Incident: Garmin Edge 820 Touchscreen Failure and Navigation Issues

Published Date: 2017-05-05

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident with the Garmin Edge 820 mentioned in the article likely happened around five months before the article was published in May 2017 [Article 59084].
System 1. Garmin Edge 820 touchscreen system [59084] 2. Garmin Edge 820 battery level indicator system [59084] 3. Garmin Edge 820 pre-planned route navigation system [59084]
Responsible Organization 1. Garmin - The software failure incident with the Garmin Edge 820 GPS navigation device was caused by issues such as erratic touchscreen behavior, unreliable battery level indicator, dropped map prompts feature, and poor navigation capabilities [59084].
Impacted Organization 1. Cyclists who rely on Garmin GPS navigation devices for route planning and data collection [59084].
Software Causes 1. Software glitch causing erratic touchscreen behavior, such as sensitivity and activation without physical touch [59084] 2. Software bug leading to unreliable battery level indicator, showing 100% battery after a 160 km ride [59084] 3. Software fault resulting in dropped map prompts feature, affecting navigation reliability [59084]
Non-software Causes 1. Hardware issues with the Garmin Edge 820, such as a sensitive touchscreen and unreliable battery level indicator [59084]. 2. Design flaws in the Garmin Edge 820, like dropping the map prompts feature and relying solely on text instructions for navigation [59084]. 3. User experience issues, including difficulties in using the device while moving, especially with gloves on, and in wet conditions [59084].
Impacts 1. The software failure incident with the Garmin Edge 820 resulted in erratic performance, including a sensitive touchscreen that could be activated without physical touch, unreliable battery level indicator, and text-based route navigation only, impacting user experience and functionality [Article 59084]. 2. Users experienced frustration and difficulty in using the device while moving, especially with gloves on, due to the poor touchscreen sensitivity and multiple attempts required to interact with the screen, leading to usability issues [Article 59084]. 3. The software failure incident led to the dropping of the map prompts feature from the Garmin Edge 820, affecting the navigation experience by providing only text instructions, which were deemed unreliable for new routes and complex road situations [Article 59084]. 4. Despite promises of software updates to fix the issues, users reported that the touchscreen remained unresponsive to covered digits, requiring unconventional methods like licking a gloved finger to interact with the screen, highlighting persistent usability challenges [Article 59084]. 5. The software failure incident impacted the overall navigation capabilities of the Garmin Edge 820, with reports of the device failing to offer prompts at times, leading to users missing turns and having to guess the correct route, affecting the reliability of the device for route guidance [Article 59084].
Preventions 1. Thorough testing and quality assurance processes during the development of the Garmin Edge 820 could have potentially prevented the software failure incident. This includes testing the touchscreen sensitivity, battery level indicator accuracy, and navigation features to ensure they function as intended [59084]. 2. Implementing user feedback and conducting more extensive user testing before releasing the product could have helped identify and address issues with the Garmin Edge 820, such as the touchscreen sensitivity problems and unreliable navigation prompts [59084].
Fixes 1. Software update to address touchscreen sensitivity and reliability issues [59084] 2. Reintroduction of map prompts feature for better navigation guidance [59084] 3. Improvement in on-board route planning functionality, especially in complex urban environments [59084] 4. Enhancements to the battery level indicator accuracy and reliability [59084]
References 1. User experiences and reviews on popular online cycle store Wiggle [59084] 2. Reviews from cycling press such as Velonews and Road.cc [59084] 3. Reviewer DC Rainmaker's "Hands on" review and commenters on the review [59084]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring unknown The article does not provide information about the software failure incident happening again at the same organization or with its products and services (option a) or at other organizations or with their products and services (option b).
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where the Garmin Edge 820 faced issues such as a faulty touchscreen, unreliable battery level indicator, and dropped map prompts feature [59084]. These issues were likely introduced during the development phase of the device, indicating a failure in the design aspect of the software. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be observed in the article where users experienced difficulties in using the Garmin Edge 820 while moving, especially with gloves on, due to the poor touchscreen sensitivity and inaccurate touch interface [59084]. These issues were more related to the operation and usability of the device rather than inherent design flaws.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system The software failure incident reported in the article is primarily within_system. The Garmin Edge 820 faced various issues such as erratic touchscreen behavior, unreliable battery level indicator, dropped map prompts feature, and poor navigation skills [59084]. These issues are internal to the device itself and are not caused by external factors. Additionally, the article mentions that the replacement 820 with updated software did not fully resolve the touchscreen responsiveness problem, indicating an internal software issue [59084].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: The article discusses various issues with the Garmin Edge 820 GPS navigation device, such as erratic touchscreen behavior, unreliable battery level indicator, dropped map prompts feature, and failure to offer prompts leading to missed turns [59084]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: The article mentions user experiences with the Garmin Edge 820, where users found it difficult to use the device while moving, especially with gloves on, due to the poor touchscreen sensitivity. Users also reported frustration with the touch interface being inaccurate at times [59084].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident related to hardware: - The article discusses issues with the Garmin Edge 820 GPS navigation device, including a sensitive touchscreen that could be activated without physical touch, unreliable battery level indicator, and problems with touchscreen responsiveness in wet conditions or with gloves on [59084]. - Users experienced difficulties using the device while moving, especially with gloves on, due to the poor touchscreen and multiple attempts required to interact with it [59084]. - Some users found that licking a gloved finger was enough to fool the screen into responding, indicating a workaround for the touchscreen issues [59084]. (b) The software failure incident related to software: - The article mentions that the Garmin Edge 820 had issues with navigation, such as failing to offer prompts about 10% of the time, leading to users missing turns until the unit beeped "Off course" [59084]. - Users reported that the pre-planned route navigation on the Garmin Edge 820 only provided text-based prompts, unlike the Garmin Edge 810 which displayed a map showing the route through junctions, making navigation more challenging [59084]. - Despite promises of updated software to fix issues, users found that stroking or dabbing at the screen with a covered digit had no effect, indicating ongoing software-related problems [59084].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident described in the article does not seem to be malicious. The issues with the Garmin Edge 820 GPS navigation device are related to non-malicious factors such as faulty hardware, unreliable touchscreen, poor navigation capabilities, and sub-standard performance in certain situations [59084]. The article highlights various technical shortcomings and user experience problems with the device, indicating that the failures were not intentional but rather a result of design flaws and usability issues.
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions, accidental_decisions The software failure incident described in the articles seems to be related to both poor decisions and accidental decisions. 1. Poor Decisions: The incident can be attributed to poor decisions made during the development and design of the Garmin Edge 820. The touchscreen sensitivity issues, unreliable battery level indicator, dropping of map prompts feature, and overall poor navigation capabilities indicate potential poor decisions in the design and implementation of the device [59084]. 2. Accidental Decisions: On the other hand, there are instances where the failures seem to be more accidental or unintended. For example, the erratic performance of the first 820 unit, the touchscreen sensitivity causing activation without physical touch, and the unreliable text-based prompts for pre-planned route navigation could be considered as unintended consequences rather than deliberate poor decisions [59084].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident in the article seems to be related to development incompetence. The Garmin Edge 820 faced various issues such as erratic performance, unreliable battery level indicator, sensitive touchscreen, and dropped features like map prompts [59084]. (b) The software failure incident could also be attributed to accidental factors. For example, the touchscreen sensitivity issues, unreliable battery level indicator, and dropped map prompts feature could be considered accidental failures in the development of the Garmin Edge 820 [59084].
Duration temporary The software failure incident related to the Garmin Edge 820 described in Article 59084 can be categorized as a temporary failure. The article mentions various issues with the device, such as erratic touchscreen behavior, unreliable battery level indicator, dropped map prompts feature, and poor navigation skills. These issues seem to be related to specific circumstances or factors, such as sensitive touchscreen activation, unreliable software performance, and missing features like map prompts, rather than being inherent permanent failures of the device [59084].
Behaviour crash, omission, value, byzantine (a) crash: The Garmin Edge 820 experienced crashes as mentioned in the article. The author mentioned that the first 820 unit they tried performed erratically, leading them to return it because they thought it was a faulty unit. The touchscreen was so sensitive that it could be activated without touching it at all, making it difficult to use. Additionally, the battery level indicator on the unit was unreliable, claiming 100% battery after a 160 km ride [59084]. (b) omission: The Garmin Edge 820 had issues with navigation prompts, with the article stating that about 10% of the time, the device failed to offer a prompt, causing the user to sail straight past a turning until the unit beeped "Off course" [59084]. (c) timing: The article did not specifically mention any failures related to timing. (d) value: The Garmin Edge 820 had issues with its touchscreen functionality, with users reporting difficulties in using it while moving, especially with gloves on. The touchscreen was described as poor and required multiple attempts to register touches. It was also noted that the screen was almost unusable when wet, changing data fields with rain droplets or sweat [59084]. (e) byzantine: The Garmin Edge 820 exhibited inconsistent behavior with its touchscreen. While some reviewers mentioned that the touchscreen worked flawlessly even when coated in rainwater, others experienced serious sensitivity issues with the screen, finding the touch interface frustrating and inaccurate at times [59084]. (f) other: The article did not mention any other specific behaviors related to the software failure incident.

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence delay The consequence of the software failure incident described in the article is primarily related to the impact on navigation and user experience rather than any significant real-world consequences such as death, harm, basic needs, property loss, or delays. The article focuses on the frustration and inconvenience caused by the faulty Garmin Edge 820 GPS navigation device, particularly in terms of unreliable touchscreen functionality, poor navigation guidance, and substandard route planning. Users experienced difficulties in using the device while cycling, especially in wet conditions, and found the touchscreen to be overly sensitive or unresponsive. The software issues led to challenges in following routes accurately, potentially causing users to miss turns or experience navigation errors during their rides. Overall, the primary consequence discussed in the article is the negative impact on user experience and navigation reliability due to the software failure of the Garmin Edge 820 device [59084].
Domain information (a) The failed system in the article is related to the information industry as it involves GPS navigation devices used by cyclists to collect data about their rides and routes [59084].

Sources

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