Do You Believe in Life After SOP?

Do You Believe in Life After SOP?

Some behave as if once a software system is coded, there's nothing more to do. As if compiling the code marks the end of the journey.

Others understand the difference between creating a binary and creating a software product. They see the need for testing.

Some are more enlightened—they realize that software systems are rarely monolithic. They're deployed across heterogeneous elements and platforms. These professionals understand what it means to integrate the system into the environment where it must "live" and interoperate.

And then there are those who go even further. They understand that compiling, testing, and integrating are not enough to release software. A true release includes so-called "unnecessary" things: interpretations of test results, intended use declarations, known limitations and liabilities, descriptions of changes, and lists of known issues.

Is there more? Of course.

Let’s hope we all understand the difference between release and deployment. Especially those who repeat the mantra of CI/CD: deployment is not just delivery. It must include preventive measures (like backups), verification of the deployment itself, and contingency planning in case something goes wrong. And let's not forget: different delivery channels exist. In the automotive world, some client-side software components will never be updated. They're expected to work flawlessly—as they were—forever. That’s the nature of our industry.

We must also acknowledge that not every compile, integration, release, or deployment should look the same. There’s a world of difference between an engineering build for internal testing, a hotfix for a deployed product, and a new feature upgrade. Quality criteria differ—and so must our processes.

But are we done yet?

Do we believe in life after SOP?

What about maintenance? Not just reactive bugfixing, but preventive maintenance. Is your underlying technology standing still? Will your hardware and communication channels still be available tomorrow? (Some sarcastic beast like me might ask, “Were you really surprised when the 3G signal turned off? Did you expect it to last forever?”)

And now, the final question: have you thought about death? Not yours—but the inevitable end of life for your software system. What’s your termination process? Will it come as a surprise? What about your end users? Did you consider them when designing the system? Do you realize that different releases of the same system may have different termination dates? Or are you planning to support test releases forever? What about the server side—will services be available indefinitely? Will they remain backward compatible?

End users today are smarter. They’ve seen things. And they’re going to ask: What happens if your company goes out of business? It’s no longer as simple as shipping a product in a vehicle and walking away.

So please—believe in life after SOP.
As we in ASQMS do.

We require that processes for Release, Deployment, Maintenance, and Software Termination are in place. Roles must be defined. Communication channels—especially to end users and customers—must be bidirectional and ready. Don't be short-sighted. Don’t think that post-SOP issues are someone else’s problem.

To be future-proof means acting today.