Incident: School iPad Initiative: High Breakage Rate Due to Fragile Cases

Published Date: 2012-12-31

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident of iPads being broken at Honywood Community Science School happened approximately a year before the article was published on December 31, 2012.
System 1. iPad2 tablets distributed to pupils at Honywood Community Science School [55160]
Responsible Organization 1. The school administration of Honywood Community Science School was responsible for causing the software failure incident by distributing iPad2 tablets to its pupils without ensuring proper protection or robust cases [55160].
Impacted Organization 1. Students at Honywood Community Science School [55160]
Software Causes 1. Unknown
Non-software Causes 1. Fragile nature of the iPad2 tablets provided to the pupils, leading to breakages [55160]. 2. Insufficiently robust recommended cases for the iPads, contributing to the high breakage rate [55160]. 3. Lack of financial contribution from parents towards insuring the devices, potentially affecting the level of care taken by the pupils [55160].
Impacts 1. The software failure incident of half of the iPads given out to pupils at Honywood Community Science School being broken resulted in a significant financial impact, with 489 iPads needing replacement and repair, costing the school and taxpayers a substantial amount of money [55160]. 2. The incident led to disruptions in the students' learning process, as a significant number of iPads had to be sent for repair multiple times, affecting their access to educational resources and tools [55160]. 3. The software failure incident highlighted the importance of robust protective cases for electronic devices, as inadequate protection was identified as a contributing factor to the high breakage rate of the iPads [55160]. 4. Despite the challenges and breakages, the school reported positive impacts on pupil discipline, attendance, and exam results after introducing the iPads, indicating a potential silver lining amidst the software failure incident [55160].
Preventions 1. Implementing a more robust protective case for the iPads could have prevented the high rate of breakages [55160]. 2. Providing proper training to students on how to handle and care for the iPads could have reduced the incidents of damage [55160]. 3. Setting clear guidelines and consequences for mishandling or damaging the iPads could have encouraged students to be more responsible [55160]. 4. Involving parents in the financial responsibility for insuring the devices could have increased accountability and care for the iPads [55160].
Fixes 1. Implementing more robust protective cases for the iPads to prevent damage from knocks, drops, and scratches [55160]. 2. Providing proper training and guidelines to students on how to handle and care for the iPads responsibly to reduce the likelihood of breakages [55160]. 3. Encouraging parental involvement by requesting a higher contribution towards insuring the devices, which could increase accountability and care for the iPads [55160]. 4. Conducting regular maintenance checks and repairs on the iPads to address any issues promptly and prevent further damage [55160].
References 1. Honywood Community Science School in Coggeshall, Essex 2. Headteacher Simon Mason 3. Former school headmaster Peter Inson 4. Matthew Sinclair from the TaxPayers’ Alliance 5. Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - The incident at Honywood Community Science School involving the iPads being broken due to being knocked, dropped, or scratched is a recurring issue within the same organization. The school distributed iPad2 tablets to its pupils, and after just one year, half of the costly devices were broken, with 489 needing replacement [55160]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The article does not provide specific information about similar incidents happening at other organizations or with their products and services.
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase: The incident of iPads being broken at Honywood Community Science School can be attributed to a design failure. The school distributed iPad2 tablets to its pupils without considering the fragility of the devices and the potential risks associated with allowing children to take them outside the classroom and home. The recommended cases for the iPads were found to be insufficiently robust, leading to a high breakage rate. The headteacher mentioned that since replacing the cases, the breakage rate fell significantly [55160]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase: The incident of iPads being broken can also be linked to the operation phase. The high breakage rate was a result of how the devices were being used by the pupils - being knocked, dropped, or scratched during their operation both inside and outside the school premises. The misuse and mishandling of the iPads by the students contributed to the need for repairs and replacements, indicating an operational failure in ensuring the proper handling of the devices [55160].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident in this case, where half of the iPads given to students were broken, can be attributed to factors within the system. The failure was primarily due to the fragility of the iPads themselves and the insufficiently robust cases that were initially provided with the devices. The article mentions that the breakage rate was a result of using a recommended case which was not robust enough, and after replacing the cases, the breakage rate fell significantly [55160]. This indicates that the failure was caused by issues related to the design and quality of the iPads and their accessories, which are internal factors within the system.
Nature (Human/Non-human) human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The article does not mention any software failure incident specifically caused by non-human actions. It primarily focuses on the physical damage and breakage of iPads given to students at Honywood Community Science School. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The article highlights that the iPads given to students at the school suffered from breakage, with over 40% needing repair and 489 having to be replaced due to being beyond repair. This breakage was a result of human actions such as knocking, dropping, and scratching the devices [55160].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The article mentions that the iPads given to the pupils at Honywood Community Science School were found to be broken, knocked, dropped, or scratched, leading to the need for repair or replacement [55160]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The article does not specifically mention any software-related failures or issues contributing to the incidents reported.
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident in this case does not seem to be malicious. The failure was primarily attributed to physical damage caused by the students, such as knocking, dropping, or scratching the iPads. The article mentions that the breakage rate was a result of using a recommended case that was not robust enough to protect the devices. The headteacher also stated that since replacing the cases, the breakage rate has significantly decreased [55160]. (b) The software failure incident can be categorized as non-malicious. The failure was mainly due to the fragility of the iPads and the lack of robust protective cases rather than any intentional harm or malicious actions by individuals. The incident highlights the challenges of providing delicate gadgets to young students without adequate protection or supervision, leading to a high rate of breakages and repairs [55160].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions, accidental_decisions The intent of the software failure incident can be attributed to both poor decisions and accidental decisions: (a) poor_decisions: The school's decision to distribute iPad2 tablets to its 1,200 pupils without adequate consideration for the fragility of the devices and the potential risks associated with allowing children to take them outside the classroom, playground, and home contributed to the high rate of breakages. The school's choice of a recommended case that was deemed insufficiently robust also played a role in the failure [55160]. (b) accidental_decisions: The breakages of the iPads can also be seen as a result of accidental decisions or unintended consequences. For instance, the lack of financial contribution from parents towards insuring the devices may have inadvertently increased the likelihood of damage or loss. Additionally, the school's decision to distribute the iPads without anticipating the challenges of children handling delicate gadgets can be viewed as an accidental decision that led to the failure [55160].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as the school distributed iPad2 tablets to its 1,200 pupils without adequately considering the fragility of the devices and the potential for damage. Despite warnings that children may not be able to take care of the tablets, the school allowed them to be taken outside the classroom, leading to a high rate of breakages. The headteacher mentioned that the breakage rate was due to using a recommended case that was not robust enough, indicating a lack of foresight in selecting appropriate protective measures for the devices [55160]. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is also present in the article, as the breakages of the iPads were primarily caused by accidental damage such as being knocked, dropped, or scratched. The high number of iPads that had to be replaced or repaired due to accidental damage suggests that the failures were not intentional but rather a result of mishandling by the students [55160].
Duration unknown The articles do not mention any specific software failure incident related to the iPads given out to pupils at Honywood Community Science School. The reported issues mainly revolve around physical damage to the iPads due to being knocked, dropped, or scratched by the students. Therefore, the duration of the incident cannot be determined as it does not involve a software failure.
Behaviour value, other (a) crash: The iPads given out to pupils at Honywood Community Science School experienced a high rate of breakages, with more than four in ten of the iPads needing repair after being knocked, dropped, or scratched. Additionally, 489 iPads had to be replaced as they were found to be beyond repair [55160]. (b) omission: There is no specific mention of the software failing to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) in the provided article. (c) timing: There is no specific mention of the software performing its intended functions too late or too early in the provided article. (d) value: The software failure incident in this case is related to the iPads not performing their intended functions correctly due to physical damage caused by being knocked, dropped, or scratched [55160]. (e) byzantine: There is no indication of the software behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions in the provided article. (f) other: The iPads were given out to pupils with the intention of being a useful learning tool and keeping the school up to pace with technology in the classroom. However, the high rate of breakages and need for repairs due to physical damage led to a significant financial cost and disruption to the learning environment [55160].

IoT System Layer

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

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property The consequence of the software failure incident related to the iPads given to pupils at Honywood Community Science School was primarily in the category of 'property' [(Article 55160)]. The software failure incident in this case resulted in the iPads being broken, knocked, dropped, or scratched, leading to the need for repairs and replacements. The article mentions that more than four in ten iPads had to be sent off for repair, with 489 needing replacement due to being beyond repair. Additionally, about a fifth of the iPads sent for repair had to be sent back more than once. This indicates a significant impact on the material goods (iPads) provided to the pupils, resulting in financial costs for the school and potential inconvenience for the students.
Domain knowledge The software failure incident reported in the article [55160] is related to the **education industry** (i) as it involves a school, Honywood Community Science School, providing iPads to its pupils in an attempt to enhance education and improve learning outcomes. The iPads were intended to be a useful learning tool in the classroom and were distributed to all 1,200 pupils at the school. The incident involved a high rate of breakages and damages to the iPads, leading to significant repair and replacement costs for the school.

Sources

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