Chapter 11

Software Development Software Development Horror StoriesHorror Stories

Sampling of Software Sampling of Software ProblemsProblems Faye Starman gets an electric bill for Faye Starman gets an electric bill for

$6.3 million instead of $63 due to a data $6.3 million instead of $63 due to a data entry errorentry error

Someone is denied a new credit card Someone is denied a new credit card because her Mother’s credit history is because her Mother’s credit history is merged with her ownmerged with her own

Six people die due to excessive Six people die due to excessive radiation from a therapeutic linear radiation from a therapeutic linear acceleratoraccelerator

More Sample Software More Sample Software ProblemsProblems The Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft The Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft

crashes into the surface of Mars due to crashes into the surface of Mars due to a simple unit-of-measure conversion a simple unit-of-measure conversion errorerror

Several Blackhawk helicopters crash Several Blackhawk helicopters crash killing several people due to radio killing several people due to radio signals interfering with on board signals interfering with on board computer systemscomputer systems

More Sample Software More Sample Software ProblemsProblems $125 million is squandered on a hotel $125 million is squandered on a hotel

reservation system, in which proper reservation system, in which proper project management should have project management should have revealed that this project was revealed that this project was hopelessly out-of-controlhopelessly out-of-control

Software development projects Software development projects frequently produce systems that are not frequently produce systems that are not used because users deem them used because users deem them unusableunusable

Preventing Horror Stories Preventing Horror Stories through Software Engineeringthrough Software Engineering Software engineering can address a Software engineering can address a

significant number of the previously significant number of the previously discussed software failuresdiscussed software failures

Certain failures cannot be addressed by Certain failures cannot be addressed by software engineering and proper software engineering and proper system design, such as ensuring that system design, such as ensuring that users are adequately trained, but it can users are adequately trained, but it can mitigate the effects of such problemsmitigate the effects of such problems

Preventing Horror Stories Preventing Horror Stories through Software Engineeringthrough Software Engineering Proper software engineering can Proper software engineering can

address the following issues:address the following issues: Adequate testingAdequate testing Proper project managementProper project management Improved algorithm designImproved algorithm design Improved data designImproved data design

CONFIRM Development CONFIRM Development Objectives Objectives Design, develop, operate, and maintain Design, develop, operate, and maintain

a new state-of-the-art reservation a new state-of-the-art reservation processing system to be used world-processing system to be used world-wide.wide.

Design and develop interfaces with Design and develop interfaces with airline reservation systems so airline reservation systems so consumers could make airline, hotel, consumers could make airline, hotel, and car rental reservations through a and car rental reservations through a single computerized system.single computerized system.

CONFIRM Development CONFIRM Development Objectives Objectives Market the reservation system and Market the reservation system and

other communications services to other communications services to customers for profit.customers for profit.

Convert each of the partners' (Hilton, Convert each of the partners' (Hilton, Marriot, and Budget Rent-A-Car) Marriot, and Budget Rent-A-Car) current reservation systems to the new current reservation systems to the new integrated system.integrated system.

Integrate the reservation systems with Integrate the reservation systems with decision support systems.decision support systems.

CONFIRM Case Study:CONFIRM Case Study:

In October 1987 Marriott, Hilton, Budget In October 1987 Marriott, Hilton, Budget Rent-a-car, and AMRIS form a Rent-a-car, and AMRIS form a consortium to develop and run consortium to develop and run CONFIRM, with AMRIS managing the CONFIRM, with AMRIS managing the development.development.

The project is to be developed in two The project is to be developed in two phases and be completed by June phases and be completed by June 1992.1992.

CONFIRM Case Study:CONFIRM Case Study:

On May 24, 1988, AMRIS announces On May 24, 1988, AMRIS announces the beginning of the CONFIRM design the beginning of the CONFIRM design phase through a press release.phase through a press release.

On December 30, 1988, AMRIS On December 30, 1988, AMRIS presents the base design of the system presents the base design of the system to to the members of the consortium. to to the members of the consortium. Marriott objects that the functional Marriott objects that the functional specifications are not sufficiently specifications are not sufficiently detailed to convey user needs to the detailed to convey user needs to the developers. developers.

CONFIRM Case Study:CONFIRM Case Study:

In March 1989, AMRIS presents a In March 1989, AMRIS presents a development plan which is found to be development plan which is found to be unacceptable by the consortium unacceptable by the consortium members.members.

In August 1989, AMRIS releases project In August 1989, AMRIS releases project financial estimates to consortium financial estimates to consortium members. Based on these estimates, members. Based on these estimates, the other consortium members decide to the other consortium members decide to remain involved in the project. remain involved in the project.

CONFIRM Case Study:CONFIRM Case Study:

The statements regarding the financial The statements regarding the financial estimates are later found to severely estimates are later found to severely underestimate personnel and operating underestimate personnel and operating costs.costs.

In September 1989, AMRIS finally In September 1989, AMRIS finally completes the design phase to the completes the design phase to the consortium members' satisfaction. The consortium members' satisfaction. The cost estimate for the project increases to cost estimate for the project increases to $72.6 million from $55 million.$72.6 million from $55 million.

CONFIRM Case Study:CONFIRM Case Study:

In January 1990, AMRIS misses its first In January 1990, AMRIS misses its first contractual deadline for completion of the contractual deadline for completion of the terminal-screen design.terminal-screen design.

In February 1990, a second project In February 1990, a second project milestone concerning analysis of the milestone concerning analysis of the business area for the system is missed. business area for the system is missed. AMRIS admits to being 13 weeks behind AMRIS admits to being 13 weeks behind schedule, but claims that the original schedule, but claims that the original deadline can still be achieved.deadline can still be achieved.

CONFIRM Case Study:CONFIRM Case Study:

In February 1991, AMRIS presents the In February 1991, AMRIS presents the consortium members with a revised consortium members with a revised development plan that provides Marriott development plan that provides Marriott with its full functionality by March 1993. with its full functionality by March 1993. Marriott later claims that AMRIS knew it Marriott later claims that AMRIS knew it could not meet the new deadline and could not meet the new deadline and forced employees to artificially inflate forced employees to artificially inflate their timetables or face firing or their timetables or face firing or reassignment. reassignment.

CONFIRM Case Study:CONFIRM Case Study:

In the revised development plan, AMRIS In the revised development plan, AMRIS raises the price of the project to $92 raises the price of the project to $92 million. million.

In October 1991, the president of AMRIS In October 1991, the president of AMRIS and about 20 additional employees and about 20 additional employees resign.resign.

CONFIRM Case Study:CONFIRM Case Study:

On May 1, 1992 the new president of On May 1, 1992 the new president of AMRIS acknowledges that the "system AMRIS acknowledges that the "system interfaces and databases are insufficient interfaces and databases are insufficient to providing the necessary performance to providing the necessary performance and reliability". He also attributes the and reliability". He also attributes the situation to AMRIS's misrepresentation situation to AMRIS's misrepresentation of the status of the project.of the status of the project.

CONFIRM Case Study:CONFIRM Case Study:

Finally, in July 1992 after spending $125 Finally, in July 1992 after spending $125 million on the effort, the consortium million on the effort, the consortium disbands.disbands.

Questions for Discussion on Questions for Discussion on the CONFIRM Case Studythe CONFIRM Case Study

If you were a partner in the consortium If you were a partner in the consortium developing CONFIRM, when would you developing CONFIRM, when would you have terminated your involvement and have terminated your involvement and why?why?

Which SE deliverables should have been Which SE deliverables should have been tell-tale indicators that the project was tell-tale indicators that the project was off-track? off-track?

Be specific. How would you evaluate a Be specific. How would you evaluate a deliverable as being inadequate?deliverable as being inadequate?

Questions for Discussion on Questions for Discussion on the CONFIRM Case Studythe CONFIRM Case Study

What violations of professional ethics What violations of professional ethics occurred in the CONFIRM chronology?occurred in the CONFIRM chronology?

If you were a developers on the If you were a developers on the CONFIRM project, would you have CONFIRM project, would you have altered the time table as directed by altered the time table as directed by management or face firing? What if you management or face firing? What if you were economically dependent on this were economically dependent on this job?job?

Questions for Discussion on Questions for Discussion on the CONFIRM Case Studythe CONFIRM Case Study

No risk analysis was carried out on the No risk analysis was carried out on the project. What potential stumbling blocks project. What potential stumbling blocks might a thorough risk analysis have might a thorough risk analysis have highlighted?highlighted?

What suggestions to reduce the risk level What suggestions to reduce the risk level of this development project might have of this development project might have been made?been made?

As manager what would you have done As manager what would you have done differently?differently?

Questions for Discussion on Questions for Discussion on the CONFIRM Case Studythe CONFIRM Case Study

The development plan scheduled The development plan scheduled meetings between the developers and meetings between the developers and user representatives only once a month? user representatives only once a month? What problems might this cause? What What problems might this cause? What sort of developer-user relationship would sort of developer-user relationship would you establish for this project?you establish for this project?

Questions for Discussion on Questions for Discussion on the CONFIRM Case Studythe CONFIRM Case Study

If you were interviewing with a company If you were interviewing with a company that appeared to have an excessive that appeared to have an excessive number of openings, what questions number of openings, what questions might you ask as a result of being might you ask as a result of being familiar with the CONFIRM case study?familiar with the CONFIRM case study?

What questions would you ask a What questions would you ask a potential employer, If you were potential employer, If you were considering being hired as a developer considering being hired as a developer for a large-scale project?for a large-scale project?