1. Maintain professional objectivity with respect to any software or related documents they are asked to evaluate.
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. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Temper all technical judgments by the need to support and maintain human values.
4. Take responsibility for detecting, correcting, and reporting errors in software and associated documents on which they work.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. The dynamic and demanding context of software engineering requires a code that is adaptable and relevant to new situations as they occur.
8. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
9. Improve their knowledge of relevant standards and the law governing the software and related documents on which they work.
10. Not knowingly use software that is obtained or retained either illegally or unethically.
1. 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.
2. Improve their knowledge of this Code, its interpretation, and its application to their work.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Accept full responsibility for their own work.
6. Take responsibility for detecting, correcting, and reporting errors in software and associated documents on which they work.
7. Accept no outside work detrimental to the work they perform for their primary employer.
8. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
9. Work to develop software and related documents that respect the privacy of those who will be affected by that software.
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. 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.
2. Principle 4: JUDGMENTSoftware engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.
3. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
4. Principle 7: COLLEAGUESSoftware engineers shall be fair to and supportive of their colleagues.
5. 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.
6. PRINCIPLESPrinciple 1: PUBLICSoftware engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.
7. 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.
8. 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.
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. Attract potential software engineers only by full and accurate description of the conditions of employment.
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. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Encourage colleagues to adhere to this Code.
3. 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.
4. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
5. Recognize that violations of this Code are inconsistent with being a professional software engineer.
6. The Code is not simply for adjudicating the nature of questionable acts; it also has an important educational function.
7. It is not intended that the individual parts of the Code be used in isolation to justify errors of omission or commission.
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. 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.
10. Express concerns to the people involved when significant violations of this Code are detected unless this is impossible, counter-productive, or dangerous.
1. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
2. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
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. 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. Principle 5: MANAGEMENTSoftware engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance .
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. Ethical tensions can best be addressed by thoughtful consideration of fundamental principles, rather than blind reliance on detailed regulations.
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.