1. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
2. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
3. Ensure that software engineers are informed of standards before being held to them.
4. 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.
5. Take responsibility for detecting, correcting, and reporting errors in software and associated documents on which they work.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Treat all forms of software maintenance with the same professionalism as new development.
9. Principle 5: MANAGEMENTSoftware engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance .
10. Recognize that personal violations of this Code are inconsistent with being a professional software engineer.
1. Assign work only after taking into account appropriate contributions of education and experience tempered with a desire to further that education and experience.
2. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Accept full responsibility for their own work.
3. Ensure that they are qualified for any project on which they work or propose to work by an appropriate combination of education and training, and experience.
4. 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.
5. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
6. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to work.
7. Improve their understanding of the software and related documents on which they work and of the environment in which they will be used.
8. Keep private any confidential information gained in their professional work, where such confidentiality is consistent with the public interest and consistent with the law.
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. 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.
1. 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.
2. Principle 6: PROFESSIONSoftware engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
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. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
8. Principle 3: PRODUCTSoftware engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.
9. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Encourage colleagues to adhere to this Code.
10. 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.
1. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
2. The dynamic and demanding context of software engineering requires a code that is adaptable and relevant to new situations as they occur.
3. Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (Full Version)PREAMBLEComputers have a central and growing role in commerce, industry, government, medicine, education, entertainment and society at large.
4. Avoid associations with businesses and organizations which are in conflict with this code.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
8. Recognize that personal violations of this Code are inconsistent with being a professional software engineer.
9. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
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.
1. Not punish anyone for expressing ethical concerns about a project.
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. Principle 5: MANAGEMENTSoftware engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance .
4. The Code provides an ethical foundation to which individuals within teams and the team as a whole can appeal.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. The Principles identify the ethically responsible relationships in which individuals, groups, and organizations participate and the primary obligations within these relationships.
8. Ethical tensions can best be addressed by thoughtful consideration of fundamental principles, rather than blind reliance on detailed regulations.
9. 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.
10. 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.