The Problem --- Is It Hardware or Is It Software

Abstract

The hardware design and development manager with all of his infinite wisdom, knowledge, and years of experience has always had to be on his toes to know when a hardware design is "good enough" to meet the requirement. Add to this duty, the management of software development which is relatively new which makes it difficult to decide if the software is "good enough" to meet the requirements and you have a manager faced with a man sized task. For example, ask him to decide when a computer problem occurs, if the problem is due to hardware or software, especially when both the hardware and software designers claims his system to be working okay --- this manager is in high demand because only a select few have experience with both hardware and software development and integration. So what about the rest of us? This paper provides the computer system manager such evaluation criteria, questions to ask and decision making rules to follow, when the hardware and software designers say to you --- "My system works fine, the problem is his."