In this post I’ll compare how the two documents structure their presentation of a Knowledge Area (KA).
BABOK Knowledge Area Structure
The BABOK discusses each of its KA in turn. The discussion starts with a short overview of the KA, followed by an Input / Output Diagram showing the Tasks under that KA, the Inputs required by the Tasks, and the Outputs generated by the Tasks (and by extension the KA).
The core of the Knowledge Area is its Tasks, and the BABOK structures the presentation of the KA around the Tasks. Each Tasks is described in turn using the following sections:
- Purpose of the Task – brief explanation of the focus of the Task.
- Description – usually more details about the Task.
- Input – a list of information (typically documents) needed for performing the Task, also describing why each Input is used for. This section is accompanied by a context diagram showing the Task, the Inputs it requires, the Task Outputs, and downstream Tasks using the Outputs as Inputs.
- Elements – describes considerations relevant to the Task which need to be addressed for a successful execution of the Task.
- Techniques – lists the most common techniques used in performing the task. Techniques are methods or tools such as ‘Interviewing’, or ‘Brainstorming’. All of the Techniques are described in more detail in Chapter 9, so this section is just a listing.
- Stakeholders – is a list of organisation titles generally involved or interested in the Task execution.
- Output – a list of the Outputs of the Task (generally documents).
SEBOK Knowledge Area Structure
As we have seen in the previous post, the SEBOK has many more KA’s than the BABOK. Not only are there many more, the scope is more extensive. Whereas the BABOK KA’s are narrow enough that one can expect every practicing BA to be knowledgeable at a professional level in ALL the KA’s (though perhaps not all the Techniques), the SEBOK KA’s are so expansive, it is unlikely that a majority of professional SEs would have high quality proficiency in all the SEBOK KAs.
Each KA is divided into Topics (contrast with ‘Tasks’ for the BABOK), which confusingly is also called ‘Activities’. The KA itself is described in great detail (far greater than what is done in the BABOK). After which a list of Reference work is provided.
After providing a detailed discussion of the KA, each of the Activities under that KA are discussed using the following structure:
- Introduction – brief narrative about the Topic
- Purpose and Definition – detailed description of the Topic / Activity
- Principles and Concepts - key concepts one needs to know about the Topic. Depending on the topic being discussed, this can be fairly comprehensive.
- Process Approach / Activities of the Process – description of the subtasks performed for the Activity
- Artifacts – listing of most common outputs (generally documents) for the Activity
- Methods and Modeling Techniques – listing and description of key Techniques one can expect to be used to perform this Activity. (For the most part, the SEBOK uses the single-ell spelling ‘modeling’, but sometimes also uses ‘modelling’)‘
- Practical Considerations – tips and lessons learned from the trenches.
- References – comprehensive list of Works Cited, Primary References, and Additional References relevant to the Activity. Since the SEBOK is merely a 'Guide’ to the Body of Knowledge, this References section makes eminent sense – it points to where the reader can go to get more of the Knowledge.
Comparison of the Structures
The table below compares the KA presentation structure of the two BOKs
| BABOK | SEBOK | Remarks |
| Overview | Introduction | Neither of these sections are titled as such. Both sections are untitled narratives. |
| Purpose of the Task | Purpose and Definition | |
| Description | Purpose and Definition | |
| Input | It is very surprising that SEBOK seems to have no equivalent section | |
| Elements | Principles and Concepts Practical Considerations | |
| Process Approach / Activities of the Process | The BABOK has no equivalent | |
| Techniques | Methods and Modeling Techniques | |
| Stakeholders | The SEBOK has no equivalent section | |
| Output | Artifacts | |
| References | The BABOK references are all collected at the end of the Guide, where it is far less useful for someone wanting to know more about a specific Task. |
