Seven More Myths of Formal Methods

Seven more myths about formal methods, and their rebuttal, are:

8. Formal Methods delay the development process.

Rather: they can decrease development time.

9. Formal Methods are not supported by tools.

Rather: they are supported by many software tools, some even in the public domain.

10. Formal Methods mean forsaking traditional engineering design methods.

Rather: they are part of it.

11. Formal Methods only apply to software.

Rather: they can equally well be applied to hardware design.

12. Formal Methods are not required.

Rather: there are many situations where they are desirable.

13. Formal Methods are not supported.

Rather: there are various standards supporting them.

14. Formal Methods people always use Formal Methods.

Rather: it is recognized that certain aspects of system development are better dealt with in other ways.

Quoted from: Jonathon P. Bowen and Michael G. Hinchey, Seven more myths of formal methods, IEEE Software, 12(4):34-41, July 1995.