EP7 - STPA (System Theoretical Process Analysis) - Thoughts from Dr. Nancy Leveson (Part 1)
Flight Test Safety Channel
Deep Dive
What inspired Dr. Nancy Leveson to develop STAMP and STPA?
Dr. Leveson was initially approached to address software safety in a Navy torpedo project in the 1980s. She realized that traditional safety and hazard analysis methods, developed for electromechanical systems, were inadequate for software-intensive systems. This led her to develop a new causality model that treats accidents as control problems rather than failures.
How does STAMP differ from traditional safety analysis methods?
STAMP shifts the focus from component failures to control problems. It considers unsafe interactions between components, human behavior, and other factors, providing a more comprehensive approach to accident prevention.
Which industries have widely adopted STAMP and STPA?
The automotive and aviation industries have embraced STAMP and STPA the most. Automobiles, especially autonomous vehicles, contain vast amounts of software, making STAMP crucial. Aviation companies like Embraer and defense sectors are also using it extensively.
What was a significant early success of STAMP in a real-world application?
STAMP was used in the U.S. missile defense system before deployment in 2004. It identified numerous paths to inadvertent launch, delaying deployment by six months and costing several hundred million dollars to fix, demonstrating its effectiveness.
What is the 'On the Web' segment about?
The 'On the Web' segment highlights resources available on the Flight Test Safety Committee's website, such as the updated Airshow Display Flight Guidance, which combines historical and contemporary airshow planning information.
What upcoming events are mentioned in the podcast?
The 2020 AIAA Aviation Forum will be a virtual event from June 15-19. The SATP Annual Symposium is planned for September 23-26 in Anaheim, California, with a paper submission deadline of June 15. The European Flight Test Safety Workshop is scheduled for October 13-16 in London, with a paper submission deadline of July 31.
- Dr. Leveson's initial involvement stemmed from a request for help with software safety in a Navy torpedo project.
- Existing safety analysis methods were inadequate for software-intensive systems due to their focus on component failures.
- STAMP treats accidents as control problems rather than simply component failures, encompassing unsafe interactions and human behavior.
- Real-world applications demonstrated STAMP's effectiveness in identifying hazards and reducing costs.
Shownotes Transcript