Tag Archive for: 2020s

Test Automation and Artificial Intelligence

As we enter a new decade of technological advancements, Jama Software asked select thought leaders from various industries for the trends and events they foresee unfolding over the next 10 years.

In the fifth installment of our 2020s Predictions series, we’re featuring software testing predictions from Ricardo Camacho, Technical Product Marketing Manager at LDRA.

Jama Software: What are the biggest trends you’re seeing in software testing and how are they impacting product development?

Ricardo Camacho: I’m seeing a continued trend in the embracing of test automation. Not just to keep pace with the adoption and refinement in DevOps and Agile practices, but also due to increasing demands in software safety and security which is of great concern in today’s world. Each industry has different challenges, so different needs or focuses in test automation solutions are being sought.

One example of this is in the automotive industry, and particularly in the Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) – a prime example of a complex and evolutionary type of system.  Here you have development of advanced magnetics position sensor in the electronic power steering application, and there are other sensors like speed, inertial, and image which factor into that ecosystem.

These systems are also distributed systems and the components are being provided by different suppliers with different software stacks, using different software development methodologies made up of millions of lines of code. Test automation by way of adhering to a common coding standard for product development for all suppliers establishes a standard platform. In other words, a universal software development platform for vehicle software across all suppliers that address safety, security, and defect-free product goals. Not only have some automotive companies developed their own coding standards to enforce this, but we also see it by the movement and merger of MISRA and the AUTOSAR industry standards.

JS: Are there any technological advancements that you are seeing in software testing

RC: I’m seeing the emerging use of Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for software testing, which continues to evolve and will make an enormous impact. Today, in most organizations, thousands of test cases are created, many are redundant, and some have defects. Also, test scripts are not intelligent enough to determine state conditions of the system under test, so sleep or wait instructions need to be added to properly fulfill testing needs. The interdependencies between test scripts further adds more complexity which tends to cause test failures and script changes. Furthermore, some testing continues to require human interaction, or visual inspection, which makes it error prone. So, AI is the next evolutionary step in software testing.

Artificial intelligence provides many efficiencies and fills many of the missing gaps in software testing. One of the biggest impacts will be through spidering. Where the AI will crawl the application, collecting data and even taking screen shots to learn about the expected behavior of the application. The AI can then compare future runs to known patterns, exposing deviations quickly. AI similarly addresses Application Program Interface (API) testing by recording and mocking responses which significantly reduces the time it takes to perform API testing. Additionally, AI is not limited to just text comparisons in validation. AI can validate all types of data (e.g. video, audio, images).

Therefore, with AI’s help, more robust and reliable test cases are produced and in less time. AI improves test coverage, accuracy, and provides superior insight into the health of the application. AI is bringing a transformation in software testing and it’s here in the horizon. Thus, 2020 will bring forward these types of needed solutions.

Learn how Jama Software is partnering with LDRA to deliver a test validation and verification solution for safety- and security-critical embedded software by watching this video.

As we enter a new decade of technological advancements, Jama Software asked select thought leaders from various industries for the trends and events they foresee unfolding over the next 10 years.

In the fourth installment of our 2020s Predictions series, we’re featuring predictions from Robin Calhoun, Senior Product Manager at Jama Software, as well as a certified Scrum Master.

Calhoun uses her education in human behavior and economics to direct product decisions and to manage teams, combining this expertise with the ever-evolving body of knowledge in Agile development practices.

 

 

Jama Software: What product development trends are you expecting to take shape in the 2020s? 

Robin Calhoun: The 2020s will bring us increased seamlessness of data-driven decision making — particularly based on complex software algorithms and artificial intelligence. Given that, it will become especially important to understand where company’s decisions came from. Was it a human choice? An unanticipated output of a new, untested algorithm? Both?!

Decisions aided by software, in general, will continue to get more sophisticated and subtle. It’s already a part of our personal lives in the form of “smart,” connected devices (navigation, baking, or choosing a health care provider by using search or asking your smart voice assistant…), and it’s becoming part of how all kinds of decisions are made in product development with predictive software.

It will become important to distinguish where the edges of human decision making are, and what’s outside of our comprehension.

JS: In terms of product and systems development, what do you think will remain the same over the next decade? What will change?  

RC: Even as product complexity increases, it doesn’t take the responsibility away from people owning their product’s results (good and bad). Having tools to help anticipate and understand the way a product works is, and will remain, an essential capability. However, getting good information about what products will do in the wild will increase in difficulty and complexity.

Laws (I think) aren’t going to change to accept “the AI said so!” as if they have a life of their own. It will be important to have clear documentation (in software like Jama’s) about the intention of what’s built, and what you expect it to do, and how you tested it.

Also, a formal verification and validation (V&V) process as well as risk management, or something like it, will likely be used in more industries for this reason – the need to anticipate outcomes of products in many situations.

JS: What sorts of process adjustments do you think development teams will need to make to be successful in the next 10 years?  

RC: Agile and lean processes have made quick iteration, product “experiments” and feedback loops in development popular, and for good reason. They’re valuable in the correct applications. However, it’ll be important to also remember to integrate a robust and repeated mechanism to pause and ask these critical questions: “Why are we building this?”; “What’s the overall vision/value/goals we’re working toward?”; “What decisions lead us to this current situation?”

Balancing process (such as Agile) and continuous realignment to the big values/”whys” will be critical to succeed and compete in the 2020s. It’ll help to have tools that can handle holding the traceability between these different types of information.  

JS: What do you think will be some of the differentiators between a company surviving to see 2030, and those that do not? 

RC: Having clear boundaries and areas of expertise will help companies stand out in a sea of overlapping, and endlessly “integrated” products. That laser-focused vision needs to be captured and shared with everyone making product decisions now more than ever to remain differentiated.

JS: Where do you see Jama Software fitting in as the product development landscape evolves over the next decade, and what can our customers expect in return? 

RC: Jama is a place to manage continuous alignment (through smart traceability between the what and the why), and to drive focus (if it’s not traced to a “why” it’s orphaned data. And potentially disrupting your company’s focus… as described above).

JS: Any other thoughts you’d like to share on the future?

RC: Complexity doesn’t have to mean incomprehensibility or utter unpredictability. It might seem bleak, but there are already practices to manage uncertainty and complexity that haven’t been applied in all industries yet — like risk management and test-driven development. I see those practices expanding simply because it’s a logical way to work (not because of regulations). Run tests and manage risk as you go.

Also never out of style is building in opportunities to pause and ask “does this align with our vision?” Having a record of what you want to build and why is a necessary first step to asking good questions along the way (which Jama is a great tool for).

Still on the fence about managing your requirements with Jama Connect™? Learn some of the biggest improvements you’ll gain in your development process by watching our webinar, “Top Benefits of Moving to a Modern Requirements Management Tool.”

Medical Device Security Predictions for 2002

As we enter a new decade of technological advancements, Jama Software asked select thought leaders from various industries for the trends and events they foresee unfolding over the next 10 years.

In the third installment of our 2020s Predictions series, we’re featuring predictions from Chris Gates, Principal Systems Security Architect at Velentium, a professional engineering firm specializing in the design and manufacturing of therapeutic and diagnostic active medical devices.

Jama Software: What are the biggest trends you’re seeing in medical devices right now and how are they impacting product development?

Chris Gates: Regulatory bodies and Health Delivery Organizations (HDOs) are now mandating the creation and lifelong support of secure medical devices. This “Secure Lifecycle” starts with the first step in the development lifecycle and extended to the last day the medical device is marketed. This fundamental shift results in a tremendous amount of new artifacts to be managed and traced throughout the normal document tree, including security plans, requirements, test reports, post-market surveillance reports, approved supplier lists (ASL), etc., not to mention all the activities needed to create those artifacts in the first place!

JS: What are some continuing or new trends in medical device development you expect to see over the next decade?

CG: HDOs contractually mandating Medical Device Manufacturers’ (MDMs) level and nature of ongoing support for the life of the medical device in their organization, including in-field patching of software/firmware; Software Bill of Materials (SBOM); and assuming liability for all damages caused by the use or misuse of the device (such as being hacked and weaponized to attack other systems in the HDO). These are not activities or processes that have been previously supported or funded by MDMs.

JS: What sorts of process adjustments do you think development teams will need to make to accommodate these changes? Do you think they’ll need to make technology investments, process adjustments, or both?

CG: Yes, yes, and yes. This will result in large changes to organizations and how they work, plan, and budget for medical device development. For example, they’ll need “all of the above” to accommodate the ongoing post-market surveillance impacts on the utilization of third-party software packages in future devices. This is all part of the changes to the ASL. No longer can MDMs view medical device development as ‘a separate event’ with a beginning and an end. Securing medical devices is an ongoing collaborative effort with HDOs.

JS: Any regulatory changes you anticipate to medical devices over the next decade? How do you see this impacting development teams?

CG: More enforcement “teeth” being given to the FDA by Congress. Especially in the area of MDMs’ “responsible vulnerability disclosure,” which is currently optional for MDMs. However, the FDA, Congress, and HDOs are all in agreement that this activity needs to be mandatory and thus enforced. Hopefully we will see some worldwide harmonization of security standards and generated artifacts, as currently these regulatory bodies are very fractured in their approach to secure development and the generated artifacts.

JS: What do you think will remain the same in medical device development throughout the 2020s?

CG: Focus on “safety and efficacy” will remain steady, as well as a continued drive to shrink medical devices to the smallest physical package possible to enable more home healthcare scenarios. Similarly, the increased use of “telemedicine” and related connectivity solutions enabled by these home healthcare devices and smartphones.

JS: Anything else you’d like to add?

CG: Even though the transition to secure medical device development and support may be financially uncomfortable, medical device security is the responsibility of all MDMs. Remember, the patient you are protecting might be yourself or a loved one!

Significant growing and shifting regulations are already underway within the medical device industry. Learn how teams can stay ahead of the competition in our eBook, “Conquering Connectivity, Competition & Compliance.”

2020s predictions: MBSE, model-based systems engineering, Intercax

As we enter a new decade of technological advancements, Jama Software asked select thought leaders from various industries for the trends and events they foresee unfolding over the next 10 years.

In the second installment of our 2020s Predictions series, we’re featuring predictions from Dirk Zwemer, President at Intercax, a global innovator in the field of model-based systems engineering (MBSE).

Jama Software: What are the biggest trends you’re seeing in MBSE right now and how are they impacting product development?

Dirk Zwemer: The biggest trend we’re seeing is the growing realization that MBSE is not a function of any one software tool, not PLM, not SysML, not requirements. The goal is the Digital Thread, the complete set of domain models organized, connected and version-managed in a way that allows everyone on the development team to find the data they need to do their jobs. Each discipline and each organization have a seat at the MBSE table (Figure 1).

MBSE Model-based system engineering and the digital thread
Figure 1 Seats at the MBSE Table

 

Implementation of the Digital Thread is still incremental in every enterprise. Early adopters look for specific integrations that enhance collaboration between team members, speeding completion of tasks and reducing errors from domain model inconsistencies. As they implement the Digital Thread more fully, they realize even greater gains in model validation and verification, which allows deeper exploration of the system design space within project schedules.

JS: What are some continuing or new trends in MBSE you expect to see over the next decade?

DZ: First, the engineering software tools and the Digital Thread infrastructure that connects them are all becoming scalable enterprise applications, sharing services and data either in the cloud or in on-premises servers. Standard interfaces such as RESTful or OSLC APIs will help support this, but the great heterogeneity of data, models and use cases will handicap approaches that restrict themselves to these technologies.

Second, no single MBSE methodology will be universally adopted, so flexibility in searching, visualizing, and documenting the Digital Thread will become important.  Tools with a “one size fits all” interface will be at a disadvantage relative to open source, open standard and third-party components that can give users the reports and metrics they need with minimal effort and cost.

Third, MBSE is moving downstream through the system lifecycle. The Digital Thread will cover: 

Conceptual Design → Detailed Design → Manufacturing & Logistics

With respect to tool integration, this will initially involve:

SysML → PLM → MRP

And we can expect to see increasing activity on this bridge. The advantages of devops processes in the software world will be increasingly obtainable for cyber-physical systems, as well.

JS: What sorts of process adjustments do you think development teams will need to make to accommodate these changes?

 DZ: Practicing good data governance will be the biggest adjustment for most development teams building the Digital Thread.

  • Cybersecurity will be an immediate concern. With the rollout of CMMC v0.6 (Cybersecurity Model Maturity Certification), DoD contractors, primes on down, will need audited cybersecurity practices to compete for government contracts starting in 2020. Information sharing will be particularly impacted.
  • While cybersecurity is nominally concerned with preventing access by bad actors, information access by collaborators is also an issue. Process teams will look for ways to selectively share data, e.g. between customer and supplier, that prevent the partner from accessing deeper levels of proprietary technology.
  • If the Digital Thread shares information between repositories, process teams will need to explicitly define data ownership, i.e. which repository is master, and processes for data comparison, notification, and update.
  • All these adjustments will be easier if the enterprise adopts standard, well-documented authentication mechanisms. In too many organizations, these have grown ad-hoc, different for each repository, and with no central management or knowledge base. Implementing the Digital Thread in such environments will prove frustrating, so common authentication protocols will be needed.

JS: What do you think will remain the same in MBSE throughout the 2020s?

DZ: While not absolutely necessary, architecture modeling will remain an important part of MBSE and SysML will remain the dominant architecture modeling language. The SysML v2 Submission Team is working under the auspices of the Object Management Group to keep SysML relevant, with a final submission target of June 2021. Proposed changes will make SysML more precise, intuitive, and reusable, especially in the area of modeling usages and variant designs. A new underlying metamodel and a companion standard for SysML API and Services will open new opportunities for model creation, management and visualization. Together, these new features should broaden the reach of SysML across the development team while reducing the barriers of learning new tools, terminology, and notation.

JS: Anything else you’d like to add?

 As new MBSE adopters flood the market and existing users refine their processes, the “Voice of the Customer” will be heard louder than ever. Buyers will want tools that are easy to use, cost-effective, and customer-configurable rather than vendor-customized. There will be plenty of opportunities for newer vendors that can meet these needs.

To learn more about the growing number of organizations adopting product development solutions to manage the complexity of connect systems, download our eBook, Your Guide to Selecting the Right Product Development Platform.

As we enter a new decade of technological advancements, Jama Software asked select thought leaders from various industries for the trends and events they foresee unfolding over the next 10 years.

Today we’re featuring predictions from Josh Turpen, Chief Product Officer at Jama Software, who oversees the ongoing innovation and refinement of our core product offerings.

 

Jama Software: What product development trends are you expecting to take shape in the 2020s?

Josh Turpen: “I think there will be an increase in hardware/software solutions. There have been amazing advances in software and hardware; now it’s time to put the two together. This will finally deliver on the ‘Jetsons’ future that my father has been asking forever since I told him I wanted to be an engineer!”

JS: In terms of product and systems development, what do you think will remain the same over the next decade? What will change?

JT: “The need for clarity, consistency, and visibility in requirements and test will continue. We still need to know ‘what’ to build, and we need to explain to others ‘how’ we’ve done it. In fact, this will continue forever. What’ll change is how we do the development.

“More artificial intelligence and machine learning will be introduced into quality organizations to check both the input (requirements) and the output (tests). This will expand into development, but the innovation is happening in quality right now and I think that’s where the most ROI exists.”

JS: How do you foresee regulations shifting in certain industries over the next decade?

“I think regulation — an area many of our customers, particularly those creating medical devices, autonomous vehicles, and rocket ships, are familiar with — is coming for all but the most trivial software and hardware applications. At the point where data and safety meet, you’ll see the most regulation.”

JS: Any major disruptions to specific industries you’re anticipating in the 2020s?

JT: “Data warehousing companies — such as some of the biggest social networks and search engines — will come under a new regulatory body of some kind. The amount and quality of data is going to be of paramount importance and consumers will demand protection. We’re seeing the start of this, and I think governments will respond much the way they did with the credit bureaus in the 70s.”

JS: What sorts of process adjustments do you think development teams will need to make to be successful in the next 10 years?

JT: “Integrated software/hardware development — something which many of our customers are already heavily involved in — will require a new focus on cross-development type processes. ‘Pure Agile’ or ‘pure waterfall’ will cease to exist and a blended model that recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of both will emerge as the dominant paradigm.”

JS: What do you think will be some of the differentiators between a company surviving to see 2030, and those that do not?

JT: “Companies that are structured to accept, respond, and act on change will continue to dominate. Those that require a static customer base, employee skillset, or product deployment environment are doomed.”

JS: Where do you see Jama Software fitting in as the product development landscape evolves over the next decade, and what can our customers expect in return?

JT: “We will focus on requirements, test management, risk, and visibility across those three areas. Our solution is created by product developers for product developers. We understand the demands that our customers are working under and are constantly iterating Jama Connect™ to meet and stay ahead of where the industry is going. Customers can expect Jama Software to be fanatical about delivering value to them and increasing their capability to focus on product development, not the tooling.”

JS: Any other thoughts you’d like to share on the future?

JT: “I’m excited about where technology is going! We’re seeing advances in problem areas that have plagued humanity since the beginning of time. Communication, medical, and efficient use of resources are all areas where the promise of technology is coming true. Once we get those problems solved, we can focus on the really hard stuff, like getting the clock in my oven and microwave to stay in sync when the time changes.”

About Josh Turpen:
With a deep background in software development and consulting, Josh oversees the ongoing innovation and refinement of Jama Software’s core product offerings. Beginning as an engineer, Josh’s career has taken him from Indiana to Germany, Colorado, and Portland. His work with the U.S. Department of Defense solidified his knowledge of safety-critical systems, and the vital role requirements and risk management plays within them. Having led product and engineering organizations, with teams distributed across the globe, Josh understands the daily challenges our customers face in a constantly changing marketplace and the tools they need to be successful.

Significant growing and shifting regulations are already underway within the medical device industry. Learn how teams can stay ahead of the competition in our eBook, “Conquering Connectivity, Competition & Compliance.”