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. Software engineers are those who contribute by direct participation or by teaching, to the analysis, specification, design, development, certification, maintenance and testing of software systems.
3. Work to develop software and related documents that respect the privacy of those who will be affected by that software.
4. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
5. 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.
6. The dynamic and demanding context of software engineering requires a code that is adaptable and relevant to new situations as they occur.
7. 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.
8. Ensure that clients, employers, and supervisors know of the software engineer's commitment to this Code of ethics, and the subsequent ramifications of such commitment.
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. 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. Assist colleagues in being fully aware of current standard work practices including policies and procedures for protecting passwords, files and other confidential information, and security measures in general.
2. 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.
3. Keep private any confidential information gained in their professional work, where such confidentiality is consistent with the public interest and consistent with the law.
4. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Accept full responsibility for their own work.
5. Accept no outside work detrimental to the work they perform for their primary employer.
6. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to work.
7. 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.
8. Assign work only after taking into account appropriate contributions of education and experience tempered with a desire to further that education and experience.
9. Improve their knowledge of this Code, its interpretation, and its application to their work.
10. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to 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. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
3. Principle 6: PROFESSIONSoftware engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest.
4. 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.
5. Principle 4: JUDGMENTSoftware engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.
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. 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.
8. 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.
9. Ensure that software engineers are informed of standards before being held to them.
10. 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.
1. Not influence others to undertake any action that involves a breach of this Code.
2. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
3. Improve their knowledge of this Code, its interpretation, and its application to their work.
4. Ensure that clients, employers, and supervisors know of the software engineer's commitment to this Code of ethics, and the subsequent ramifications of such commitment.
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. The Code is not simply for adjudicating the nature of questionable acts; it also has an important educational function.
7. 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.
8. Recognize that personal violations of this Code are inconsistent with being a professional software engineer.
9. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
10. The dynamic and demanding context of software engineering requires a code that is adaptable and relevant to new situations as they occur.
1. Not punish anyone for expressing ethical concerns about a project.
2. 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.
3. 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.
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. 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.
6. The Code provides an ethical foundation to which individuals within teams and the team as a whole can appeal.
7. Be careful to use only accurate data derived by ethical and lawful means, and use it only in ways properly authorized.
8. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
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. 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.