• component
• design element
• design entity

What exactly is the difference?

Or look at these:

• description standard
• design
• design description
• design requirement
• development specification
• requirement
• requirements specification
• specification

Or these:

• validation
• verification
• verification and validation

Is the reader sure that he or she understands the subtle differences and the underling relations in the same way another reader will?