SRI think tank and university turn software verification into gameplay

Software verification doesn’t sound like a fun job. It involves checking a program to ensure that it is free from common vulnerabilities. So a team of computer scientists has made a game out of it called Xylem. The iPad puzzle game helps programmers find “loop invariants,” or an important part of formal software verification.

The team at the SRI International think tank in Menlo Park, Calif., and the University of California at Santa Cruz have embraced “gamification,” or using game-like mechanics to make everyday tasks more interesting. In this case, the puzzle game will tap ordinary consumers to perform verification tasks. If they’re entertained, they can be more alert and spot more bugs. On top of that, the task of doing verification will be accessible to a wider group of people.