Why do I need to write a Concept of Operations document?

You can use the Concept of Operations document to answers questions such as.

Download your template here

• What is the proposed system?

• What are the typical user classes?

• What are the different modes of operation?

• How do I clarify conflicting and ambiguous user requirements?

• How do I prioritize user’s requirements?

• How do I assist project stakeholder in determining if the proposed system should be developed

• What will help me start writing the Functional Requirements Document (FRD)?

• How to communicate the user’s expectations of the proposed system to the Buyer and/or Software Development team

• How to build consensus among user groups, buyer organizations, and/or among developers.

Remember that the aim of this document is NOT to identify the technology to be used or how it will be designed – that comes later.

This is a fore-runner to these documents and helps place the high-level needs in context.

However, the Concept of Operations document can be used to describe the current system environment and operational scenarios as well as identifying existing facilities, policies, resource, etc. that represent significant constraints or limitations that need to be considered during the design and implementation phase.

Read more:

1. How to write the Concept Operations Document

2. What it a Concept Operations Document?

3. How to Define the Goals, Objectives and Rationale

4. What you need to put into a Concept Operations Document

5. How to Justify the New System to Project Stakeholders

6. How to develop Use Cases to capture Work Scenarios

7. What's the Connection Between the Concept of Operations and Functional Requirements Document