Publications
Effective Application of Software Failure Modes Effects Analysis
-
The industry guidance on software failure modes effects analysis
-
All software FMEA Toolkit owners should purchase this book
-
covers the functional, detailed, interface, detailed, maintenance, vulnerability, serviceability, usability and process viewpoints
-
Recommended in the IEEE 1633 Recommended Practices for Software Reliability, 2016
Cold Hard Truth About Reliable Software
Edition 6i-
We have been benchmarking software reliability since 1993 and this is our report against 689 development factors and 100+ real software programs
-
Get the cold hard truth about reliable software - what works - what doesn't
-
Some of the development practices that have been popular for years actually don't reduce defects while other less popular methods have a dramatic effect
-
This software reliability PDF has the facts. Everyone else has opinions.
Effective Application of Software Failure Modes Analysis
The founder of Mission Ready Software wrote the book on software failure modes effects analysis. Ann Marie Neufelder has analyzed almost one million software failure reports to date. This book contains a taxonomy of more than 400 software failure mode/root cause pairs. It also shows real software failure events due to these failure modes. This book shows how to identify the software root causes most likely to affect your system.
This book referenced a recommended guidance in the IEEE 1633 Recommended Practices for Software Reliability and the SAE Reliability Program Handbook TAHB0001 guidance.
The SAE ARP 5580 Recommended Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) Practices for Non-Automobile Applications was written more than 20 years ago. Many software failure events have happened in that timeframe. While this document has some useful information in it, it is outdated and incomplete. It also has very few real-world examples and virtually no tailoring guidance. Today’s systems are now millions of lines of code. When the SAE ARP 5580 was written software systems were a fraction of the size. Interface problems due to multiple software-intensive systems talking to each other are now a serious issue that is largely not covered in the outdated document. The most serious flaw, however, is that it fails to illustrate how to connect the software failure modes to the mission-level hazards.
This practical book provides modern and complete failure modes for software including interface failure modes. It has many real examples as well as real-world events due to each failure mode. It has step-by-step guidance for analyzing the failure modes and connecting them to mission hazards. Our book also shows how to assess the likelihood of software failure modes based on tangible considerations as opposed to subject matter best guess.
The Cold Hard Truth About Reliable Software
Since 1993, Mission Ready Software has been benchmarking software defects against software development factors. We have the largest database – having measured almost 700 factors that affect software against actual operational defects on hundreds of programs. This document illustrates the data behind our machine-learning models for predicting software reliability.
Our research shows that it takes a lot more than good software processes to develop highly reliable software. The factors include:
- Organization/personnel. Software development people who understand the product and industry, are co-located with the other engineers and the target system are instrumental.
- Fault management design methods and fault injection testing are just some of the techniques that aren’t necessarily related to having a good process.
- Inherent risks. Some software is more difficult to develop than others. Anytime there is a learning curve for the software engineers it’s a risk. Too many risks in one release can lead to a failed release even if the software organization is best in class.
- Execution and management: Small release cycles, daily reviews with software engineers, detailed schedules for software engineers are all execution techniques that aren’t necessarily related to how good the software process is.
- Software process. A good process is essential. However, the process alone is not sufficient without the other factors shown above.
Our research also shows that some of the most popular software development practices aren’t as effective in reducing defects as people think. If you know what factors aren’t effective, then you have more time and dollars to focus on those that are. Our research clearly shows that anything that can reduce the likelihood of a software project being seriously late can also reduce the software defects that escape into operation.
Everyone else has opinions. We have the facts.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
As per the terms and conditions page of this website, software training classes are non-refundable.