| Recurring |
multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
The article does not mention any previous incidents of a similar nature happening again within the same organization (Square) or with its products and services. Therefore, there is no information available to suggest that this specific software failure incident has occurred before at Square [118614].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
The article mentions that software glitches are common for any technology company, from big players like Facebook and Amazon to mobile gaming apps. This implies that software failures have occurred at multiple organizations in the past, not just at Square [118614]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the Square payment processing app was attributed to an automatic software update for the Square systems that occurred on a Saturday morning, leading to the disappearance of the automatic tipping screen for many businesses [118614]. This indicates a failure related to the design phase, where the update introduced a glitch that affected the normal operation of the system.
(b) The operation of the Square systems was impacted by the software failure incident, as workers across various cities reported issues such as the tipping screen disappearing and other parts of the systems becoming unresponsive. Some workers tried to manually reset the system with every transaction, experiencing erratic success, while others were unaware of the malfunction for hours [118614]. This highlights a failure related to the operation phase, where the system's functionality was disrupted during its use by workers in different locations. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident with the Square payment processing app was caused by an automatic glitch that occurred after an apparent automatic software update for the Square systems [118614]. The glitch led to the automatic tipping screen disappearing for many businesses that use Square as their main point-of-sale system. Square acknowledged the issue and posted updates about identifying and resolving the error on its website. The company's spokesman mentioned that the systems experienced an issue preventing some sellers from signing into their accounts or accepting tips, emphasizing the importance of never missing a sale and the critical nature of tip collection for sellers' teams [118614].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident was exacerbated by the fact that the glitch occurred during one of the busiest times of the week for many coffee shops, where baristas rely on tips to make up significant portions of their paychecks [118614]. Additionally, the move towards touchless payments like Square and Apple Pay, which was accelerated during the pandemic and encouraged by the CDC, contributed to the impact of the software glitch on low-wage workers who heavily rely on tips to get by [118614]. The outage highlighted the potential perils of relying heavily on technology, especially in a time when cash payments are becoming less common and digital payments are standard for dining and retail transactions. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was attributed to a glitch in the Square payment processing app that caused an automatic tipping screen to disappear. This glitch occurred after an apparent automatic software update for the Square systems, indicating a failure due to contributing factors introduced without human participation [118614].
(b) On the human side, the article mentions that the timing of the glitch was particularly unfortunate as it happened on a Saturday, which is a significant day for many coffee shops and baristas who rely on tips to make up a substantial portion of their paychecks. The article also highlights the frustration of workers and shop owners who lost out on tips due to the software failure, indicating a failure due to contributing factors introduced by human actions [118614]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles was primarily due to contributing factors that originated in software. The incident was caused by a glitch in the Square payment processing app, specifically related to the automatic tipping screen disappearing after an apparent automatic software update for the Square systems [118614]. The issue affected various businesses using Square across different cities, with workers experiencing problems such as the tipping screen disappearing and other parts of the system becoming unresponsive. Square acknowledged the issue and mentioned that their systems experienced an issue preventing some sellers from signing into their accounts or accepting tips [118614].
(b) The software failure incident was not attributed to hardware issues but rather to software glitches within the Square payment processing app. The malfunction had a direct impact on low-wage workers who rely on tips to supplement their income, emphasizing the software-related nature of the failure [118614]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles is non-malicious. The incident was caused by a glitch in the Square payment processing app that occurred after an automatic software update for the Square systems [118614]. The glitch resulted in the automatic tipping screen disappearing for many businesses, leading to workers losing out on tips. Square acknowledged the issue and mentioned that it prevented some sellers from being able to sign into their accounts or accept tips for about 3 hours on a specific date [118614]. The company expressed understanding of the importance of tip collection for sellers' teams and apologized for the incident, indicating a lack of malicious intent behind the failure. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident described in Article 118614 seems to align more with the category of poor_decisions. The incident was caused by a glitch in the Square payment processing app that resulted in the automatic tipping screen disappearing for many businesses after an apparent automatic software update for the Square systems. This glitch led to workers in various cities losing out on tips, which are a significant portion of their paychecks. The timing of the error, occurring on a busy day for many coffee shops, and the lack of availability of customer service exacerbated the impact on the affected workers [118614]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident in the Square payment processing app causing the automatic tipping screen to disappear was likely not due to development incompetence but rather an accidental glitch. The incident occurred after an apparent automatic software update for the Square systems, which led to the tipping screen disappearing for many businesses [118614]. The Square spokesman mentioned that the issue prevented some sellers from being able to sign into their accounts or accept tips, indicating a technical glitch rather than a failure due to development incompetence. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the articles was temporary. The Square payment processing app glitch, which caused the automatic tipping screen to disappear, lasted for about 3 hours on Saturday, September 18th [118614]. During this time, workers across various cities experienced issues with their Square systems, such as the tipping screen disappearing and other parts of the system becoming unresponsive. The outage was not permanent but rather a temporary disruption in the system's functionality. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the Square payment processing app caused an automatic tipping screen to disappear, leading to workers losing out on tips. The system lost the tipping screen functionality, which is a critical part of its intended functions, resulting in a crash scenario [118614].
(b) omission: The omission of the tipping screen from the Square payment processing app was a key aspect of the software failure incident. The system omitted to display the tipping screen as expected, causing workers to miss out on tips they would typically receive [118614].
(c) timing: The timing of the software failure incident was crucial as it occurred on a Saturday morning, one of the busiest times for many coffee shops and businesses using the Square system. This timing was significant as it impacted the workers' ability to receive tips during a peak period [118614].
(d) value: The software failure incident resulted in the system performing its intended functions incorrectly by not displaying the tipping screen for customers to leave tips. This incorrect behavior led to workers losing out on the value of tips they would have received under normal circumstances [118614].
(e) byzantine: There is no indication in the article that the software failure incident exhibited byzantine behavior, which involves inconsistent responses and interactions. The incident seems to be more straightforward in terms of the system failing to display the tipping screen consistently across various locations [118614].
(f) other: The software failure incident also led to other parts of the Square systems becoming unresponsive for some businesses, in addition to the tipping screen disappearing. This additional impact on system functionality could be categorized as another behavior of the incident [118614]. |