SafeWare: System Safety and Computers

We are building systems today--and using computers to control them--that have the potential for large-scale destruction of life and environment. More than ever, software engineers and system developers, as well as their managers, must understand the issues and develop the skills needed to anticipate and prevent accidents before they occur. Professionals should not require a catastrophe to happen before taking action.

Addressing this need in her long-awaited book, Nancy Levenson examines what is currently known about building safe electromagnetic systems and looks at past accidents to see what practical lessons can be applied to new computer-controlled systems.

Software

• Demonstrates the importance of integrating software safety efforts with system safety engineering
• Describes models of accidents and human error that underlie particular approaches to safety problems
• Presents the elements of a software program, including management, hazard analysis, requirements analysis, design for safety, design of the human-machine interface, and verification

0201119722B04062001

Software engineers and system developers need to understand the issues and develop the skills required to prevent destructive accidents before they occur. This book examines what is currently known about building safe electromechanical systems and looks at past accidents to see what lessons can be applied to new computer-controlled systems.

We are building systems today—and using computers to control them—that have the potential for large-scale destruction of life and environment. More than ever, software engineers and system developers, as well as their managers, must understand the issues and develop the skills needed to anticipate and prevent accidents before they occur. Professionals should not require a catastrophe to happen before taking action.

Addressing this need in her long-awaited book, Nancy Levenson examines what is currently known about building safe electromagnetic systems and looks at past accidents to see what practical lessons can be applied to new computer-controlled systems.

Software

• Demonstrates the importance of integrating software safety efforts with system safety engineering
• Describes models of accidents and human error that underlie particular approaches to safety problems
• Presents the elements of a software program, including management, hazard analysis, requirements analysis, design for safety, design of the human-machine interface, and verification

Booknews

Leveson (computer science and engineering, U. of Washington) summarizes what is known about the safety of electromechanical systems, particularly those operated or monitored by computer. Emphasizing the importance of integrating software safety efforts with system safety engineering, she presents the elements of a program that includes management, hazard and requirements analysis, design for safety, design of the human-machine, interface, and verification. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Nancy G. Leveson is Boeing Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington (and Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia). Dr. Leveson recently was awarded the Information System Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, " . . . for developing the field of software safety and for promoting responsible software and system engineering practices where life and liberty are at stake." She is the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering and a meember of the Board of Directors of the Computing Research Association, the National Research Council Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, and the ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy. She recently chaired a National Academy of Science study for NASA of the Space Shuttle software development process.