Glossary · System coordination, integration and orchestration
Interface ownership
Also known as: interface responsibility, interface owner
German: Schnittstellenverantwortung
In systems engineering and projects, interface ownership is the assignment of a responsible person or party for an interface, who ensures that it is defined, agreed, controlled, implemented and verified by all parties involved.
- System integration
In one sentence
Interface ownership names the person or party responsible for getting an interface defined, agreed, implemented and verified.
Example
The line integrator owns the interface between the filler and the capper, even though both machines come from different suppliers, and signs off its interface test.
How it applies
- Projects: Interfaces without an owner tend to remain undefined until commissioning. Assign an owner to every interface in the interface register, typically the party that integrates both sides.
- Contracts: Interface ownership should be reflected in contracts and scope documents, including who provides which signals, sensors and documentation at each Handover point.
- Documentation: The owner of an interface is responsible for its documentation being complete and current. Technical writers should know whom to ask; list owners in the interface documents themselves.
Interface ownership vs. system ownership
Owning a system means being responsible for that system's design. Owning an interface means being responsible for the agreement between two systems, which may belong to different owners.