Usability and Scalability of Performing Software FMEA Integration with Software Architecture Design

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper presents a conceptual study on how to perform an 8-step software FMEA by adding a signal analysis step into the 7-step FMEA of AIAG-VDA<sup>1st</sup> edition. In 8-step software FMEA, structural analysis, functional analysis, and the newly added signal analysis steps correspond to software architecting. Thus, the 8-step software FMEA has the effect of integrating software architecting and FMEA, and this study defines it as integrated software FMEA. In the structure tree, the functionality-assigned elements are designed to produce their variables through signal analysis, and by utilizing this variable information, it is newly proposed that software FMEA can be linked and extended to dependent failure analysis and fault tree analysis. In addition, the optimization step uses the variable information to link failure mitigation and prevention measures to verification and validation tests with traceability, which is helpful to verify its results. Since the 7-step FMEA of AIAG-VDA<sup>1st</sup> edition recommends the use of a spreadsheet, the integrated software FMEA templates the spreadsheet and applies automation functions to the template to define elements with the functionality and failure modes for their functions in a highly-readable manner. Furthermore, the software architecture design specification and software FMEA report can be generated, including a new type of dynamic sequential view diagram. This way, software FMEA can be performed quickly and easily, and its deliverables can be of a higher level of quality.</div></div>