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CM50121: Safety critical systems

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2013/4
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Computer Science
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment: CW 25%, EX 75%
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: CM50121 - Mandatory extra work (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: This unit shares lectures and tutorials with CM30072.
Aims:
To give an appreciation of the current state of safe systems development. To develop an understanding of risk in systems. To give a foundation in hazard analysis models and techniques. To show how safety principles may be built into all stages of the software development process.

Learning Outcomes:
After studying this unit a student will be able to:
* understand the concepts of safety, risk and the role of human factors in the design and operation of safety critical systems;
* understand the nature and role of the safety lifecycle in developing safety related systems;
* choose and apply appropriate hazard identification and analysis techniques for a variety of safety related problems;
* critically evaluate and reason effectively about hazardous situations in safety critical systems.

Skills:
Understanding of safety issues in software and systems development (T, A); critical analysis of safety critical situations in software and systems development (T, F, A); choosing appropriate analysis and design techniques for a wide range of safety-critical situations (T, F, A); assessment of risk and associated human factors in a variety of systems (T, A).

Content:
The nature of risk: computers and risk; how accidents happen; human error. System safety: historical approaches to system safety; basic concepts and terminology. Managing the development of safety-critical systems. Modelling human error and the accident process. Hazard analysis: basic principles; models and techniques. Safety principles in the software lifecycle: hazard analysis as part of requirements analysis; designing for safety; designing the human-machine interface; verification of safety in computer systems.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

CM50121 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Computer Science
  • RSCM-AFD02 : Doctor of Engineering (EngD) in Digital Media (Full-time)
  • TSCM-AFM23 : MSc Internet Systems and Security (Full-time)
  • TSCM-AWM27 : MSc Internet Systems and Security (Full-time incorporating placement)
  • TSCM-AFM21 : MSc Software Systems (Full-time)
  • TSCM-AWM29 : MSc Software Systems (Full-time incorporating placement)

CM50121 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Computer Science
  • TSCM-AFM19 : MSc Human Computer Interaction (Full-time)
  • TSCM-AWM25 : MSc Human Computer Interaction (Full-time incorporating placement)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2013/4 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2014/15 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2013/14.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.