| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
The Common Application program faced a cascade of glitches and technical difficulties with its fourth online version, causing frustration among prospective students and counselors. This incident highlighted vulnerabilities in the college admissions system and led to universities like the University of Chicago, Columbia, Duke, and Northwestern extending their deadlines due to the issues with the Common App [22254].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
The software failure incident with the Common Application program prompted some universities to extend their deadlines, and it also led to discussions about the need for multiple vendors to provide college application services. Joshua Reiter, president of ApplicationsOnline, which runs the Universal College Application, mentioned the importance of having alternatives to the Common App, indicating that there are other options available for students and universities [22254]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the Common Application system can be attributed to design issues introduced during the system development phase. The article mentions that the new version of the Common App, Version 4, was retooled in an attempt to make the application process easier for students. However, the article highlights that the new system had glitches and technical difficulties, leading to frozen screens, multiple fee payments, account access issues, and trouble uploading documents [22254].
(b) Additionally, the software failure incident can also be linked to operational issues caused by the operation or misuse of the system. Students reported facing challenges in submitting their applications, with some experiencing delays, payment processing issues, and difficulties in completing the application process. The article describes how students like Nathan Myers faced technical hurdles while trying to submit their applications, leading to frustration and delays in the submission process [22254]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
The software failure incident related to the Common Application program can be categorized as both within_system and outside_system.
(a) within_system: The software failure incident within the system is evident from the glitches, technical difficulties, frozen screens, multiple fee payments for a single application, and being shut out of accounts reported by students and counselors [22254].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident outside the system is highlighted by the challenges faced by students and counselors in uploading recommendations and documents, the need for multiple vendors, and the extension of deadlines by universities due to the Common App struggles [22254]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the Common Application program was primarily due to non-human actions, specifically software troubles and technical difficulties. Glitches in the online system led to frozen screens, multiple fee payments for a single application, account access issues, and trouble uploading required documents [22254].
(b) Human actions also played a role in the software failure incident as counselors and students struggled to overcome technical difficulties, and some students faced challenges in submitting their applications due to issues with the system. Additionally, the Common App officials acknowledged shortcomings in serving students and pledged to improve the system [22254]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The articles do not provide information about the software failure incident occurring due to hardware issues [22254].
(b) The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to issues originating in the software itself. The Common Application program faced a cascade of glitches, technical difficulties, frozen screens, multiple fee payments for a single application, login issues, trouble uploading documents, and other technical challenges that affected students and counselors [22254]. The Common App officials acknowledged shortcomings in serving students and pledged to improve the reliability of their service. The new version of the Common App, despite being less cluttered and more interactive, experienced various glitches and technical difficulties, leading to frustration among users [22254]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles does not indicate any malicious intent behind the glitches and technical difficulties experienced by students using the Common Application system. The issues were primarily attributed to software troubles, technical difficulties, and system shortcomings rather than any deliberate actions to harm the system or its users [22254].
(b) The software failure incident can be categorized as non-malicious, as it was mainly a result of unintended software glitches and technical issues that affected the functionality of the Common Application system, causing frustration and inconvenience to students and counselors during the college application process [22254]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Common Application program for college admissions was primarily due to poor decisions. The incident was caused by a cascade of glitches in the major online college application program, which frustrated prospective students and prompted universities to push back their deadlines [22254]. The new version of the Common App was retooled in an attempt to make the application process easier for students, but it ended up compounding the angst of many college-bound students due to software troubles and technical difficulties [22254]. The Common App officials acknowledged shortcomings in serving students nationwide and admitted that the new Common Application had not been a reliable service for many users [22254]. Additionally, the Common App faced criticism for eliminating the paper option, leaving the entire process vulnerable to a major collapse [22254].
(b) The software failure incident related to the Common Application program for college admissions was also influenced by accidental decisions. The incident led to unintended consequences such as students facing frozen screens, paying multiple fees for a single application, being shut out of their accounts, and having trouble uploading recommendations and required documents [22254]. The glitches in the system caused frustration and anxiety among students, counselors, and university officials, highlighting the unintended negative impact of the software failure incident [22254]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident in the Common Application program was primarily due to development incompetence. The new version of the Common App, Version 4, was retooled to make the application process easier for students. However, the cascade of glitches, technical difficulties, frozen screens, multiple fee payments, and account access issues experienced by students and counselors indicated a lack of professional competence in the development and implementation of the software [22254].
(b) The software failure incident was also accidental in nature. The glitches and technical difficulties that left students frustrated and unable to submit their applications were unintended consequences of the software update. Students reported issues such as frozen screens, inability to log in, and payment problems, which were not intentional but rather accidental outcomes of the software failures [22254]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the articles appears to be temporary rather than permanent. The glitches and technical difficulties experienced by students and counselors while using the Common Application software were due to specific circumstances related to the launch of the new version of the program. These issues led to frozen screens, multiple fee payments, account login problems, and trouble uploading documents, causing frustration and delays for users [22254]. The Common App officials acknowledged the shortcomings in serving students and pledged to improve the system, indicating that the failure was not permanent but rather a result of specific technical challenges introduced by the new version of the software. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the articles can be categorized as a crash. The Common Application program experienced a cascade of glitches, leaving students staring at frozen screens, being shut out of their accounts, and encountering technical difficulties in filing materials for college applications [22254].
(b) omission: The software failure incident can also be categorized as an omission. Students reported having trouble uploading recommendations and other required documents, indicating that the system omitted to perform its intended functions at instances [22254].
(c) timing: The software failure incident does not seem to be related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions but too late or too early.
(d) value: The software failure incident can be categorized as a value failure. Students reported paying multiple fees for a single application, which indicates that the system performed its intended functions incorrectly in terms of handling financial transactions [22254].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit a byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The software failure incident can be categorized as a glitch or technical difficulty that led to students experiencing various issues with the Common Application program, such as frozen screens, login problems, and payment processing errors [22254]. |