1. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
2. Ensure that software engineers are informed of standards before being held to them.
3. To ensure, as much as possible, that their efforts will be used for good, software engineers must commit themselves to making software engineering a beneficial and respected profession.
4. 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.
5. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
6. 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.
7. Principle 5: MANAGEMENTSoftware engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance .
8. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Temper all technical judgments by the need to support and maintain human values.
9. Ensure that there is a fair agreement concerning ownership of any software, processes, research, writing, or other intellectual property to which a software engineer has contributed.
10. Recognize that personal violations of this Code are inconsistent with being a professional software engineer.
1. Keep private any confidential information gained in their professional work, where such confidentiality is consistent with the public interest and consistent with the law.
2. Obey all laws governing their work, unless, in exceptional circumstances, such compliance is inconsistent with the public interest.
3. Improve their knowledge of relevant standards and the law governing the software and related documents on which they work.
4. 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.
5. Assign work only after taking into account appropriate contributions of education and experience tempered with a desire to further that education and experience.
6. Ensure proper and achievable goals and objectives for any project on which they work or propose.
7. In particular, those managing or leading software engineers shall, as appropriate:Ensure good management for any project on which they work, including effective procedures for promotion of quality and reduction of risk.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
1. 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.
2. In particular, those managing or leading software engineers shall, as appropriate:Ensure good management for any project on which they work, including effective procedures for promotion of quality and reduction of risk.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
7. In particular, software engineers shall continually endeavor to: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.
8. 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.
9. Attract potential software engineers only by full and accurate description of the conditions of employment.
10. Principle 4: JUDGMENTSoftware engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.
1. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
2. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
3. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
4. The Code prescribes these as obligations of anyone claiming to be or aspiring to be a software engineer.
5. Avoid associations with businesses and organizations which are in conflict with this code.
6. 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.
7. Improve their knowledge of this Code, its interpretation, and its application to their work.
8. Express concerns to the people involved when significant violations of this Code are detected unless this is impossible, counter-productive, or dangerous.
9. Report significant violations of this Code to appropriate authorities when it is clear that consultation with people involved in these significant violations is impossible, counter-productive or dangerous.
10. The dynamic and demanding context of software engineering requires a code that is adaptable and relevant to new situations as they occur.
1. Principle 8: SELFSoftware engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding the practice of their profession and shall promote an ethical approach to the practice of the profession.
2. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
3. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
4. Principle 5: MANAGEMENTSoftware engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance .
5. Ethical tensions can best be addressed by thoughtful consideration of fundamental principles, rather than blind reliance on detailed regulations.
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. 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.
8. 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.
9. Be careful to use only accurate data derived by ethical and lawful means, and use it only in ways properly authorized.
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.