A risk-based approach to cost-benefit analysis of software safety activities

The authors survey industrial safety models and examine how the risk component of these models relates to modeling software-controlled systems. A qualitative risk-based software safety model is proposed that combines features of industrial and software systems safety models. The risk-based software model provides a basis for performing risk cost-benefit analysis of software safety-related activities in a system context. The model is intended to assist in a system context. The model is intended to assist its users in obtaining a greater awareness of risk associated with application of software engineering principles and practices for a particular context, and managing real and potential risks of software systems while balancing the expected costs with the expected benefits of making a software-controlled system safe. Examples that provide a basis for understanding the necessity of a risk-based software safety model for assessing causes and effects contributing to accidents, as well as performing risk-based cost-benefit analysis, are presented