Node A6 · Acronym decoder
CONOPS
Concept of Operations
What it actually means
The document (or model) describing how a system will actually be used, by whom, in what environment, through representative operational scenarios — written from the user's point of view, not the builder's. A good CONOPS is where requirements come from and where bad requirements get caught: if you can't place a requirement in a scenario, ask why it exists.
Where you'll meet it
Early program documents, requirements reviews, and any argument about what the system is really for.