Hazards analysis and its application to build confidence in software test results

Systems hazards analysis is an analysis tool being used for software controlled systems in software lifecycle development environments to detect systematic failures. It addresses safety issues from the concept stage forward and provides early identification of the systematic failures due to errors in the design, construction, or use of the system which cause it to fail under particular combinations of conditions. Early identification of hazards allows cost-effective implementation of safety requirements to control the effects of the hazardous effects. In addition, the results of the analysis have been used to determine completeness of software testing and to limit the number and amount of test cases with confidence. This work describes the procedure for performance hazards analysis, and the method to use the risk and probability assessment to determine the level of testing to report, with confidence, the results of testing. Application of this analysis has shown the practicality of this approach.<>