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. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
3. 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.
4. Ensure that software engineers are informed of standards before being held to them.
5. Approve software only if they have a well-founded belief that it is safe, meets specifications, passes appropriate tests, and does not diminish quality of life, diminish privacy or harm the environment.
6. 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.
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. Improve their ability to create safe, reliable, and useful quality software at reasonable cost and within a reasonable time.
9. Identify, document, and report significant issues of social concern, of which they are aware, in software or related documents, to the employer or the client.
10. Cooperate in efforts to address matters of grave public concern caused by software, its installation, maintenance, support or documentation.
1. Work to develop software and related documents that respect the privacy of those who will be affected by that software.
2. 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.
3. Accept no outside work detrimental to the work they perform for their primary employer.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. The ultimate effect of the work should be to the public good.
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. Credit fully the work of others and refrain from taking undue credit.
9. 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.
10. Assign work only after taking into account appropriate contributions of education and experience tempered with a desire to further that education and experience.
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. Attract potential software engineers only by full and accurate description of the conditions of employment.
3. 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.
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. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Encourage colleagues to adhere to this Code.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Temper all technical judgments by the need to support and maintain human values.
9. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
10. 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.
1. Not influence others to undertake any action that involves a breach of this Code.
2. Provide for due process in hearing charges of violation of an employer's policy or of this Code.
3. 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.
4. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
5. The Code prescribes these as obligations of anyone claiming to be or aspiring to be a software engineer.
6. Recognize that violations of this Code are inconsistent with being a professional software engineer.
7. 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.
8. Avoid associations with businesses and organizations which are in conflict with this code.
9. Express concerns to the people involved when significant violations of this Code are detected unless this is impossible, counter-productive, or dangerous.
10. Improve their knowledge of this Code, its interpretation, and its application to their work.
1. 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.
2. Not punish anyone for expressing ethical concerns about a project.
3. 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.
4. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
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. 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. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
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. Ethical tensions can best be addressed by thoughtful consideration of fundamental principles, rather than blind reliance on detailed regulations.
10. Principle 5: MANAGEMENTSoftware engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance .