All Software Is Defective – 
Implications for the Software Industry

By Steven R. Rakitin of Software Quality Consulting, Inc.

Business Phone:  508.529.4282
Business Email: steve@swqual.com
Business Website: http://www.swqual.com

IEEE Consultants Network Meeting -- Wednesday, 6:30 PM, May 27, 2009

At Foley-Hoag, 1000 Winter Street, Suite 4000, Waltham, MA

The impact that software has on all sectors of society is staggering. More
than ever, people rely on software to perform tasks from the mundane to
mission critical - and everything in between. Yet, all software is
defective. How is it that we are so dependent on products that are
inherently defective? As Watts Humphrey says, it is because ". defective
software works". Well, most of the time anyway. Major industries such as
healthcare and biotechnology, banking and financial services, aerospace 
and defense, consumer electronics and automotive, have become so 
dependent on software that software is often the critical path for new product 
development. And our dependence is only increasing.
 
This dependence has led to several high profile examples of software
failures that have resulted in significant financial loss as well as loss of
life. Because software engineering is an inherently human process, it is not
possible to develop software with zero defects. The past five decades of
software engineering history has proven this. And this is not likely to
change in the near future. 
 
This talk discusses the implications of defective software from the
perspective of developers, testers, and managers and suggests techniques
that can be used to reduce the impact defective software has on your
business, your customers, and society in general.

Steve Rakitan Biography

Steve has over 35 years experience as a software engineer and software
quality manager. He frequently speaks on topics related to software
development and software quality at conferences worldwide.
 
He's published several papers on the subject of software quality and a
written a book titled Software Verification & Validation for Practitioners
and Managers. As President of Software Quality Consulting, Inc., he works
with clients who are interested in improving the predictability of their
development processes and the quality of their products.
 

PLEASE NOTE:

No charge for Consultants Network members;  or non-members.  The meeting is free and open to the public. Casual dress.

The Consultants Network meeting starts at 6:30 PM. The meeting location is at Foley Hoag LLP, Emerging Enterprise Center, Bay Colony Corporate Center, 1000 Winter Street, Suite 4000, North Entrance, Waltham, MA. From Route 128 take Exit 27B (Winter Street). At the end of the exit ramp, turn right onto Wyman St. At the next set of lights, turn right on Winter St. Stay in the far right lane and continue around the reservoir. Turn left at Bay Colony Corporate Center. Proceed to 1000 Winter Street and enter at the NORTH entrance

http://www.foleyhoag.com/TheFirm/Offices/Emerging%20Enterprise%20Center%20at%20Foley%20Hoag.aspx

Check the Consultants Network website for details and last minute information of our upcoming lectures series for 2008-2009

http://www.boston-consult.com/calendar.php

For more information, e-mail cn.boston@ieee.org or chairman@boston-consult.com; or contact the chairman Tom Vaughan at 781-344-0087. The Consultants Network website is at www.boston-consult.org.