Software Engineering Institute

Charles B. Weinstock

Software Engineering Institute

Publications by Charles B. Weinstock

Using Confidence Maps

April 23, 2019 • Video

Charles B. Weinstock

Chuck Weinstock introduces confidence maps and explains how they work to determine how much confidence someone can have in a claim.
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Measuring Complexity for System Safety Assurance

March 23, 2017 • Presentation

Sarah Sheard Michael D. Konrad William Nichols

This presentation describes a two-year research effort to define complexity measures for avionics systems in order to help the FAA identify when systems are too complex to assure their safety.
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FAA Research Project on System Complexity Effects on Aircraft Safety: Testing the Identified Metrics

November 30, 2016 • White Paper

Michael D. Konrad Sarah Sheard Charles B. Weinstock

This report describes a test of an algorithm for estimating the complexity of a safety argument.
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FAA Research Project on System Complexity Effects on Aircraft Safety: Estimating Complexity of a Safety Argument

November 30, 2016 • White Paper

Michael D. Konrad Sarah Sheard Charles B. Weinstock

This report presents a formula for estimating the complexity of an avionics system and directly connects that complexity to the size of its safety argument.
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FAA Research Project on System Complexity Effects on Aircraft Safety: Identifying the Impact of Complexity on Safety

November 30, 2016 • White Paper

Sarah Sheard Charles B. Weinstock Michael D. Konrad

This report organizes our work on the impact of software complexity on aircraft safety by asking, “How can complexity complicate safety and, thus, certification?”
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Assurance Cases and Confidence

November 17, 2016 • Presentation

Charles B. Weinstock

This talk on assurance cases and confidence was presented at the IEEE Invitational Workshop to Create a Building-Code for Power System Software Security.
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Definition and Measurement of Complexity in the Context of Safety Assurance

October 27, 2016 • Technical Report

Sarah Sheard Michael D. Konrad Charles B. Weinstock

This report describes research to define complexity measures for avionics systems to help the FAA identify when systems are too complex to assure their safety.
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Improving Quality Using Architecture Fault Analysis with Confidence Arguments

March 10, 2015 • Technical Report

Peter H. Feiler Charles B. Weinstock John B. Goodenough

The case study shows that by combining an analytical approach with confidence maps, we can present a structured argument that system requirements have been met and problems in the design have been addressed adequately.
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Eliminative Argumentation: A Basis for Arguing Confidence in System Properties

February 25, 2015 • Technical Report

John B. Goodenough Charles B. Weinstock Ari Z. Klein

This report defines the concept of eliminative argumentation and provides a basis for assessing how much confidence one should have in an assurance case argument.
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Software Assurance Cases

January 16, 2014 • Podcast

Charles (Chuck) Weinstock Suzanne Miller

In this podcast, Charles Weinstock introduces assurance cases and how they can be used to assure safety, security, and reliability.
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Evidence of Assurance: Laying the Foundation for a Credible Security Case

August 07, 2013 • White Paper

Charles B. Weinstock Howard F. Lipson

In this paper, the authors provide examples of several of the kinds of evidence that can contribute to a security case.
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Arguing Security - Creating Security Assurance Cases

July 05, 2013 • White Paper

Charles B. Weinstock Howard F. Lipson John B. Goodenough

In this paper, the authors explain an approach to documenting an assurance case for system security.
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Four Pillars for Improving the Quality of Safety-Critical Software-Reliant Systems

April 29, 2013 • White Paper

Peter H. Feiler John B. Goodenough Arie Gurfinkel

This white paper presents an improvement strategy comprising four pillars of an integrate-then-build practice that lead to improved quality through early defect discovery and incremental end-to-end validation and verification.
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Eliminative Induction: A Basis for Arguing System Confidence

March 20, 2013 • Conference Paper

John B. Goodenough Charles B. Weinstock Ari Z. Klein

In this paper, the authors explain how the principle of eliminative induction provides a basis for assessing confidence in an assurance case argument.
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Measuring Assurance Case Confidence using Baconian Probabilities

March 01, 2013 • Conference Paper

John B. Goodenough Ari Z. Klein Charles B. Weinstock

In this 2013 paper, the authors discuss how to assess confidence in a case by considering the doubts eliminated by the claims and evidence in a case.
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Reliability Improvement and Validation Framework

November 01, 2012 • Special Report

Peter H. Feiler John B. Goodenough Arie Gurfinkel

This report discusses the reliability validation and improvement framework developed by the SEI. The purpose of this framework is to provide a foundation for addressing the challenges of qualifying increasingly software-reliant, safety-critical systems.
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Toward a Theory of Assurance Case Confidence

September 01, 2012 • Technical Report

John B. Goodenough Charles B. Weinstock Ari Z. Klein

In this report, the authors present a framework for thinking about confidence in assurance case arguments.
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Results of SEI Independent Research and Development Projects (FY 2010)

February 01, 2011 • Technical Report

William Anderson David Fisher David P. Gluch

This report describes results of independent research and development (IRAD) projects undertaken in fiscal year 2010.
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Evaluating and Mitigating Software Supply Chain Security Risks

May 01, 2010 • Technical Note

Robert J. Ellison John B. Goodenough Charles B. Weinstock

In this 2010 report, the authors identify software supply chain security risks and specify evidence to gather to determine if these risks have been mitigated.
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Towards an Assurance Case Practice for Medical Devices

October 01, 2009 • Technical Note

Charles B. Weinstock John B. Goodenough

In this report, the authors explore how to enable manufacturers and federal regulators gain confidence in software-dominated medical devices.
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Results of SEI Independent Research and Development Projects (FY 2008)

December 01, 2008 • Technical Report

Dionisio de Niz Gabriel Moreno Robert Nord

This report describes the independent research and development (IRAD) projects that were conducted during fiscal year 2008 (October 2007 through September 2008).
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Survivability Assurance for System of Systems

May 01, 2008 • Technical Report

Robert J. Ellison John B. Goodenough Charles B. Weinstock

In this report, the authors describe the Survivability Analysis Framework, a structured view of people, process, and technology.
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On System Scalability

March 01, 2006 • Technical Note

Charles B. Weinstock John B. Goodenough

This 2006 report presents an analysis of what is meant by scalability and a description of factors to be considered when assessing the potential for system scalability.
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Results of SEI Independent Research and Development Projects and Report on Emerging Technologies and Technology Trends (FY2005)

December 01, 2005 • Technical Report

Rosann W. Collins Rick Kazman Richard C. Linger (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

This report describes the IR&D projects that were conducted during fiscal year 2005 (October 2004 through September 2005). In addition, this report provides information on what the SEI has learned in its role as a technology scout for developments over the past year in the field of software engineering.
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Dependability Cases

May 01, 2004 • Technical Note

Charles B. Weinstock John B. Goodenough John J. Hudak

In this 2004 report, the authors explain how to create a dependability case for a system that helps identify and keep track of details of large systems.
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Quality Attribute Workshops (QAWs), Third Edition

October 01, 2003 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Robert J. Ellison Anthony J. Lattanze

This report describes the newly revised QAW (Quality Attribute Workshop) and describes potential uses of the refined scenarios generated during it.
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Model-Based Verification: Abstraction Guidelines

October 01, 2002 • Technical Note

John J. Hudak Santiago Comella-Dorda David P. Gluch

This 2002 report presents abstraction techniques that can be used to build essential models of system behavior in the context of MBV and details a methodology for creating state machine models using those techniques.
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Model-Based Verification: An Engineering Practice

August 01, 2002 • Technical Report

David P. Gluch Santiago Comella-Dorda John J. Hudak

This 2002 report summarizes MBV and outlines the responsibilities of engineers engaged in Model-Based Verification.
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Quality Attribute Workshops, 2nd Edition

June 01, 2002 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Robert J. Ellison Anthony J. Lattanze

This report clarifies the context in which a QAW (Quality Attribute Workshop) is applicable, provides a rationale for developing the process and describes it in detail, and concludes with a list of lessons learned and a discussion of how these lessons have helped evolve the process to its current state.
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Model-Based Verification: Guidelines for Generating Expected Properties

January 01, 2002 • Technical Note

David P. Gluch Santiago Comella-Dorda John J. Hudak

This report presents a basic set of guidelines to facilitate the generation of expected properties in the context of Model-Based Verification.
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Model-Based Verification: Analysis Guidelines

December 01, 2001 • Technical Note

Grace Lewis Santiago Comella-Dorda David P. Gluch

This technical note provides guidance for the analysis activity that occurs during the interpretation of results produced by model-checking tools.
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Perspectives on Open Source Software

November 01, 2001 • Technical Report

Scott Hissam Charles B. Weinstock Daniel Plakosh

This 2001 report summarizes the results of a study of the benefits of pitfalls of using open source software.
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Framework Document: Model-Based Verification Pilot Study

October 01, 2001 • Special Report

David P. Gluch John J. Hudak Robert Janousek

This 2001 document describes the processes, activities, artifacts, and deliverables associated with an Engineering Practice Investigation of MBV.
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Model-Based Verification: Claim Creation Guidelines

October 01, 2001 • Technical Note

Santiago Comella-Dorda David P. Gluch John J. Hudak

This 2001 report describes a pattern-based approach to facilitate claim generation.
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Model-Based Verification: Scope, Formalism, and Perspective Guidelines

October 01, 2001 • Technical Note

David P. Gluch Santiago Comella-Dorda John J. Hudak

This report provides guidance for defining the scope, formalism, and perspective for applying MBV, a systematic approach to finding defects in software requirements, designs, or code.
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Quality Attribute Workshops

May 01, 2001 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Robert J. Ellison Judith A. Stafford

This report describes the QAW (Quality Attribute Workshop) approach, which is a method for evaluating a software-intensive system architecture during the acquisition phase of major programs.
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Quality Attribute Workshop Participants Handbook

January 01, 2000 • Special Report

Mario R. Barbacci Robert J. Ellison Charles B. Weinstock

This report describes the 1) process we use to conduct QAW (Quality Attribute Workshop), 2) information required, 3) suggested tools, and 4) expected outcomes of QAWs.
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Simplex in a Hostile Communications Environment: The Coordinated Prototype

August 01, 1999 • Technical Report

Neal Altman Charles B. Weinstock Lui R. Sha

This report describes an approach to using Simplex to construct a COTS-based computer system capable of coordinated real-time motion control in a hostile communications environment.
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Model-Based Verification: A Technology for Dependable Upgrade

September 01, 1998 • Technical Report

David P. Gluch Charles B. Weinstock

This 1998 report outlines the technological foundations of model-based verification for engineering software system upgrades.
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Mapping MetaH into ACME

July 01, 1998 • Special Report

Mario R. Barbacci Charles B. Weinstock

This 1998 report explores the translation of MetaH into ACME.
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Steps in an Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method: Quality Attribute Models and Analysis

May 01, 1998 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Peter H. Feiler Mark H. Klein

This paper presents some of the steps in an emerging architecture tradeoff analysis method (ATAM).
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Workshop on the State of the Practice in Dependably Upgrading Critical Systems

August 01, 1997 • Special Report

David P. Gluch Charles B. Weinstock

This report describes the results of the Workshop on the State of the Practice in Dependably Upgrading Critical Systems held April 16-17, 1997 at the Software Engineering Institute.
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A Perspective on the State of Research in Fault-Tolerant Systems

July 01, 1997 • Special Report

Charles B. Weinstock David P. Gluch

This 1997 report presents a perspective on research in fault tolerance as it relates to dependability in software-based systems and attempts to describe the current state of, and outline future directions for, this broad research field.
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Principles for Evaluating the Quality Attributes of a Software Architecture

May 01, 1997 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Mark H. Klein Charles B. Weinstock

This report describes a few principles for analyzing a software architecture to determine if it exhibits certain quality attributes.
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An Architectural Description of the Simplex Architecture

March 01, 1996 • Technical Report

JoseGermanRivera AlejandroAndresDanylyszyn Charles B. Weinstock

This report describes SEI-developed Simplex, a software architecture for dependable and evolvable process-control systems.
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Quality Attributes

December 01, 1995 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Mark H. Klein Thomas A. Longstaff

This report describes efforts to develop a unifying approach for reasoning about multiple software quality attributes.
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Dependable Software Technology Exchange

June 01, 1993 • Special Report

Charles B. Weinstock Fred Schneider

This report summarizes the discussions at the 1993 Dependable Software Technology Exchange meeting.
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A Conceptual Framework for System Fault Tolerance

February 01, 1992 • Technical Report

Walter Heimerdinger (Honeywell)Charles B. Weinstock

This document provides vocabulary, discusses system failure, describes mechanisms for making systems fault tolerant, and provides rules for developing fault-tolerant systems.
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Durra: A Task-Level Description Language Reference Manual (Version 3)

December 01, 1991 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Dennis N. Doubleday Michael J. Gardner

This 1991 report describes the Durra language and incorporates the language changes introduced as a result of our experiences writing application descriptions in Durra.
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A Description of Cluster Code Generated by the Durra Compiler

December 01, 1991 • Technical Report

Dennis N. Doubleday Michael J. Gardner Charles B. Weinstock

This document helps Durra application developers acquire an understanding of the concepts necessary to be effective Durra application debuggers.
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Building Distributed ADA Applications from Specifications and Functional Components

December 01, 1991 • Technical Report

Dennis N. Doubleday Mario R. Barbacci Charles B. Weinstock

This report describes Durra, a language and support environment for the specification and execution of distributed Ada applications.
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Fault Tolerant Systems Practitioner's Workshop June 10-11, 1991

October 01, 1991 • Special Report

Walter Heimerdinger (Honeywell)Charles B. Weinstock

This 1991 report summarizes workshop discussions about state of the practice in fault tolerant systems and barriers to the deployment of fault tolerant systems.
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Durra: An Integrated Approach to Software Specification, Modeling, and Rapid Prototyping

September 01, 1991 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Dennis N. Doubleday Charles B. Weinstock

This 1991 paper discusses the relationship between software specification, modeling and prototyping activities as part of a real-time system development strategy.
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Recommendations from the AIA/SEI Workshop on Research Advances Required for Real-Time Software Systems in the 1990s

December 01, 1989 • Special Report

William Sweet Michael J. Gagliardi Mark H. Klein

This report summarizes the discussions held at a 1989 workshop to facilitate communication between implementers of future software-critical large systems and those who sponsor or perform software-related research.
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Durra: A Task-Level Description Language User's Manual

September 01, 1989 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Dennis N. Doubleday Charles B. Weinstock

This manual is for users of the Durra compiler, runtime system, and support tools.
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Performance and Reliability Enhancement of the Durra Runtime Environment

February 01, 1989 • Technical Report

Charles B. Weinstock

This 1989 report describes a new design for the Durra runtime environment that addresses these two issues.
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Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence Node: A Durra Application Example

February 01, 1989 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Dennis N. Doubleday Charles B. Weinstock

This report describes an experiment in implementing a command, control, communications and intelligence (C3I) node using reusable components.
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The Durra Runtime Environment

July 01, 1988 • Technical Report

Mario R. Barbacci Dennis N. Doubleday Charles B. Weinstock

This 1988 report describes the Durra Runtime Environment for Durra, a language designed to support PMS-level programming.
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