How To Live With Software Problems

Abstract

Abstract:In general, software systems are relatively error free and support us doing our work. We could not live without these systems if we want to maintain the level of service, to which our customers have become accustomed. Most users, however, from time to time experience problems. It seems that despite all improvement efforts in areas such as specification, usability, testing and so on, software in use will cause problems, and we must find ways to live with this fact.From a user perspective a system is either in the phase of implementation or operation. This paper focuses on the problems encountered by users when a system is in the operational phase and the development organisation is not available for problem resolution. The goal must be to support the users to get the highest possible benefit from the system. We must help users find the best way to live with the system. This paper describes how to record problems and the basic principles to follow when these problems are processed. Examples are used to show how the potential benefit can be estimated. This forms the base for a decision on whether it is worth to cure the problem or not. It is common sense to provide support in this way, but experience shows that many organisations do it in an unstructured way and without recording the costs and benefits. Many provide support only because the cost of task failure, due to system problems, is high.The paper then presents various measures to be taken to help the users do their work efficiently and get the best out of the system. It will be demonstrated how many of the problems can be cured through better information to the users, better work procedures, and system tailoring -without modifying source code.