3.3 Defined term
capability
The ability of a system to carry out a task. It is a property of the system, stated as what it can do, not as how it does it.
What this settles
This is the unit of claim on the capability axis. A capability is testable in principle, which is what separates it from a feature list or an aspiration.
Who it binds
No one. It is a definition. It becomes operative when a description, a contract or an assessment uses it.
What to do in your practice
Write each capability as a testable sentence and attach a method and an evidence item. Where the ability cannot be tested, mark it as a claim under development rather than presenting it as established.
Evidence an auditor or regulator asks for
| A capability statement with a population, a condition and a measure. | Makes the ability testable. |
|---|---|
| An evidence item linked to the statement. | Shows the claim is supported. |
| A list of abilities that are claimed but not yet testable. | Separates established from developing claims. |
Which capability do we claim that we could not test this week?
Common gaps this page catches
- Capability is used for a feature, a model or a team skill.
- A claim is made without a population or a measure.
- An untestable ability is presented as established.
What to prepare before publication
Rewrite one capability into the testable form and use it as the pattern. A single worked example changes more behaviour than a definition in a glossary.
How to test it here
Take one live system rather than a template, find the field or sentence where capability is used, and put this page beside it. Record the answer, the artefact and the date. A glossary entry on its own is an intention; a dated record beside a live artefact is evidence.
What this page does not claim
The page does not reproduce the draft, does not know the descriptor wording that the public preview withholds, and does not certify the system or the organisation. It states the unit at the claim level "defined term" and stops where the public record stops.
Common questions
- What does capability mean in ISO/IEC DIS 42102?
- The ability of a system to carry out a task. It is a property of the system, stated as what it can do, not as how it does it.
- What evidence should we keep for 3.3?
- A capability statement with a population, a condition and a measure. An evidence item linked to the statement.
- Is capability a requirement?
- No. The draft is a descriptive framework. It sets no management system requirement and no conformity test. It becomes binding only when a contract, a regulator or a management system adopts it.
Related units
Last updated: · Markdown version · Check your system