Overview
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-9:2023 provides requirements and guidance for applying system and software life cycle processes specifically to epidemic prevention and control systems. The standard supports organizations and projects that must acquire, supply, develop, operate, maintain, or dispose of systems (including systems of systems) during an epidemic emergency. It also documents considerations for fast-paced or rapidly developed emergency systems and offers guidance for adopting life cycle processes at organization and project levels.
Key topics and technical requirements
The standard maps established life cycle process families to epidemic-response contexts. Key technical topics include:
- Agreement processes: acquisition and supply considerations for emergency procurement and contracting.
- Organizational/project-enabling processes: life cycle model management, infrastructure, portfolio, human resources, quality, and knowledge management tailored for emergency response.
- Technical management processes: project planning, assessment and control, decision and risk management, configuration, information and measurement, and quality assurance under epidemic conditions.
- Technical processes: business/mission analysis; stakeholder needs; system and software requirements; architecture and design; implementation; integration; verification and validation; transition, operation, maintenance, and disposal.
- System-of-systems (SoS) considerations: taxonomy, independence, interfacing and interoperability in multi-stakeholder epidemic ecosystems.
- Conformance options: guidance for full conformance (outcomes or tasks) and tailored conformance for constrained emergency projects.
- Assurance and quality attributes: guidance on verification, validation, and quality characteristics relevant to public health and emergency operations.
These topics reflect the document’s structure and responsibilities across life cycle stages, emphasizing traceability, risk management, and rapid yet safe deployment.
Practical applications and users
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-9:2023 is practical for organizations that design, procure, integrate, or operate systems used in epidemic prevention and control, including:
- Public health agencies and emergency response organizations
- Systems and software engineers working on surveillance, analytics, contact tracing, or clinical support systems
- Prime contractors, integrators, and suppliers delivering rapid-response solutions
- Program and project managers responsible for accelerated acquisitions and deployments
- Quality assurance, risk, and configuration management teams ensuring safe operation in emergency contexts
The standard helps teams balance speed and rigor-applying life cycle processes to achieve interoperability, safety, and maintainability in epidemic scenarios.
Related standards
Related guidance exists across the ISO/IEC/IEEE life cycle family-this part complements other parts of ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748 and core system/software life cycle standards (for example, ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 and ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207) that define system and software life cycle processes more generally. Use 24748-9 to tailor those processes specifically for epidemic prevention and control systems.
Keywords: ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-9:2023, life cycle management, epidemic prevention and control systems, system and software engineering, system of systems, emergency procurement, verification and validation, risk management.