Quality for risk mitigation
The discussion of system vulnerability dates back to 1968.
Organized by the NATO Science Committee, the conference in Garmisch in 1968 addressed the question of
how modern, increasingly computer-based command and control systems could remain functional
under conditions of disruption and overload.
Early analyses highlighted that software systems cannot be adequately protected simply by
being error-free as defined by the software specification; rather, robust structures, redundancy,
and adaptive responsiveness are also required.
The fundamental problems of complexity, interdependence, and the risk of malfunction due
to disruptions were particularly emphasized. The 1968 conference is thus considered a
significant cornerstone of software quality.
In parallel, further areas of development emerged with the goal of increasing the stability of software systems.
This was motivated by the realization that both the development and later the operation of complex systems
require systematic methods and processes.
Friedrich L. Bauer was one of the key figures at the NATO conference.
For him, the term “software engineering” was a conscious choice to counteract the “software crisis” of the 1960s.
Friedrich L. Bauer shaped the conference through his conviction that software development
had to be transformed from a “tinkering stage” into a clean, engineering-based process.
Friedrich L. Bauer (1924-2015) was Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
Sources: Naur, Peter & Randell, Brian (1968) „Software Engineering: Report of a conference sponsored by the NATO Science Committee, Garmisch, Germany, 7th-11th October 1968“; Naur, Peter (1960) „Report on the Algorithmic Language ALGOL 60. Communications of the ACM, 3(5), 299-314.“