SE_Lec 10_ Software Code of Ethics

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The need

Professional and ethical responsibility

Issues of professional responsibility

Code of ethics

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Software engineering involves wider responsibility than

simple the application of technical skills.

Honest and responsibility is a must be respected as

professionals.

Ethical behavior is more than upholding the law.

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Some issues of professional responsibility:

Confidentiality

Competence

Intellectual property rights

Computer misuse

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Engineers should normally respect the confidentiality of

there employers or clients irrespective of whether or

not a formal confidentiality agreement has been signed

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Engineers should not misrepresent their level of

competence.

They should not knowingly accept work which is beyond

their competence.

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Engineers should be aware of local laws governing the

use of intellectual property such as patents, copyright,

etc. They should be careful to ensure that the

intellectual property of employers and clients is

protected.

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Software engineers should not use their technical skills

to misuse other people’s computers.

Computer misuse ranges from relatively trivial (game

playing on an employer’s machine, say) to extremely

serious (dissemination of viruses).

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Software engineers shall commit themselves to making the

analysis, specification, design, development, testing and

maintenance of software a beneficial and respected

profession. In accordance with their commitment to the

health, safety and welfare of the public, software

engineers shall adhere to the following Eight Principles:

Public

Product

Judgment

Client and Employer

Management

Profession

Colleagues

Self

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Software engineers shall act consistently with the public

interest.

1. Accept responsibility for your own work

2. Moderate interests of all stakeholders with public good

3. Approve software only if you have well-founded belief in

its safety; disclose any actual or potential danger

4. Cooperate in efforts to address matters of grave public

concern

5. Be fair and avoid deception in all statements

6. Consider issues of physical disabilities, allocation of

resources, economic disadvantage

7. Be encouraged to volunteer professional skills to good

causes

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1.04 Disclose to appropriate persons or authorities any

actual or potential danger to the user, the public, or the

environment, that they reasonably believe to be

associated with software or related documents.

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Software engineers shall act in a manner that is in the

best interests of their client and employer, consistent

with the public interest.

1. Provides service in area of competence; be honest and

forthright about experience and education

2. Not knowingly use illegally- or unethically-obtained

software

3. Use property only as properly authorized and with

owner’s knowledge and consent

4. Identify, document, collect evidence, and report to the

client if a project is problematic

5. Accept no outside work that is detrimental to your

primary employer

6. Promote no interest detrimental to your employer or

client, unless higher ethical concern exists

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2.09. Promote no

interest adverse to

their employer or

client, unless a higher

ethical concern is

being compromised; in

that case, inform the

employer or another

appropriate authority

of the ethical concern.

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Software engineers shall ensure that their products and

related modifications meet the highest professional

standards possible.

1. Strive for high quality, acceptable cost, and reasonableschedule

2. Identify, define, and address ethical, economic, cultural,legal, and environmental issues related to the project

3. Ensure you use appropriate methods on projects

4. Follow professional standards whenever possible

5. Strive to fully understand specifications for software

6. Ensure specifications are well-documented and approved

7. Ensure adequate testing, debugging, and review ofsoftware

8. Ensure adequate documentation

9. Treat software maintenance as professionally as newdevelopment

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3.07. Strive to fully understand the specifications for

software on which they work.

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Software engineers shall maintain integrity and

independence in their professional judgment

1. Temper all technical judgments by need to support and

maintain human values

2. Only endorse documents you prepared or are under

your control

3. Maintain professional objectivity

4. Do not engage in deceptive financial practices

5. Disclose conflicts of interest to all concerned parties

6. Refuse to participate in bodies in which you have

potential conflicts of interest

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4.01. Temper all technical judgments by the need to

support and maintain human values.

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Software engineering managers and leaders shall

subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the

management of software development and maintenance

1. Ensure good management practices; inform other

software engineers of standards and security procedures

2. Assign work by education and experience levels

3. Ensure realistic quantitative estimates of cost,

scheduling, personnel and outcomes

4. Describe position accurately and fully when hiring; offer

fair and just remuneration

5. Don’t ask software engineers to violate this Code

6. Don’t punish for expressing ethical concerns about

project

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5.01 Ensure good

management for any

project on which they

work, including effective

procedures for promotion

of quality and reduction

of risk

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Software engineers shall advance the integrity and

reputation of the profession consistent with the public

interest

1. Help develop favorable organizational environment

2. Participate in professional organizations, meetings, andpublications; avoid associations that lead to conflict ofinterest

3. Support other SW engineers striving to follow this Code

4. Do not promote your own interests at the expense ofprofession, client, or employer

5. Obey all laws governing work

6. Be accurate describing the characteristics of software

7. Violations of the Code are inconsistent with being aprofessional software engineer

8. Report violations of the Code to appropriate authorities

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6.07 Be accurate in stating the characteristics of

software on which they work, avoiding not only false

claims but also claims that might reasonably be

supposed to be speculative, vacuous, deceptive,

misleading, or doubtful.

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Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive of

their colleagues

1. Encourage colleagues to follow Code

2. Assist them in professional development

3. Fully credit the work of others

4. Review others’ work objectively, candidly

5. Do not unfairly intervene in their career

6. Get opinions of experts in other areas

7. Assist others’ awareness of current standards

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7.02. Assist colleagues in professional development.

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Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning

regarding the practice of their profession

1. Further your SW development knowledge

2. Improve your SW development skills

3. Improve your documentation skills

4. Improve your knowledge of standards

5. Improve knowledge of this Code

6. Treat others fairly, not biased

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8.01. further their

knowledge of

developments in the

analysis, specification,

design, development,

maintenance and testing

of software and related

documents, together with

the management of the

development process.

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http://cecs.wright.edu/~pmateti/Courses/460/Slides/Ethics-PM.pdf

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