What Happens if Your Software Fails?

Society is becoming increasingly dependent on software to function. Have you considered the potential consequences if your software fails?

As more IT and OT (Operations Technology) become interconnected and integrated as part of the digitalization of products and services, the demand for critical applications is rising, and society’s tolerance for errors is decreasing. Software-controlled products have much lower error tolerances than human-controlled products. No one wants there to be any faults in the software of a self-driving vehicle, right? That could be catastrophic. Even a malfunctioning AC on a hot summer day can feel like a disaster. Swish, or cashless payment without a card in general, was a new and exciting thing when it first appeared. Now, it is a crucial building block in the development of a cashless society. A failed Swish transaction for a beer at the pub or for children’s clothes at a flea market may not cause major problems, but if your teenage daughter needs a Swish to get a taxi home on a Saturday night, it absolutely needs to work.

Society-Sustaining Industrial Software

These are examples of what we call society-sustaining industrial software, which can be found in everything from products like vehicles and robots to payment systems. When we talk about this kind of software, we usually provide a few more examples:

The mining machine should not cause a collapse.
The robot should not injure the operator.
The JAS pilot should not crash.
The tax return should be able to be submitted.
A bailiff should not knock on the wrong door.
No one should be able to hide criminal ownership of a company.

Build the Software Right from the Start

To reduce the risk of software failure, it is important to do things right from the beginning. IT projects are traditionally clearly defined in terms of time and budget. This approach often limits the flexibility to develop the most valuable and secure software.

So, skip the project mindset and instead think about and develop a product or service through an attractive technical solution. How and where will the software be used, and what are the real goals and values? How can we build in scalability? Can the team scale up or down during the software development process to create the most value for the investment?

Higher Demands on Cybersecurity and Safety

With an increasing threat of cyberattacks, regulatory requirements like NIS2 and CRA are becoming more stringent. Additionally, owners, customers, suppliers, employees, and partners are all demanding higher levels of security. All of this needs to be integrated from the start in software development to create the best possible security and trust.

To work efficiently with a focus on the customer and value, it is also important to continuously deliver functional software and to test and quality-assure it rather than creating extensive documentation.

Continuous Improvement in Development

Building unique software for industrial companies requires not only technical expertise but also a culture of continuous improvement. We typically summarize our approach in five points:

Continuous feedback and communication.
Automation of testing and deployment.
Agile working methodology.
Training and skills development.
Measuring and analyzing performance.

Unique Solutions for Critical Applications

HiQ has been collaborating for over 25 years with customers who develop critical applications. We contribute, for example, to implementing autonomous driving and driver assistance systems in as many vehicles as possible, and we have built and developed the IT solution for Swish in collaboration with Bankgirot. Our security-certified consultants work closely with customers and in smart ways, enabling eight consultants to deliver the work of twelve. We build unique solutions that our customers often patent.