The Role of Natural Language in Accident Investigation and Reporting Guidelines

A b s tr a c t: T h e n e e d to le a rn fro m in c id e n ts a n d a c c id e n ts re s u ltin g fro m s o ftw a re fa ilu re to im p ro v e th e d e v e lo p m e n t p ro c e s s a n d re d u c e th e in c id e n c e o f s u c h e v e n ts m a n d a te s a rig o ro u s d is c ip lin e o f fo re n s ic s o ftw a re e n g in e e rin g. T h e p ro life ra tio n o f a s s u m p tio n in th e n o tio n s a n d re p re s e n ta tio n s o f c ritic a l c o n c e p ts d u rin g a s o ftw a re p ro c e s s is a b a rr ie r to d e v e lo p in g th is d is c ip lin e. T h is is tru e n o t o n ly o f d o c u m e n ts s u c h a s r e q u ir e m e n ts s ta te m e n ts a n d in v e s tig a tio n re p o rts , b u t a ls o o f th e g u id e lin e s th a t d ic ta te h o w in v e s tig a tio n o f fa ilu re s s h o u ld ta k e p la c e. T h e g o a l o f in v e s tig a tio n g u id e lin e s is th e p ro d u c tio n o f a re p o rt w ith c e rta in p ro p e …