In high-integrity systems, certain quality requirements have gained utmost significance in such a way that failing to satisfy them at a particular level may result in the loss of the entire system, endangerment of human life, peril to the organization's existence, or serious damage to the environment. High-integrity computer systems should incorporate top-quality software in order to adequately address their stringent quality requirements. The methodologies used for developing high-integrity software must possess special characteristics in order to ensure successful realization of the requirements.

Software Process patterns represent empirically proven methods of software development that can be exploited as reusable chunks to produce bespoke methodologies, tailored to fit specific project situations and requirements. The authors provide a set of process patterns extracted from methodologies and standards which are specifically intended for developing high-integrity systems. The methodologies and standards which were used as resources for extracting these patterns were selected based on their history of successful application. The patterns have been organized into a generic High Integrity Software Development Process (HISDP); this process framework can be instantiated by method engineers to produce tailored-to-fit methodologies for developing high-integrity software.