“It’s crucial that high integrity software engineers stay agile” – Interview with Stuart Matthews, Capgemini

Posted on August 23, 2024

The High Integrity Software Conference (HISC) – brought to you by AdaCore and Capgemini – presents an exciting opportunity for software engineering practitioners to share challenges, best practice, and experience.

With panels, exhibitions, and lightning talks from industry leaders, attendees will walk away with exclusive insights and important techniques applicable across industry sectors.

In this blog, Stuart Matthews, Senior Architect at Capgemini Engineering and HISC Programme Committee member, explains why heading to HISC is a must for any industry professional looking to respond to rapidly developing technology with agility and resilience.

"High Integrity Software" is the core theme of the conference. How will this focus address attendees’ biggest challenges and opportunities? Why is this theme so crucial in today’s technology landscape?

As software engineers working in the high integrity sector, we are aware of the vital role that our work plays across many aspects of society and national infrastructure. That includes energy transportation systems, medical systems, defence, security and automotive.

It’s crucial that we stay agile and respond to technological challenges, and the High Integrity Software Conference is a great opportunity for software engineers and software architects to share experiences and technical insights that help us do so – remaining at the forefront of the industry.

What is the most disruptive technology impacting your and/or your clients’ businesses at the moment? What can conference-goers expect to find in the programme on the topic?

New technologies constantly disrupt high integrity software development, but right now the main disruptors are machine learning (ML) and generative AI (GenAI). Balancing the potential rewards of these new technologies against the risks they bring to software development is a particular consideration for developers and quality assurance.

Conference attendees will find a session dedicated to the evolution of industrial software standards and how they should react to these kinds of disruptive technologies. This session will include a talk on ‘Ensuring safety while integrating AI’ from Thuc Nguyen Tri, EUROCAE Technical Programme Manager and leader of Working Group WG-114 on AI Standards in Aviation.

In what ways does the High Integrity Software Conference foster collaboration and networking among its attendees? Can you provide examples of past success stories or unique opportunities for professional growth that participants have experienced?

HISC has always aimed to provide networking opportunities alongside a programme of high-quality technical talks. There is an exhibition space featuring key service providers and product vendors in the high integrity software domain, a session of lightning talks available for vendors, and not forgetting a dedicated networking and cocktail hour at the end of the day.

As a member of the program organisation committee, what are the key takeaways you expect attendees to take away from the event? And what are the most exciting slots on the agenda they won’t want to miss?

As a member of the programme committee, I’m really excited about this year’s keynotes and technical talks.

Attendees have a choice of parallel sessions to attend but can expect to take away a combination of insights into technical advances for software development and verification, and an understanding of the challenges these pose to certification and the evolution of industry standards.

Plus, don't miss what’s expected to be a lively debate at the end of the day, in which panellists dig into how we can best balance the opportunities and risks that such technological advancements present to our industry.

Register now for the High Integrity Software Conference (HISC)

Back for another year in a brand new, larger venue, the HISC will take place on Tuesday 22nd October at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Wales.

In addition to sharing exclusive insights and opinions, cross-industry leaders will demonstrate state-of-the-art high assurance software throughout the conference exhibition space. Providing networking opportunities to form new collaborations and disseminate high integrity software-related research.

Register now to avoid disappointment.