Safeware ─ System Safety and Computers

Leveson (computer science and engineering, U. of Washington) summarizes what is known about the safety of electromechanical systems, particularly those operated or monitored by computer. Emphasizing the importance of integrating software safety efforts with system safety engineering, she presents the elements of a program that includes management, hazard and requirements analysis, design for safety, design of the human-machine, interface, and verification. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

Nancy G. Leveson is Boeing Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington (and Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia). Dr. Leveson recently was awarded the Information System Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, " . . . for developing the field of software safety and for promoting responsible software and system engineering practices where life and liberty are at stake." She is the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering and a meember of the Board of Directors of the Computing Research Association, the National Research Council Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, and the ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy. She recently chaired a National Academy of Science study for NASA of the Space Shuttle software development process.

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