The industrialization of formal methods

This special section contains papers based on work presented at the 12th International Symposium on Formal Methods (FM 2003) held at the CNR Research Campus in Pisa on 8-13 September 2003. The papers all focus on tools and techniques for cost-effective application of formal methods on the industrial scale. The papers discuss a range of approaches, including the development of domain-specific and general-purpose techniques, and the construction of suites of cooperating but specialised tools. In spite of the diversity of approach, the papers share some themes, notably the levels of automation that are possible at appropriate levels of abstraction, and the incorporation of formal techniques within existing development paradigms. Although three papers cannot provide a comprehensive view, they do provide a useful 'snapshot' of dominant concerns in industrial-strength formal methods today.