Ethical Decisions In Software Development - Key Terms

Question 1

When an organization decides to accept a risk because the cost of avoiding the risk outweighs the potential loss of the risk. A decision to accept a risk can be extremely difficult and controversial when dealing with safety-critical systems because making that determination involves forming personal judgments about the value of human life, assessing potential liability in case of an accident, evaluating the potential impact on the surrounding natural environment, and estimating the system’s costs and benefits.

Answer 1

Acceptance

Question 2

A software development methodology in which a system is developed in iterations lasting from one to four weeks. Unlike the waterfall system development model, this development accepts the fact that system requirements are evolving and cannot be fully understood or defined at the start of the project.

Answer 2

Agile development

Question 3

The estimated loss from a potential risk event over the course of a year. The following equation is used to calculate the annual loss expectancy: A× SLE = ALE. Where ARO is the annualized rate of occurrence, an estimate of the probability that this event will occur over the course of a year and SLE is the single loss expectancy, the estimated loss that would be incurred if the event happens.

Answer 3

Annualized loss expectancy (ALE)

Question 4

An estimate of the probability that a risk event will occur over the course of a year.

Answer 4

Annualized rate of occurrence (ARO)

Question 5

The elimination of a vulnerability that gives rise to a particular risk in order to avoid the risk altogether. This is the most effective solution but often not possible due to organizational requirements and factors beyond an organization’s control.

Answer 5

Avoidance

Question 6

A method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means and that is used as a benchmark within a particular industry.

Answer 6

Best practice

Question 7

A type of dynamic testing that involves viewing the software unit as a device that has expected input and output behaviors but whose internal workings are unknown.

Answer 7

Black-box testing

Question 8

Collection of best practices that help organizations improve their processes.

Answer 8

Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) models

Question 9

A specific application of CMMI frequently used to assess and improve software development practices.

Answer 9

CMMI-Development (CMMI-DEV)

Question 10

Products created during various stages of the development process, including statements of requirements, flowcharts, and user documentation.

Answer 10

Deliverable

Question 11

A type of business information system used to improve decision making in a variety of industries.

Answer 11

Decision support system (DDS)

Question 12

A QA process that tests the code for a completed unit of software by actually entering test data and comparing the results to the expected results.

Answer 12

Dynamic testing

Question 13

A description of how a product or process could fail to perform the desired functions described by the customer.

Answer 13

Failure mode

Question 14

An important technique used to develop ISO 9000-compliant quality systems by both evaluating reliability and determining the effects of system and equipment failures.

Answer 14

Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)

Question 15

A logging and monitoring system used by safety engineers to track hazards from a project’s start to its finish.

Answer 15

Hazard log

Question 16

Systems that are easy to learn and use because they perform quickly and efficiently; they meet their users’ needs; and they operate safely and reliably so that system downtime is kept to a minimum.

Answer 16

Highly-quality software system

Question 17

Software testing done after successful unit testing, where the software units are combined into an integrated subsystem that undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that the linkages among the various subsystems work successfully.

Answer 17

Integration testing

Question 18

A set of standards written to serve as a guide to quality products, services, and management. It provides a set of standardized requirements for a quality management system.

Answer 18

ISO 9001 family of standards

Question 19

The reduction in either the likelihood or the impact of the occurrence of a risk.

Answer 19

Mitigation

Question 20

An approach to minimizing the impact of software errors by independently implementing the same set of user requirements N times (where N could be 2, 3, 4 or more); the software are run in parallel; and, if a difference is found, a “voting algorithm” is executed to determine which result to use.

Answer 20

N-version programming

Question 21

The liability of manufacturers, sellers, lessors, and others for injuries caused by defective products.

Answer 21

Product liability

Question 22

Methods within the development process that are designed to guarantee reliable operation of a product.

Answer 22

Quality assurance (QA)

Question 23

The provision of multiple interchangeable components to perform a single function in order to cope with failures and errors.

Answer 23

Redundancy

Question 24

A standard, proven work process that enables systems analysts, programmers, project managers, and others to make controlled and orderly progress in developing high-quality software.

Answer 24

Software development methodology

Question 25

A software-testing technique in which software is tested without actually executing the code. It consists of two steps—review and static analysis.

Answer 25

Static testing

Question 26

Someone who has explicit responsibility for ensuring that a system will operate in a safe and reliable manner while meeting its users’ needs.

Answer 26

System safety engineer

Question 27

Software testing done after successful integration testing, where the various subsystems are combined to test the entire system as a complete entity.

Answer 27

System testing

Question 28

A risk management strategy in which the risk, should it happen, does not rest solely on one individual or organization. For example, a common way to accomplish risk transference is for an individual or an organization to purchase insurance, such as auto or business liability insurance. Another way to transfer risk is to outsource the risk by contracting with a third party to manage the risk.

Answer 28

Transference

Question 29

A software-testing technique that involves testing individual components of code (subroutines, modules, and programs) to verify that each unit performs as intended.

Answer 29

Unit testing

Question 30

Software testing done independently by trained end users to ensure the system operates as expected.

Answer 30

User acceptance testing

Question 31

A software development methodology that involves a sequential, multistage system development process in which development of the next stage of the system cannot begin until the results of the current stage are approved or modified as necessary.

Answer 31

Waterfall system development model

Question 32

A type of dynamic testing that treats the software unit as a device that has expected input and output behaviors but whose internal workings, unlike the unit in black-box testing, are known.

Answer 32

White-box testing