Issues of software standardization in the industrial area of quality and dependability

It is well known that there are two groups for the international software standardization body in the area of quality and dependability, that is ISO/SC2/TC176/WG5 Quality system and quality management for software application and IEC/TC56/WG10 Software Aspects for Dependability. WG 5 developed ISO 9000-3 as a complementary document for ISO 9001 in 1991. However this is not perfectly acceptable for the worldwide industry due to its narrow applications. WG10 is still developing the dependability area guidelines which address the barriers to development such as rapid progress of software industries, system aspects, limitation of application for various software products, rapid change from industrial fundamental innovation and traditional industry for product views. Here current software industrial progress and issues for international standardization by such technical and industrial environment are discussed to help seek common understanding and mutual recognition and to try to offer some proposals for the issues raised. The discussions in the paper are based on the author's experience through the service as a national committee member of IEC/TC56 and WG10, and also ISO/SC2/TC176 and WG15 (Japanese WG to WC5).