1. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
2. 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.
3. Cooperate in efforts to address matters of grave public concern caused by software, its installation, maintenance, support or documentation.
4. Extend software engineering knowledge by appropriate participation in professional organizations, meetings and publications.
5. Treat all forms of software maintenance with the same professionalism as new development.
6. Ensure that specifications for software on which they work have been well documented, satisfy the users’
7. Attract potential software engineers only by full and accurate description of the conditions of employment.
8. Work to develop software and related documents that respect the privacy of those who will be affected by that software.
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. 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.
1. Take responsibility for detecting, correcting, and reporting errors in software and associated documents on which they work.
2. Accept no outside work detrimental to the work they perform for their primary employer.
3. Ensure adequate testing, debugging, and review of software and related documents on which they work.
4. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Accept full responsibility for their own work.
5. 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.
6. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to work.
7. Assign work only after taking into account appropriate contributions of education and experience tempered with a desire to further that education and experience.
8. Ensure that specifications for software on which they work have been well documented, satisfy the users’
9. 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.
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. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Temper all technical judgments by the need to support and maintain human values.
2. 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.
3. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
4. Principle 4: JUDGMENTSoftware engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.
5. 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.
6. 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.
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. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
9. Principle 3: PRODUCTSoftware engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.
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. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Encourage colleagues to adhere to this Code.
2. 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.
3. It is not intended that the individual parts of the Code be used in isolation to justify errors of omission or commission.
4. 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.
5. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.
6. Provide for due process in hearing charges of violation of an employer's policy or of this Code.
7. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
8. The Code prescribes these as obligations of anyone claiming to be or aspiring to be a software engineer.
9. The Code is not simply for adjudicating the nature of questionable acts; it also has an important educational function.
10. 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.
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. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
3. The Code provides an ethical foundation to which individuals within teams and the team as a whole can appeal.
4. 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.
5. Ethical tensions can best be addressed by thoughtful consideration of fundamental principles, rather than blind reliance on detailed regulations.
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. Not punish anyone for expressing ethical concerns about a project.
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. 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. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.