A GQM based approach towards the development of metrics for software safety

Abstract

Software sometimes safety-critical if it resides in a safetycritical computer systems and it causes or contributes to hazards. Therefore, Safety-critical software intensive systems require verification and validation to confirm that they function as per the safety requirements. Software Safety is a combination of many factors. Metrics are commonly used in engineering as measures for the performance of a system on a given attribute. This paper presents a methodology for software safety framework based on Goal-Question-Metric (GQM) Approach. The proposed methodology was applied to a safety-critical Railroad Crossing Control System (RCCS) which is a laboratory prototype. The outcomes of the prototype are satisfactory and observed that safety risks are within the acceptable threshold level.