Software product assurance-reducing software risk in critical systems

Author

Bryan, William ; Siegel, Stan

Author_Institution

Grumman Data Syst., McLean, VA, USA

fYear

1988

fDate

June 27 1988-July 1 1988

Firstpage

67

Lastpage

74

Abstract

It is shown how software product assurance can improve the reliability of critical systems by reducing the system development risks of unsatisfied requirements, cost overruns, and schedule slippages. The thesis is that product assurance increases visibility into the development process, thereby making it more manageable. The visibility needs of three classes of people-senior managers, project managers, and product assurance practitioners-are discussed. Two examples of systems critically dependent on software-a computer-driven insulin-infusion pump and a bank financial-transaction processor-are used to illustrate in specific terms how product assurance would improve safety and reliability by mitigating software development risk.<>

Keywords

bank data processing; medical computing; professional aspects; safety; software reliability; bank financial-transaction processor; computer-driven insulin-infusion pump; cost overruns; critical system reliability; development process; product assurance practitioners; project managers; safety; schedule slippages; senior managers; software development risk; software product assurance; system development risks; unsatisfied requirements; visibility needs; Application software; Costs; Insulin; Processor scheduling; Product safety; Programming; Project management; Software safety; Software systems; Visualization;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Computer Assurance, 1988. COMPASS '88

Conference_Location

Gaithersburg, MD, USA

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/CMPASS.1988.9639

Filename

9639