Software FMEA Training course
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1 Day Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) Training Course

Course Outline

Topic

Expected duration

Software FMEA

 

Introduction - statement of goals for class and schedule

15 mins

We will discuss the process for executing a software FMEA with managed resources and schedule.  This process will be executed for 3 types of product FMEAs and 3 types of process FMEAs.
  1. Plan resources
  2. Brainstorm failure modes applicable to this type of FMEA and this application.  A complete list of all failure modes that apply to this type of FMEA will be a starting point.  By the end of this step, the failure modes that are applicable to this application will be identified.
  3. For each failure mode
    • Assess probability
    • Identify effects of each failure mode
    • Identify severity of each failure mode
    • Identify any applicable corrective actions
    • Identify any detection monitors
    • Identify any compensating provisions
  4. Identify failure mode equivalence (consolidate the failure modes)
  5. Using the FMEA to improve the product within schedule and resource demands

fmeaprocess.JPG (39638 bytes)

1 hour

Break

15 mins

Product FMEAs - These are performed on the requirements, design and code.  

How to perform a software interface FMEA. Interface FMEAs analyze failure modes between software, firmware and hardware. Class exercise - The entire FMEA process will be executed from step 1 to step 5.

90 mins

How to perform a software functional FMEA. Functional FMEAs are performed at the top software architectural level (CSCI).  Class exercise - The entire FMEA process will be executed from step 1 to step 5.

60 mins

Lunch break 1 hour

How to perform a software detailed design FMEA. A detailed design FMEA is performed on the design or code.  Generally the most critical portion of the design/code is analyzed. Class exercise - The entire FMEA process will be executed from analyzing resources to improving the product.

90 mins

How to perform a production process FMEA. A production process FMEA analyzes the failure modes related to how people produce the software product.  It's possible for the requirements, design and code to be working, but for the software to be unusable because there is no source control.  Class exercise - The entire FMEA process will be executed from analyzing resources to improving the product. 90 mins
How to perform a maintenance process FMEA. A maintenance process FMEA analyzes the failure modes related to how people support the software once it is deployed.  The focus is on failure modes that would cause previously functional software to stop functioning.  Class exercise - The entire FMEA process will be executed from analyzing resources to improving the product. 60 mins
How to perform an installation process FMEA. An installation process FMEA analyzes the failure modes related to an end user's or system installation.  For example, the software could be working properly but the installation of it might fail.  Or the end user may have an incorrect user's manual and be unable to use the software.  Class exercise - The entire FMEA process will be executed from analyzing resources to improving the product. 60 mins

Closing, Q & A

30 mins

Optional second day for on site courses.  The second day is spent doing FMEAs on your product and process with the guidance of the instructor.  1 day

Below is a categorization of the failure modes and how many of each category are applicable to each type of product and process FMEA.  For example, timing is a general failure mode category.  There are 2 timing failure modes that are applicable for an interface FMEA, 2 that are applicable for a functional FMEA and 2 that applicable for a detailed FMEA. In this class the students will filter the list of applicable failure modes even further to those that apply to their application.

Software Product FMEA

Software Process FMEA

Types of failure modes Interface Functional Detailed Production Maintenance Installation
Functionality   6 3      
Timing 2 2 2      
Sequences/order 1 5 4      
Logic (other than exception handling) is incorrect     13      
Incomplete, incorrect, corrupt, invalid data domains 7 7 10      
Incompatibility 3          
Erroneous or missing error messages 14 5 11      
Incorrect Algorithms/computations     12      
Memory management     7      
Client/server synchronization   1        
Web based failure modes   24        
I/O     6      
Database   28        
Human error or misuse   22 22      
Security   1     1  
Network communications   6        
Software can't install or update properly   25     3  
Insufficient domain knowledge by software engineers and testers       1 2  
Insufficient/missing development and testing practices       57    
Insufficient software lifecycle activities/management       16 4  
Inadequate source/version/change control         3  
Insufficient/incorrect user documentation           6
Insufficient/incorrect installation/support documentation         1  
Software is written for wrong end user type           2
Software is too difficult to use productively           2
Insufficient help desk support         6  
Software workarounds don't exist or aren't documented           2
Insufficient support training         1  
Total 27 132 90 74 21 12

About the Instructor

Ann Marie Neufelder is the owner of SoftRel. She started this company in 1992 to provide training, software and services in the area of software reliability. Ann Marie has measured software reliability at more then 75 organizations in the defense/aerospace/semiconductor/medical industries. She has a patent pending on a method for estimating software defects prior to development of the software. In addition to predicting software defects, Ann Marie has also spent the last 2 decades developing software, managing software engineers and software testers, performing software fault tree analyses, failure modes effect analyses, reliability versus cost analysis, test coverage estimation, root cause analyses and code inspection efficiency. Ann Marie is the author of "Ensuring Software Reliability". She has taught more then 2000 engineers about software reliability, engineering and testing.

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