Key facts

Type	Day and Weekend
Location	Oxford
Address	Rewley House 1 Wellington Square Oxford
Dates	Sat 26 Jan 2013
Subject area(s)	Computing
Fees	From £80.00
Application status	Course cancelled
Course code	O12P181COR
Course contact	If you have any questions about this course, please email ppdayweek@conted.ox.ac.uk.

Overview

Introduction

Software fiascos – what happened, can we learn from them? Are governments more susceptible? How do they affect us? Is software peculiarly vulnerable? We mention some scandals that have occurred in a non-software context, and consider whether the problem is large projects rather than large software systems. Do big engineering projects always overrun and go over budget? What is particular to software in this regard.


Evidence
How do we know something went wrong and can we believe what we read in the papers? Is blame ever apportionable? Are we making the same mistakes, over and over again? Why do governments appear particularly prone to these disasters?


Case Studies
In each case we look at: what seems to have happened, what may have caused it, whether it could have been prevented and whether there are any lessons to be learned. As we look at each disaster, we keep a ledger of “best practices” that seem to have been neglected and we look for commonalties.

We consider: The ambulance dispatch service system, the airport luggage handling system, rocket control systems, and several large government systems including a recent one associated with the National Health Service.

Your situation
Finally, we discuss whether you might be involved in a potential disaster and how you would know. Are there warning signs? How should you react (bearing in mind that a doomsayer is often pilloried). Last, we look at new projects that one might predict to be vulnerable.

Programme details

9.45am Registration

10.00am Initial quick tour of notable software disasters?

10.30am Coffee / tea

11.00am 1st and 2nd case studies

1.00pm Lunch

2.00pm 3rd and 4th case studies

3.00pm Tea / coffee

3.30pm 5th case study
Pulling together the common points. Overview of present day good practice.

5.00pm Course disperses

Staff

Accommodation

Accommodation is often available in Rewley House for those who wish to stay on the night before a course. Please contact our Residential Centre on 01865 270362 for details of availability and prices.

Fee options

Programme Fee

Tuition (includes coffee/tea): £80.00

Catering

Baguette: £3.50

Full lunch: £11.00

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