Course overview
SW-CERT-110 moves from planning into development. It explains how to set up a Software Development Plan that satisfies DO-178C and how to meet the development process objectives in practice.
Special attention is given to requirement attributes and the traceability that ties high-level requirements, low-level requirements, and source code together.
What you will learn
- How to set up a compliant Software Development Plan (SDP)
- The DO-178C software development process objectives
- Requirement attributes that make development verifiable
- Establishing traceability across the development data
- Standards for requirements, design, and code
Who should take this course
Software engineers and leads responsible for development planning and execution under DO-178C.
Recommended prerequisite: SW-CERT-101 — DO-178C Overview & PSAC Explanation
Course outline
- From PSAC to SDP — how the certification plan flows into a working Software Development Plan.
- The development processes — high-level requirements, software architecture, low-level requirements, source code and integration.
- Requirement attributes — writing requirements that are unambiguous, verifiable, uniquely identified and traceable, and justifying derived requirements.
- Traceability — linking high-level requirements to low-level requirements to source code, and back to verification.
- The three standards — software requirements, design and code standards, and how they keep development consistent.
Why development planning decides verification cost
In DO-178C the quality of your development data sets the price of verification. High-level and low-level requirements that are atomic, unambiguous and verifiable can each be confirmed with a bounded set of reviews and tests; requirements that are vague or compound force interpretation late in the program and multiply the verification effort. Clean traceability between high-level requirements, low-level requirements and source code is what makes structural coverage and requirements-based testing tractable rather than open-ended.
Derived requirements — those with no parent requirement — need particular care, because DO-178C expects them to be justified and provided to the system safety process so their safety impact can be assessed. A Software Development Plan that defines requirement attributes, derived-requirement handling, traceability and the requirements, design and code standards up front is what turns development into a verifiable, auditable activity.
Common pitfalls this course helps you avoid
Most DO-178C development findings come from a few recurring mistakes: high-level and low-level requirements that mix several testable statements into one, derived requirements that are never justified or passed to the safety process, traceability that is reconstructed at the end instead of maintained as the code evolves, and requirements, design or code standards that exist on paper but are not actually applied. SW-CERT-110 shows how a well-built Software Development Plan prevents each of these before it turns into rework at SOI #2.
What you will be able to do afterward
After SW-CERT-110 you will be able to stand up a compliant Software Development Plan, satisfy the DO-178C development objectives, write requirements with the right attributes, and maintain the traceability that verification and SOI reviews will depend on.
How this course fits your certification path
SW-CERT-110 builds on SW-CERT-101 (Overview & PSAC) and leads into SW-CERT-120 (Software Verification Plan), where the development data you produce here is verified. For the wider context, see our DO-178C explained guide. Prefer instructor-led? Explore our full DO-178C training courses.
How on-demand training works
Every ConsuNova module is delivered online and self-paced, so you can learn on your own schedule. Each purchase includes 30-day access with unlimited views and downloads for one user, and a certificate of completion is issued automatically when you finish the module.
Your instructors
This module is authored and delivered by ConsuNova’s senior certification authorities, giving you both FAA and EASA perspectives on compliance:
Provides FAA Designated Engineering Representative expertise on U.S. avionics certification.
Brings EASA Certification Verification Engineer authority on European avionics compliance.
Frequently asked questions
What standard does SW-CERT-110 cover?
SW-CERT-110 focuses on DO-178C. Set up a compliant Software Development Plan (SDP) and meet DO-178C development objectives, including requirement attributes and traceability.
How long is the SW-CERT-110 course and how is it delivered?
SW-CERT-110 is a self-paced, on-demand online module of about 60 minutes (81 slides). Purchase includes 30-day access with unlimited views and downloads for one user.
What level is SW-CERT-110 and are there prerequisites?
SW-CERT-110 is an moderate-level course. Recommended prerequisites: SW-CERT-101.