The concept of operations: the bridge from operational requirements to technical specifications

The authors describe the role of a "concept of operations" (ConOps) document in the specification and development of a software-intensive system. They also describe the process of developing a ConOps, its uses and benefits, who should develop it, and when it should be developed. The ConOps described, is compared to other forms of operational concept documents. A recommended format for the ConOps document is presented.<>