1. The Code contains eight Principles related to the behavior of and decisions made by professional software engineers, including practitioners, educators, managers, supervisors and policy makers, as well as trainees and students of the profession.
2. Ensure that specifications for software on which they work have been well documented, satisfy the users’
3. Improve their understanding of the software and related documents on which they work and of the environment in which they will be used.
4. However, even in this generality, the Code provides support for software engineers and managers of software engineers who need to take positive action in a specific case by documenting the ethical stance of the profession.
5. 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.
6. Principle 5: MANAGEMENTSoftware engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance .
7. Improve their knowledge of relevant standards and the law governing the software and related documents on which they work.
8. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Provide service in their areas of competence, being honest and forthright about any limitations of their experience and education.
9. The Code prescribes these as obligations of anyone claiming to be or aspiring to be a software engineer.
10. Because of their roles in developing software systems, software engineers have significant opportunities to do good or cause harm, to enable others to do good or cause harm, or to influence others to do good or cause harm.
1. Review the work of others in an objective, candid, and properly-documented way.
2. Improve their understanding of the software and related documents on which they work and of the environment in which they will be used.
3. Ensure proper and achievable goals and objectives for any project on which they work or propose.
4. Obey all laws governing their work, unless, in exceptional circumstances, such compliance is inconsistent with the public interest.
5. Strive to fully understand the specifications for software on which they work.
6. Work to follow professional standards, when available, that are most appropriate for the task at hand, departing from these only when ethically or technically justified.
7. s humanity, in special care owed to people affected by the work of software engineers, and the unique elements of the practice of software engineering.
8. Ensure realistic quantitative estimates of cost, scheduling, personnel, quality and outcomes on any project on which they work or propose to work and provide an uncertainty assessment of these estimates.
9. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to work.
10. Ensure adequate documentation, including significant problems discovered and solutions adopted, for any project on which they work.
1. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Strive for high quality, acceptable cost and a reasonable schedule, ensuring significant tradeoffs are clear to and accepted by the employer and the client, and are available for consideration by the user and the public.
2. The Code contains eight Principles related to the behavior of and decisions made by professional software engineers, including practitioners, educators, managers, supervisors and policy makers, as well as trainees and students of the profession.
3. PRINCIPLESPrinciple 1: PUBLICSoftware engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.
4. These Principles should influence software engineers to consider broadly who is affected by their work; to examine if they and their colleagues are treating other human beings with due respect; to consider how the public, if reasonably well informed, would view their decisions; to analyze how the least empowered will be affected by their decisions; and to consider whether their acts would be judged worthy of the ideal professional working as a software engineer.
5. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
6. Principle 2: CLIENT AND EMPLOYERSoftware engineers shall act in a manner that is in the best interests of their client and employer, consistent with the public interest.
7. Because of their roles in developing software systems, software engineers have significant opportunities to do good or cause harm, to enable others to do good or cause harm, or to influence others to do good or cause harm.
8. Not unfairly intervene in the career of any colleague; however, concern for the employer, the client or public interest may compel software engineers, in good faith, to question the competence of a colleague.
9. Principle 6: PROFESSIONSoftware engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest.
10. Principle 3: PRODUCTSoftware engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.
1. In all these judgments concern for the health, safety and welfare of the public is primary; that is, the "Public Interest" is central to this Code.
2. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
3. Not ask a software engineer to do anything inconsistent with this Code.
4. The Code is not simply for adjudicating the nature of questionable acts; it also has an important educational function.
5. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
6. Express concerns to the people involved when significant violations of this Code are detected unless this is impossible, counter-productive, or dangerous.
7. These situations require the software engineer to use ethical judgment to act in a manner which is most consistent with the spirit of the Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, given the circumstances.
8. It is not intended that the individual parts of the Code be used in isolation to justify errors of omission or commission.
9. The Code prescribes these as obligations of anyone claiming to be or aspiring to be a software engineer.
10. The dynamic and demanding context of software engineering requires a code that is adaptable and relevant to new situations as they occur.
1. 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.
2. As this Code expresses the consensus of the profession on ethical issues, it is a means to educate both the public and aspiring professionals about the ethical obligations of all software engineers.
3. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
4. However, even in this generality, the Code provides support for software engineers and managers of software engineers who need to take positive action in a specific case by documenting the ethical stance of the profession.
5. Principle 5: MANAGEMENTSoftware engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance .
6. Ethical tensions can best be addressed by thoughtful consideration of fundamental principles, rather than blind reliance on detailed regulations.
7. Work to follow professional standards, when available, that are most appropriate for the task at hand, departing from these only when ethically or technically justified.
8. These situations require the software engineer to use ethical judgment to act in a manner which is most consistent with the spirit of the Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, given the circumstances.
9. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
10. As this Code expresses the consensus of the profession on ethical issues, it is a means to educate both the public and aspiring professionals about the ethical obligations of all software engineers.