A Project Manager’s View of Safety-Critical Systems

Abstract

This paper presents a project manager’s view that safety-critical systems are not a special case or category of product development, but is one dimension that is a requirement in increasingly more systems. As with any product development, the degree to which a safety-critical product is tested or proved should be based on ‘cost of failure’ that, in the final analysis, is a commercial decision based on benefits and business risk. It is argued that with the emphasis on cost of failure, project teams can be more effective in producing safer products, particularly in terms of focusing testing. With effectiveness in mind, an approach to linking benefits to products is described, along with how this relates to requirements and acceptance criteria. Possible impacts of the use of standards in a project are also discussed. Case studies are used to reinforce concepts and highlight concerns.