Evolutionary Process for Integrating COTS-Based Systems
Encyclopedia
Evolutionary Process for Integrating COTS-Based Systems (EPIC) is designed to support building, fielding and supporting software-intensive systems using available Commercial off-the-shelf
(COTS) and other pre-existing components.
EPIC redefines acquisition, management, and engineering practices to more effectively leverage the COTS marketplace and other sources of pre-existing components. This is accomplished through concurrent discovery and negotiation of diverse spheres of influence: user needs and business process
es, applicable technology and components, the target architecture, and programmatic constraints.
EPIC codifies these practices in a structured flow of key activities
and artifacts. This alternative approach is a risk-based, disciplined, spiral-engineering approach which leverages the Rational Unified Process
(RUP).
The first release of an overview of EPIC is found in the Software Engineering Institute
technical report: CMU
/SEI-2002-TR-009 http://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/abstracts/reports/02tr009.cfm.
a risk-based spiral development process. EPIC users manage the gathering of information
from the marketplace and the stakeholders and refine that information through analysis and
negotiation into a coherent, emerging solution that is embodied in a series of executable
representations through the life of the project. Stakeholders actively participate in EPIC as
key players in day-to-day negotiations that also continue through the life of the solution.
This also ensures their buy-in to the emerging solution.
EPIC is more than a way to select a specific component. Use of EPIC begins with the
definition of a need for a new or changed capability and a commitment to provide the
resources necessary to identify, acquire, build, field, and support a solution that will deliver
that capability. Use of EPIC ends only when the solution is retired or replaced with a new
solution. In some instances, the solution will be transitioned to a different organization for
support once it has been fielded. The major features of EPIC should also be used by the
support organization to protect the investment in components.
Commercial off-the-shelf
In the United States, Commercially available Off-The-Shelf is a Federal Acquisition Regulation term defining a nondevelopmental item of supply that is both commercial and sold in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace, and that can be procured or utilized under government contract...
(COTS) and other pre-existing components.
EPIC redefines acquisition, management, and engineering practices to more effectively leverage the COTS marketplace and other sources of pre-existing components. This is accomplished through concurrent discovery and negotiation of diverse spheres of influence: user needs and business process
Business process
A business process or business method is a collection of related, structured activities or tasks that produce a specific service or product for a particular customer or customers...
es, applicable technology and components, the target architecture, and programmatic constraints.
EPIC codifies these practices in a structured flow of key activities
and artifacts. This alternative approach is a risk-based, disciplined, spiral-engineering approach which leverages the Rational Unified Process
Rational Unified Process
The Rational Unified Process is an iterative software development process framework created by the Rational Software Corporation, a division of IBM since 2003...
(RUP).
The first release of an overview of EPIC is found in the Software Engineering Institute
Software Engineering Institute
The Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute is a federally funded research and development center headquartered on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. SEI also has offices in Arlington, Virginia, and Frankfurt, Germany. The SEI operates...
technical report: CMU
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
/SEI-2002-TR-009 http://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/abstracts/reports/02tr009.cfm.
Framework
To accommodate the continuous change induced by the COTS marketplace, EPIC appliesa risk-based spiral development process. EPIC users manage the gathering of information
from the marketplace and the stakeholders and refine that information through analysis and
negotiation into a coherent, emerging solution that is embodied in a series of executable
representations through the life of the project. Stakeholders actively participate in EPIC as
key players in day-to-day negotiations that also continue through the life of the solution.
This also ensures their buy-in to the emerging solution.
EPIC is more than a way to select a specific component. Use of EPIC begins with the
definition of a need for a new or changed capability and a commitment to provide the
resources necessary to identify, acquire, build, field, and support a solution that will deliver
that capability. Use of EPIC ends only when the solution is retired or replaced with a new
solution. In some instances, the solution will be transitioned to a different organization for
support once it has been fielded. The major features of EPIC should also be used by the
support organization to protect the investment in components.