1. 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.
2. Take responsibility for detecting, correcting, and reporting errors in software and associated documents on which they work.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Temper all technical judgments by the need to support and maintain human values.
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. 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.
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. Consider issues of physical disabilities, allocation of resources, economic disadvantage and other factors that can diminish access to the benefits of software.
10. 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.
1. Keep private any confidential information gained in their professional work, where such confidentiality is consistent with the public interest and consistent with the law.
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 that specifications for software on which they work have been well documented, satisfy the users’
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. Improve their knowledge of this Code, its interpretation, and its application to their work.
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. 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. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to work.
9. Work to develop software and related documents that respect the privacy of those who will be affected by that software.
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. 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.
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. Ensure that software engineers are informed of standards before being held to them.
4. 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.
5. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Accept full responsibility for their own work.
6. Principle 3: PRODUCTSoftware engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.
7. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
8. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
9. 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.
10. Principle 6: PROFESSIONSoftware engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest.
1. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
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 Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
4. 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.
5. Improve their knowledge of this Code, its interpretation, and its application to their work.
6. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
7. Not ask a software engineer to do anything inconsistent with this Code.
8. 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.
9. Recognize that personal violations of this Code are inconsistent with being a professional software engineer.
10. Not influence others to undertake any action that involves a breach of this Code.
1. The Code provides an ethical foundation to which individuals within teams and the team as a whole can appeal.
2. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
3. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
4. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
5. The Principles identify the ethically responsible relationships in which individuals, groups, and organizations participate and the primary obligations within these relationships.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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.