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Subject: 16th Int'l System Safety Conference status

Here is a short status on what's going on with conference planning. I've included the 16th ISSC core planning team names in case you desire more information. Please be aware that the core planning team is being helped by the extended SSS family to include those from the last conference, especially Jack Laveson and Brian Moriarty. We are even involving future conference planners as the Florida Chapter has a strong presence (Jack Dixon, publisher chair and the Mike's [Willoughby and Kochmann] providing help). There are even strong vibrations coming from Barry Hendrix and the North Texas Chapter for a conference, early in the next millenium. Everyone is willing to help out in all areas to ensure we create the best conference for you. Please pass the word, come to Seattle and invite others as well. I see another wonderful high-performance team at work. My many thanks to everyone.

The core planning team (those participating in our twice a month teleconference since 1/6/98) members and their area of responsibility are: Perry D'Antonio - Conference Co-Chair Clif Ericson - Conference Co-Chair and Technical Programs Chair Dick Stephans - Facilities Niles Welch - Publicity Jack Dixon - Publishing Paige Ripani - Speakers Warner Talso - Sponsors/Exhibitors Paul Kryska - Treasurer/Registration Russ Mitchell - Web Page Cathy Carter - HQ Admin

16th International System Safety Conference Status

Facilities. We have agreed to terms with the hotel. Final changes to the contract are in process and will be approved by both parties. The two significant changes to be made by the hotel were to eliminate the extra charge for double occupancy and to reduce the number of rooms where our penalty kicks in from 701 to 680 while still keeping our room block at 860 room nights. We now really need to push attendance to ensure a healthy conference and to meet our room night guarantee.

Technical Program. The technical program is shaping up nicely. 46 abstracts have been received with several more promised (including one or two from myself). Please pass the word that we are still accepting abstracts. The advertised deadline is Feb 15 but if you promise one is coming we might be able to hold a slot a few days past the deadline. We really want to make a strong program and need your help in recruiting more papers. We have scheduled room for 80 papers/panel sessions so we have plenty of room. If we get more than the allowable space we can select the best papers for presentation. There are also several tutorials sessions being planned. Of note are the three software safety tutorials that include one from Nancy Leveson, one from an international (UK) guest, and one on the application of software safety to medical devices. Arlin Cooper is still on the hook to present a tutorial on his internationally known Hybrid (Possibilistic/Probabilistic) Safety Analysis Technique and software tool if he can arrange his schedule with PSAM (Of course, I have more leverage now because he works for me :)). Also, we will have a few new tutorials. One on technical writing taught by our very own Ann Waterman, HP Technical Editor, and one on explosive safety. We will also keep our foundational tutorials like the one on the Handbook taught by Dick Stephans and Warner Talso. We are having several panel member sessions to include one on the OSHA Process Safety Management standard and one on software safety moderated by Arch McKinlay. We are still in search of a panel moderator and panel members for a session on European Safety Standards. We are scanning the globe for the best!!

Publicity. Ads have been placed in the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, ASSE, and, of course, our HP journals. Ads in the HFES have been traded out for reciprocal space in HP. Conference information will be placed on the web by Russ Mitchell. The European community (ENCRESS, see 4th Qrt 1997 HP issue) is being contacted and Ragnar Ekholm, Chief Engineer, Head of System Safety Division, Defence Materiel Administration, Stockholm, Sweden has been asked to be our European Involvement point of contact.

Sponsors. We have acquired four sponsors and are looking for more! Sandia National Laboratories (Perry), Boeing (Clif), Raytheon (Niles), and Gram, Inc (Warner). These sponsors have been made aware of the benefits of participating in the conference by those involved in the conference planning. They all agree that it makes good business sense. I am sure other companies (your's) are just waiting for you to tell them how valuable their association with the SSS can be. Please use the SSS Fact Sheets e-mailed out to your best advantage (if you need a copy, please let me know).

Registration. To help promote the SSS and its value to non-SSS members of the G-48 Committee, we are going to offer a special "Get Acquainted Promotion." For all those non-SSS members attending the G-48 meeting and staying at the conference hotel (Doubletree Guest Suites), we will offer a one-day (Wednesday only) pass to the conference for $50. Thanks to Dick Weber, Chair G48 committee, for suggesting the idea.

Speakers. No commitments yet but current picks are Phil Condit, Boeing CEO, for keynote address and Peter Neuman, big on software safety and entertaining for the Awards Banquet.

Register and make your reservations early to take advantage of the lowest rates.

Regards,

Perry D'Antonio

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