Software Safety Standards: Understand, Evaluate and Apply

1. What problem does this course solve?

Software safety standards can appear to be a confusing collection of documents, processes, and terminology. DO-178C, IEC 61508 and ISO 26262 come from different industries, but they address many common underlying problems.

2. Why is the problem difficult?

We often encounter:

• unfamiliar standards;

• conflicting terminology;

• inherited processes;

• requirements to tailor a standard;

• projects operating across multiple regulatory environments.

3. How can we solve these problems?

Introducing the 4+1 Principles! Instead of treating each standard as a separate body of rules to memorise, this course introduces a set of underlying software safety principles that you can use to understand, compare and critically evaluate different standards.

4. What standards and domains are covered?

• DO-178C;

• IEC 61508 and derivatives;

• ISO 26262.

These are examples through which we practise the method, rather than simply a list of documents.

5. Who is this for?

Software engineers. You develop or assure software that could contribute to a hazardous or safety-critical outcome.

Safety and systems engineers. You need to understand how software safety fits into the wider system safety process.

Engineering managers and assurance professionals. You need sufficient understanding to assess software safety approaches, standards, suppliers or assurance evidence.

6. Why should you trust me to teach you this?

Because I have excellent credentials:

• software engineering professional since 1994;

• system safety engineering since 1996;

• aviation, ships, submarines, ICT, ATM, rail and road vehicles;

• UK, US, European and Australian programmes;

• practitioner, trainer and mentor.

This course is a focused, practical introduction—designed to give busy engineering professionals a reusable framework without requiring a 20-hour commitment.

This course focuses on the engineering and assurance of safety-critical software. It is not a programming course, and you do not need to write code to benefit from it.

BUT WHAT IF:

"I'm not a software engineer."

Answer: You do not need to be a programmer. The course is designed to help safety, systems, quality and engineering professionals understand how software safety is addressed.

"I only work in aerospace."

Answer: Although DO-178C is examined, the underlying principles can help you understand approaches across different safety-critical industries.

"I only work in automotive/rail/industrial systems."

Answer: The course compares approaches across industries rather than assuming one standard applies everywhere.

"I've never worked with software safety."

Answer: Some familiarity with software or safety engineering is useful, but no specialist prior knowledge is required.

"I already know one of these standards."

Answer: The value is not merely an introduction to individual standards. You will learn a framework for evaluating and comparing them.