|
|
|
SOFTWARE ENGINEERING CODE OF ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 1 PUBLIC - Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest. 2 CLIENT AND EMPLOYER - Software engineers shall act in a manner that is in the best interests of their client and employer, consistent with the public interest. 3 PRODUCT - Software engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible. 4 JUDGMENT - Software engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment. 5 MANAGEMENT - Software engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance. 6 PROFESSION - Software engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest. 7 COLLEAGUES - Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive of their colleagues. 8 SELF - Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding the practice of their profession and shall promote an ethical approach to the practice of the profession. There are consequently at least three majou areas of potential conflict in the definition of ethical standards for software engineers . First there is the transference of standards which have previously been applied outside the profession. Second , there are "new" standards following technical development, and guided by professional organizations. Last law define what may be ethical behaviour for a software engineer is "legal" behaviour. In the reality the situation is actually enen more complex. For example, Amember of a software team was developing a complex database application. Asked by the team leader if she was able to tackle a particularly tricky aspect of coding, she replied honestly-she didn't think so, but would do her best. The reply did not go down well; She was shortly afterwards moved to another team. The team member probably acted ethically, but her "obviously" ethical behaviour did not appear to bring much benefit. In a case of computing students interviewed by a major UK bank, one was unremittingly gonest, and admitted freely to areas of ignorance and poor performance. In contrast, his more cynical colleague read the interviewer's notes upside down. In an ethical world, honesty would have been rewarded;but would anyone really be surprised to hear that ajob offer went to the cynic? Every business is composed of people who act on its behalf. Their actons may lead to the company itself being guilty of unethical behaviour. A consultant was telephoned when leaving the office. A client company were holding a board meeting, and wanted to confirm an earlier provisional quotation.The engineer felt he did not have sufficient information.After he decided to say he couldn't respond until the next day, when he knew inforamtion would be available. His company lost the contract. The consultant believed he was actiog ethically by not rewsponding until he was certain the figures he would be confirming were accurate, but if he had responded immediately, the contract may well not have been lost. the content of any code may vary as between countries or regions,. Beijing and Islamabad will be compatible with anything with comes from the British computer Society. Most softwae enjineering are a subset of business ethics, whic may be summarized as "don't knowingly deceice, defraud or coerce". Unfortunately, as every software engineer knows there is differenc between th eabstract consideration of academic issues and the every day life in commercial practice. We live and work in a real world where people frequently do act unethically.
|