1. 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.
2. 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.
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. 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.
5. 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.
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. Work to develop software and related documents that respect the privacy of those who will be affected by that software.
8. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
9. 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.
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. 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.
2. 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.
3. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to work.
4. Ensure that specifications for software on which they work have been well documented, satisfy the users’
5. The ultimate effect of the work should be to the public good.
6. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
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. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to work.
9. 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.
10. Accept no outside work detrimental to the work they perform for their primary employer.
1. Principle 6: PROFESSIONSoftware engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Temper all technical judgments by the need to support and maintain human values.
5. 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.
6. 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.
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. 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.
9. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
10. Attract potential software engineers only by full and accurate description of the conditions of employment.
1. Provide for due process in hearing charges of violation of an employer's policy or of this Code.
2. It is not intended that the individual parts of the Code be used in isolation to justify errors of omission or commission.
3. The dynamic and demanding context of software engineering requires a code that is adaptable and relevant to new situations as they occur.
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. 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.
6. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
7. Not influence others to undertake any action that involves a breach of this Code.
8. Recognize that personal violations of this Code are inconsistent with being a professional software engineer.
9. Express concerns to the people involved when significant violations of this Code are detected unless this is impossible, counter-productive, or dangerous.
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. Ethical tensions can best be addressed by thoughtful consideration of fundamental principles, rather than blind reliance on detailed regulations.
3. 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.
4. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
5. 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.
6. Not punish anyone for expressing ethical concerns about a project.
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. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
9. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
10. 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.