Compatibility, consistency, interoperability

Abstract

The design of systems and components during the design stage of the systems life cycle requires specific purposeful actions to ensure effective designs and viable systems. Designers are faced with a number of design concerns that they must embed into the design in every instance of thinking and documentation. Three of these concerns are addressed by the non-functional requirements for compatibility, consistency, and interoperability. Formal understanding of each of these nonfunctional requirements requires definitions, terms, and equations, as well as the ability to understand how to control their effect and measure their outcomes during system design endeavors.