1. 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.
2. The dynamic and demanding context of software engineering requires a code that is adaptable and relevant to new situations as they occur.
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. Improve their ability to create safe, reliable, and useful quality software at reasonable cost and within a reasonable time.
5. Attract potential software engineers only by full and accurate description of the conditions of employment.
6. 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.
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 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.
9. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
10. Moderate the interests of the software engineer, the employer, the client and the users with the public good.
1. Ensure proper and achievable goals and objectives for any project on which they work or propose.
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. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
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. 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.
6. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Accept full responsibility for their own work.
7. Work to develop software and related documents that respect the privacy of those who will be affected by that software.
8. Ensure that specifications for software on which they work have been well documented, satisfy the users’
9. 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.
10. Ensure adequate documentation, including significant problems discovered and solutions adopted, for any project on which they work.
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. 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.
3. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
4. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Encourage colleagues to adhere to this Code.
5. Principle 4: JUDGMENTSoftware engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.
6. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Temper all technical judgments by the need to support and maintain human values.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. PRINCIPLESPrinciple 1: PUBLICSoftware engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.
10. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Accept full responsibility for their own work.
1. 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.
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. Provide for due process in hearing charges of violation of an employer's policy or of this Code.
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. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
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 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.
8. 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.
9. Avoid associations with businesses and organizations which are in conflict with this code.
10. 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.
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. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
3. Be careful to use only accurate data derived by ethical and lawful means, and use it only in ways properly authorized.
4. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
5. The Principles identify the ethically responsible relationships in which individuals, groups, and organizations participate and the primary obligations within these relationships.
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. 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. 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. 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.
10. Not punish anyone for expressing ethical concerns about a project.