Formal methods are very often touted as a necessary evolution of software development to cope with increasing complexity, risks, and challenges. After all, if software engineers really want to be considered as “true” engineers like mechanical or nuclear engineers, they will need to embrace formalisation and root their practices and tools in solid mathematical foundations.
But while Formal Methods are probably helpful to answer the question "are we building our software right?", it's unclear whether or not they can answer the equally important question "are we building the right software?".
This presentation puts formal methods (FM) in perspective within the broader domain of software development, as yet another tool to deliver value. Based on the presenter's experience, and some epistemological musings, we shall identify various shortcomings and issues of FM in the software development lifecycle, and suggest ways to mitigate those issues in order to help teams benefit the most from FM, to build the right software in the right way.