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Meet Our Director

Nagaratna Hegde (Ratna)

I am a Chartered Engineer (CEng, MIET) with 20+ years of experience working in software and systems engineering. I have developed and implemented software policies, system V&V strategies, functional safety and product security assurance strategies within a wide range of industries including civil nuclear, aerospace, rail, defence, submarine and finance.

I have undertaken several software assessments for my clients and their supply-chain throughout the full lifecycle applying industry best practices and achieving compliance to regulatory standards (EN50128, IEC61508, IEC61511, ISO26262, D0-178C, Def-Stan 00-055), liaising with customers, suppliers, and regulatory authorities to ensure stakeholder objectives are correctly set and achieved. I have helped my clients implement software process improvements without losing sight of the overall goals, objectives, and product/technology constraints.

Key Projects Worked

Ministry of Defence, UK

Submarine delivery, Dreadnought Alliance Software Management

BAE Systems

Combat System – Submarine Common Core Infrastructure

GE Aviation

Boeing 777x Embedded Software Assurance

Rolls-Royce

Dreadnought programme- software test automation

Ministry of Defence, UK

AJAX Specialised Vehicle Electronic Architecture

EDF Energy

Sizewell B Primary Protection Software V&V Hinkley Point C Static Analysis Tool Enhancement

Network Rail

GE ElectroLogIXS UK deployment V&V

Frazer Nash Consultancy

Smart Instruments Behavioural Modelling

Airbus UK

A380 and A400M programmes

Westinghouse

Static Analysis feasibility study

Horizon Nuclear Power

FPGA-based safety system statistical test workbench modelling

Atradius Credit Insurance

Software Test Leadership

Qualifications

Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Electronics and Communication (2000-2004) – First Class with Distinction.

Member of IET, Chartered Engineer – Engineering Council, Certification Number: 1100412302
British Computer Society Certified Advanced Level Software Test Manager (CTAL-TM)- BCS/ISTQB, The Chartered Institute for IT, Certification Number: 00214724
International Information System Security Certification Consortium Cybersecurity Certification – ISC2, Certification Number: 2010229

Nationality

British citizen (sole)

Clearance

Clearance available upon request for authorised parties

Work History

Independent Consultant, Director at Sanvi Software Limited
(Oct 2019 – Present)

Lead Software Safety and Cybersecurity Consultant –
April 2022 – to date

Dreadnought Alliance (MoD) through Frazer-Nash Consultancy (Defence)

✓ Authored Dreadnought Software Policy, promoting and supporting the implementation of software best practices across the programme
✓ Provided consultancy services on functional safety advising Engineering System Owner on software issues, and authoring technical assessment papers on the management of software
✓ Performed reviews of the embodiment of the software requirements in the design, reviews of software management plans and processes to ensure they are consistent and coherent with the submarine programme.
✓ Authored Product Security Assurance Policy, supported the defence Industrial Partners and the suppliers understand and implement the MoD Secure by Design principles.

Senior Software Assurance Consultant
July 2021 – March 2022

BAE Systems – Combat Systems – Common Core Infrastructure (Submarines)

✓ Performed a gap analysis on the existing software development processes against software best practices; delivered a report highlighting non-conformances and corrective actions to improve the safety and security of the product
✓ Performed a technical review of the Core Infrastructure design of the Submarine Combat System
✓ Helped the client organisation deliver a Software Development Plan on the Enabling System/Infrastructure project demonstrating compliance against IEC 12207 and using Agile/Scrum model.

Senior Software Consultant
Oct 2019 - July 2021

GE Aviation, Cheltenham, UK - Boeing 777x Remote Data Concentrator (Aviation)

✓ Helped to simplify the demonstration of compliance to DO-178C through improved verification checklists, traceability matrices, documentation framework and templates.
✓ Authored multiple Problem Report Analysis documents identifying the impact of changes to lifecycle documents and underlying Library Functions (C program)
✓ Delivered testing of a secure interface (in Python) to Boeing 777x Common Data Network. The interface implements Error Detection Encoding algorithm providing impersonation, excessive latency detection, ordinal integrity check, and message-level CRC protection to detect corrupted data.
✓ Utilised and improvised the Test Automation Framework, delivered verification artefacts (in Python), performed testing of the embedded system’s Built-In-Test functions complete with coverage analysis, data coupling analysis, and traceability demonstration.
✓ Delivered requirement specification for the Built-in-Test functions of an FPGA-based Digital IO Controller for ARINC 429, 628, and 825(CAN) protocols.
✓ Delivered Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) identifying single point of failures in the unit and the unit’s fault detection and fault isolation capability to support the Safety Case.

Senior Software Consultant
March 2020

Frazer Nash Consultancy, Gloucester, UK – Behavioural Modelling (Civil Nuclear - Smart Instruments)

✓ Delivered a Software Behavioural Model of a smart instrument (SWAN Conductivity Analyser) complete with State Transition Diagram to support the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis.

Atkins, Bristol, UK
(Jan 2014 – Oct 2019)

Senior Software Engineer, Consultant

Rolls Royce - Dreadnought submarine programme (Defence)

✓ Delivered Software Integration testing of the critical software (in ADA programming) in a distributed team environment adopting a customised Agile/SCRUM model
✓ Utilised and improvised the unit test automation using VectorCAST toolset.
✓ Reviewed modifications to software requirements (in DOORS), architecture and design (SCADE Architect and SCADE Suite), ensured traceability to parent requirements.

Senior Software Engineer, Consultant

Defence Equipment & Support (MoD) - AJAX Specialised Vehicle Electronic Architecture (Defence)

✓ Conducted technical reviews of software specifications, Rhapsody design models, and test specifications for compliance to system and contract requirements and compliance to defence industry standard DEF-STAN-0056.
✓ Liaised with the prime contractor's software domain leads enabling early identification of issues and technical risks; despite political/commercial pressures for the delivery of the specialised vehicle, I rejected the initial versions of the software deliverables from the prime contractor to ensure that the software meets critical system requirements such as safety, security, human-factors and system openness.
✓ Performed the role of a witness on behalf of DE&S for two of the vehicle trials conducted by the prime contractor and delivered a witness report highlighting the nonconformities.

Senior Software Engineer, Consultant

Network Rail - ElectroLogIXS UK Deployment (Rail)

✓ Delivered Software Verification and Validation Plan documenting the techniques and methodologies to achieve the requirements for the most stringent safety integrity level (SIL4) defined in the rail industry standard BS EN 50128.
✓ Created reusable templates and verification checklists to verify the system and software lifecycle documents.
✓ Led the technical reviews on railway level crossing controller requirement (stored in IBM DOORS), specification (semiformal UML and Decision Tables) and design (written in SysML) and the software (Ladder Logic programming)
✓ Chaired the Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) workshop for GE-ElectroLogIXS ACE compiler of Tool Class T3 (highest rigour).
✓ Evaluated different Model-Based-Development Tools (MATLAB and Simulink, RODIN and Event-B, Rhapsody) and effectively contributed in Tool selection.

Senior Software Engineer, Consultant

EDF Energy - Sizewell B (Civil Nuclear)

✓ Delivered Software Verification Plan for the independent verification of Sizewell B PPS software modifications.
✓ Performed Engineering Confirmatory Assessment for Real Time Monitor software written in Microsoft Visual C++/CLI
✓ Conducted a feasibility study for the development of replacement Statistical Test Workbench to support the safety case and regulatory compliance for the Primary Protection System. Developed a software model for the prototype using National Instruments’ LabVIEW along with a technical report describing the findings of the feasibility study.
✓ Produced a detailed work instruction to test the enhancements to the Sizewell B PPS software using a test automation framework called Eagle Test Environment.
✓ Configured the LDRA testbed to enable the static analysis and complexity analysis of the software changes, to generate instrumented program and to perform dynamic coverage analysis of the executed tests.

Senior Software Engineer, Consultant

EDF Energy - Hinkley Point C (Civil Nuclear)

✓ Delivered test planning, design, execution and reporting for the enhancements made to the translation tools within the MALPAS Static Analysis toolset for the Hinkley Point C project.

Senior Software Engineer, Consultant

Westinghouse - Static Analysis approach (Civil Nuclear)

✓ Developed a 3-phase approach to conduct Static Analysis of the AP1000 Protection and Monitoring Software (C programming) using MALPAS toolset. The work required knowledge of software Static Analysis techniques such as control flow, data use, and information flow analyses, integrity checks, semantic and compliance analyses as well as good understanding of the use of MALPAS toolset. Developed an ALARP justification for the techniques proposed.

Senior Software Engineer, Consultant

Horizon Nuclear Power – Statistical Test Workbench (Civil Nuclear)

✓ Successfully investigated the feasibility of developing a logical model of functionality and the feasibility of creating test sets for Statistical Testing of the FPGA-based safety system logic controller from the manufacturer’s sample design documentation.

Senior Software Engineer, Consultant

Rapid Assessment and Planning for Infrastructure Design - RAPID™ (an innovation project at Atkins)

✓ Developed the test strategy for testing the tool that allows clients to plan, decide, construct and operate deployable/temporary infrastructure, enables both 2D and 3D visualisation.

Infosys
(July 2004 – Dec 2013)

Technical Test Lead

Atradius Credit Insurance, Cardiff, UK - multiple finance and risk domain projects (Financial Services Industry)

✓ Defined the test approach for credit insurance applications including web-based front ends, Oracle Forms, COBOL batch Jobs, and WebServices.
✓ Led the Functional Acceptance Testing of multiple business-critical projects on time to budget with the effectiveness of uncovering over 98% of defects in Functional Acceptance Test phase.
✓ Led multi-disciplinary test team in a global delivery model; mentored the team with the main emphasis of improving the processes, tools and practices across the testing function.
✓ Test Life Cycle improvement by promoting ‘Parameterised Test Case Writing technique’.
✓ Received appreciations from Atradius CIO, Infosys higher management for my contribution towards the quality of delivered products, received Infosys INSTA award, relative ranking of CRR 1+.

Test Analyst

Airbus, Bristol, UK - Test Cycle Improvement, Data Exchange (Aerospace and defence)

✓ Designed System Integration Tests and executed the testing of CAD Integration Client that provided full integration of Airbus systems/tools with the Level4 category suppliers.
✓ Delivered over 1000 lines of code for the automation of exchange of data using Perl (File Handling) and UNIX scripting with Oracle database (Optegra Vault) at the backend; reduced the synchronisation discrepancy involved in InterNatco data exchange to 9%, achieving the agreed Service Level Agreement and customer satisfaction. Received ‘Best Value Add to Client Award’ for the automation activity.
✓ Delivered presentations to Airbus management team on various cost reduction solutions such as the proposition of a web-based application for product data exchange and off-shoring data exchange activities; developed prototype using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to present my proposals; successfully completed a feasibility study on establishing a remote link between offshore (India) and on-site (UK) for product data exchange.
✓ Facilitated Airbus in promoting the use of a Test Management Tool; organised the structure of various modules and successfully imported the test documentation of initial use case - A380 PDM/PLM Cluster liaising with multiple stakeholders.

Software Developer

Hannaford Brothers, India - Appointment Management System Web Maintenance (Retail)

✓ Delivered over 2000 lines of code to develop the new item workflow module using Java, J2EE, JSP, Struts and DB2, and completed on-time, in budget with unit testing.

Key Experience

Full software development life-cycle experience

Technical reviews, Testing, Verification and Validation

Software Assurance of complex electronic embedded systems

Demonstration of compliance to industry standards/best practices (e.g., EN50128, IEC61508, IEC61511, ISO26262, D0-178C, Def-Stan 00-055)

Test Automation Frameworks

Technical Team Leadership

Model Based Systems Engineering

Python, Unix Shell and Perl scripting, C, C++, Java, J2EE, VHDL, modelling languages

Requirements Engineering, Behavioural Modelling, traceability demonstration

Supporting Safety Case, Failure Mode and Effect Analysis

Formal methods, static analysis, statistical testing

Productivity improvement by training the team on processes, tools and techniques.

Training, Tools & Techniques

Trainings:

✓ Functional Safety - IEC61508/61511 training from ESC (Engineering Safety Consultants)
✓ LabView modelling from National Instruments (NI)
✓ Model-Based Design with SCADE Architect and SCADE Suite training from Esterel Technologies
✓ MALPAS formal verification training from Atkins
✓ RODIN and Event B formal methods training from Southampton University
✓ MATLAB and Simulink from MathWorks
✓ Nuclear Safety Culture training from Atkins, Sizewell Primary Protection Software Course from EDF Energy
✓ ISO 9001 Lead Auditor Training – the course accredited by ASIC
✓ Women’s Development Programme, Influencing for Success course from Skill4UK

Tools and Techniques:

✓ IBM DOORS, DXL scripting
✓ Enterprise Architect, SysML, UML and Rhapsody modelling
✓ Atlassian Jira, Confluence, Git
✓ LDRA Static Analysis, VectorCAST Test Automation, Eagle Test Automation Framework
✓ National Instruments’ LabVIEW modelling
✓ Wireshark Network Protocol Analyser
✓ HP Quality Centre test management tool
✓ MathWorks’ SimuLink
✓ Oracle, Quest Toad, writing SQL queries
✓ Microsoft Word, Excel, Visio, Access, Project

Papers Presented

Professional Services and papers presented

Statistical Testing

A technique to derive quantitative evidence of software reliability-presented at Atkins as part of organisational knowledge sharing session

Methodological Guide to Software Testing

Presented at Airbus as part of Test Cycle Improvement project

Air Traffic Controller

A Real-Time Safety Critical Software Application presented at Infosys – Best Presentation Award

Volunteering

Supporting aspiring engineers to professionally register as Chartered Engineers

Get In Touch

Contact me using any of the below methods

Are you looking to improve your Software Safety and Standards Compliance?

Meet Our Director

Nagaratna Hegde (Ratna)

Key Projects Worked

Ministry of Defence, UK

BAE Systems

GE Aviation

Rolls-Royce

Ministry of Defence, UK

EDF Energy

Network Rail

Frazer Nash Consultancy

Airbus UK

Westinghouse

Horizon Nuclear Power

Atradius Credit Insurance

Qualifications

Nationality

Clearance

Work History

Independent Consultant, Director at Sanvi Software Limited (Oct 2019 – Present)

Atkins, Bristol, UK (Jan 2014 – Oct 2019)

Infosys (July 2004 – Dec 2013)

Key Experience

Training, Tools & Techniques

Papers Presented

Professional Services and papers presented

Statistical Testing

Methodological Guide to Software Testing

Air Traffic Controller

Volunteering

Get In Touch

LinkedIn

Are you looking to improve your
Software Safety and Standards Compliance?

Independent Consultant, Director at Sanvi Software Limited
(Oct 2019 – Present)

Atkins, Bristol, UK
(Jan 2014 – Oct 2019)

Infosys
(July 2004 – Dec 2013)