Towards a clearer understanding of context and its role in assurance argument confidence

• The Goal Structuring Notation (GSN) is a popular graphical notation for recording safety arguments. One of GSN's key innovations is a context element that links short phrases used in the argument to detail available elsewhere. However, definitions of the context element admit multiple interpretations and conflict with guidance for building assured safety arguments. If readers do not share an understanding of the meaning of context that makes context's impact on the main safety claim clear, confidence in safety might be misplaced. In this paper, we analyse the definitions and usage of GSN context elements, identify contradictions and vagueness, propose a more precise definition, and make updated recommendations for assured safety argument structure.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Assurance argument

assured safety argument

confidence

context

goal structuring notation

safety argument

safety case

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)