Renowned risk analyst Robert N. Charette has observed a troubling trend in the information technology sector over his expansive 50-year career: the relentless recurrence of software failures. For the last 20 years, Charette has been sounding the alarm on these failures. He points out that they frequently result from delusional thinking of IT professionals, government officials and corporate executives. His wisdom helps explain why these kinds of blunders are not just common but mostly preventable as well.
Charette’s broad experience has provided him a front-row seat to more than 30 major software failures. That’s one of the worst in recent memory—the Canadian government’s Phoenix paycheck debacle, still floundering almost nine years after it went live. He claims that the frustrations with this system are indicative of more systemic malaise within the practice of software development.
In an interview with IEEE Spectrum’s Special Projects Editor Stephen Cass, Charette expressed his frustration with the acceptance of software failures in critical sectors. He pointed out just how unacceptable regular electricity outages are. In the same breath, though, he noted how the private sector—specifically, Amazon Web Services (AWS), telecommunications companies, and banks—has learned to embrace outages.
“We would never put up with electricity going out every other day, but we sure as hell have no problem accepting AWS going down or telcos or [banks] going out.” – Robert N. Charette
Charette underscores a huge gap between what society expects of technology and what we can expect from software. He makes the case that software is the most important thing, as important as electricity was in its day. Unlike the private sector, it doesn’t face the same level of scrutiny or accountability when it fails.
“Software is as significant as electricity.” – Robert N. Charette
After years of research, analysis and on-the-ground observation, it is disappointing to see so many in the industry continue to repeat the same mistakes, according to Charette. Predictably, avoidably dangerous software development Process of failure He points out that most failures in software development are predictable and avoidable. This indicates a systemic problem with enforcement, not random mistakes or errors.
“The biggest tragedy is that [software failure] is for the most part predictable and avoidable.” – Robert N. Charette
Charette’s observations, while focused on commercial applications, extend much further. He points out that in safety-critical areas—all of medical devices are in this domain—the standards become more stringent and the stakes for a software failure increase exponentially. The effects of these failures can be devastating, so it is imperative that developers implement more stringent processes.
“When you’re building software for medical devices, there are a lot more standards that have to be met and a lot more concern about the consequences of failure,” – Robert N. Charette
As a result, over the course of his career, Charette has established himself as a leading voice on the topic of software failures. His 2005 article Why Software Fails is still a must-read, 15 years later, a painful but all too accurate reflection of the state of the industry.
Charette’s discussions all convey this spirit of urgency and worry for the future when it comes to software development. He had experienced firsthand how delusional thought inevitably produces catastrophic outcomes. Today, he implores fellow industry stakeholders to address these key issues head on.