====== Evaluation Characteristic ====== [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:start|Go up to Terms and Definitions]] ===== Discussion ===== An Evaluation Characteristic identifies a characteristic of a subject selected for measurement, observation, comparison, or evaluation. A subject can include: * A [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:c:candidate_solution|Candidate Solution]] * A [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:d:distributed_system|Distributed System]] * A [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:n:node|Node]] * A [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:n:node_set|Node Set]] * A [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:t:test_item|Test Item]] * A service * A software component * A hardware component * A product * A technology * An architecture * An implementation * A [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:c:configuration|Configuration]] * An [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:o:operational_resource|Operational Resource]] * A process * An outcome * Another subject of evaluation An Evaluation Characteristic can concern: * Quality * Functional behavior * Performance * Reliability * Security * Resource consumption * Cost * Compliance * Risk * Another observable or measurable property An Evaluation Characteristic can identify: * Its identity * Its name * Its description * Its characteristic type * Its subject * Its applicable context * Its applicable measure * Its measurement method * Its observation method * Its comparison method * Its evaluation method * Its measurement unit * Its required precision * Its permitted tolerance * Its permitted exclusions * Its applicable reference value * Its applicable DIDO [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:b:baseline|Baseline]] * Its applicable [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:v:validation_criteria|Validation Criteria]] * Its applicable [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:a:acceptance_criteria|Acceptance Criteria]] * Its applicable [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:g:governance_policy|Governance Policies]] * Its [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:e:evidence|Evidence]] * Its [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:p:provenance|Provenance]] * Its [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:t:traceability|Traceability]] An Evaluation Characteristic can be evaluated using: * A direct measurement * A derived measurement * An observation * A binary determination * A qualitative classification * A quantitative comparison * A statistical comparison * A structural comparison * A behavioral comparison * A temporal comparison * A semantic comparison * Another method established by the Acceptance Criteria ===== Definition ===== //characteristic of a subject selected for measurement, observation, comparison, or evaluation// ===== Source ===== Adapted from: * [[https://www.iso.org/standard/78176.html|ISO/IEC 25010:2023, Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) — Product quality model]] * [[https://www.iso.org/standard/78175.html|ISO/IEC 25002:2024, Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) — Quality model overview and usage]] * [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:c:candidate_solution|Candidate Solution]] * [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:t:test_result|Test Result]] * [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:v:validation_criteria|Validation Criteria]] * DIDO Reference Implementation Conceptual Model * DIDO-TE draft Requirements Register ISO/IEC 25002 establishes a framework for quality models composed of quality characteristics and subcharacteristics. ISO/IEC 25010 defines a product-quality model for specifying, measuring, and evaluating ICT and software-product quality. This definition generalizes the characteristic concept to include quality and non-quality characteristics used by DIDO-TE to evaluate Candidate Solutions and other subjects. ===== Note ===== An Evaluation Characteristic differs from a measure: * An Evaluation Characteristic identifies what is evaluated * A measure identifies how a value is assigned to the Evaluation Characteristic An Evaluation Characteristic differs from a measured value: * An Evaluation Characteristic identifies the property subject to evaluation * A measured value records the result obtained by applying a measure An Evaluation Characteristic differs from [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:v:validation_criteria|Validation Criteria]]: * An Evaluation Characteristic identifies what is evaluated * Validation Criteria establish the conditions used to determine whether the evaluation outcome is acceptable An Evaluation Characteristic differs from [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:a:acceptance_criteria|Acceptance Criteria]]: * An Evaluation Characteristic identifies what is evaluated * Acceptance Criteria establish the conditions, methods, limits, and evidence used to determine acceptance The same Evaluation Characteristic can have different: * Measures * Measurement units * Measurement conditions * Reference values * Tolerances * Validation Criteria * Acceptance Criteria An Evaluation Characteristic should be sufficiently specific to permit selection of an applicable measurement, observation, comparison, or evaluation method. Terms such as **better**, **faster**, **more reliable**, and **more efficient** do not identify objectively verifiable outcomes unless the applicable Evaluation Characteristic, method, reference, and comparison rule are established. A [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:q:quality_characteristic|Quality Characteristic]] is an Evaluation Characteristic concerning the degree to which a subject exhibits a quality property. ===== Example ===== An organization uses [[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:d:dido-te|DIDO-TE]] to compare three Candidate Solutions. The applicable Acceptance Criteria select the following Evaluation Characteristics: * Functional Correctness * Performance Efficiency * Reliability * Energy Consumption * Cost Each Evaluation Characteristic has its own measures, measurement conditions, units, precision, tolerances, and comparison rules. DIDO-TE preserves Traceability among each Candidate Solution, Evaluation Characteristic, measure, Test Result, comparison outcome, and supporting Evidence. ---- © 2026 Dido Solutions, Inc. and Jackrabbit Consulting, Inc.