The IEEE-FIPA Standard on the Design Process Documentation Template

Nowadays, it is a matter of fact that a “one-size-fit-all” methodology or design process useful and fitting every kind of problem, situation, or design context does not exist. (Situational) Method Engineering (SME) discipline aims at determining techniques and tools for developing ad hoc design methodologies. SME mainly and highly focuses on the reuse of portion of existing design processes or methodologies (the method fragments). In order to have means for creating SME techniques and tools and for creating new design processes, some key elements are needed: a unique process metamodel for representing design processes and fragments, a proper template for the description of AO design processes and for the description of method fragments. The FIPA Design Process Documentation and Fragmentation Working Group gave an important contribution to the SME research area in terms of the IEEE-FIPA standard Design Process Documentation Template (DPDT) that provides a standardized template for the description of design processes.