Interface control document

An interface control document, or ICD, is a technical document used to record, define and control the interface information between systems, subsystems, equipment, or hardware and software components, where an interface is the shared boundary between functional units defined by their functions, physical signal exchanges and other technical attributes. It gives development, integration, verification, validation, maintenance and change control teams a common reference point, reducing confusion when separately developed components must exchange data, signals or physical connections, by documenting what must be exchanged, what constraints apply, and which technical parameters must stay compatible. Because a change to one interface parameter can affect several connected systems, the document also supports impact analysis when changes occur. Interface control documents are used across systems engineering and software engineering, hardware to software integration projects, aerospace systems, and systems of systems, particularly where different parts of a project are designed by different teams, organizations or suppliers. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/