about Scope

Further to our discussion about what constitutes a Scope statement, this is 
from ISO Directives Part 3:

### begin excerpt ###
>3.2.3 Scope (Objet)
>
>3.2.3.1 This element shall appear at the beginning of every International 
>Standard, to define without ambiguity the subject matter of the document, 
>even if it is already clearly indicated in the title.  This element serves 
>also to complete and amplify the information given by the title.  The 
>scope shall be worded as a series of statements of fact.  It shall not be 
>used to specify requirements.
>
>Note -- In effect, this element constitutes an abstract of the 
>International Standard and in future it may be used directly as such 
>purposes of the ISONET information system.
>
>3.2.3.2  Forms of expression such as the following shall be used in this 
>element:
>
>In English
>
>"This International Standard
>
>         -- gives rules for ..."
>
>         -- lays down the dimensions of ...
>
>         -- specifies a method of..."
>         -- specifies the characteristics of..."
>         -- specifies the way in which..." etc.
>
>         -- establishes the vocabulary for..."
>         -- establishes a system for..." etc
>
>         -- defines terms..."
>
>In French
>
>         ...(above translated)...
>
>EXAMPLE:
>
>"This International Standard specifies methods for acceptance tests and 
>technical conditions for the supply of displacement compressors.  It gives 
>detailed instructions on the measurement of capacity and power 
>consumption, and means of adjusting the measured valuses to guaranteed 
>conditions."
>
>3.2.4  Field of application (Domaine d'application)
>
>3.2.4.1  This element shall always be included, its purpose being to 
>specify the limits of applicability of the International Standard or 
>particular parts of it.
>
>EXAMPLE:  This International Standard applies to displacement compressors 
>having an absolute intake pressure exceeding 100 Pa."
>
>3.2.4.2  For convenience, this element should be combined with element 
>3.2.3, under the heading "Scope and field of application" in English and 
>"Objet et domaine d'application" in French.
### end excerpt ###

At Seattle, it was argued that the first sentence of SpecGL "Scope" was 
inappropriate for a scope statement:

>  The scope of this document is a set of requirements for W3C Technical 
> Reports (TRs) that if satisfied, will enhance the clarity, 
> implementability, and testability of TRs.

I believe that it is exactly what is intended for a scope statement.  I 
would improve the wording slightly as follows:

>  The scope of this document is a set of requirements aimed at enhancing 
> the clarity, implementability, and testability of W3C Technical Reports (TRs) .

What I believe is inappropriate is attempting to *define* (as opposed to 
illustrate) the scope in terms of scenarios.  Our CP1.1 mixes these 
concepts.  In fact, I think that we should -- when we consider the several 
AR comments on these bits -- take a step back and take a careful look at 
the 4 checkpoints of GL1 (retitle?  "Define and illustrate Scope").  IMO, 
all of the bits that we need are there.  But the concepts are mashed 
together and/or mangled.

Also, if we are going to require (CP1.1) that specs define their scope, 
then we should carefully define the term "scope" in our verbiage.

Regards,
-Lofton.

Received on Friday, 10 January 2003 12:09:58 UTC