Human Aspects of Software Engineering (Charles River Media Computer Engineering)

Code of Ethics of Software Engineering

Jim Tomayko Orit Hazzan

Ethics and Software Engineering

• What is ethics?

• Why is ethics needed?

• Does the Software Engineering community need ethics?

If yes: On what principles should the ethics of software engineers be based on?

If not: Explain why

What is Ethics?

The Webster s Collegiate Dictionary:

Ethics is the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation .

Differences between Ethics and Law.

What is a Profession?

Kasher, A. (2002). Professional Autonomy and Its Limits, the Research in Ethics and Engineering conference, 25 “27 April 2002, Delft University of Technology.

Five basic layers :

• systematic knowledge

• problem solving proficiency

• constant improvement of that knowledge and proficiency

• local understanding of professional claims and methods

• global understanding of professional activity, which is ethics

What is Ethics? (Asa Kasher)

Ethics reflects what is appropriate in a professional community

The main resources for any ethics:

• the professional dignity

• the conception of the professional community of the profession s essence

• the requirements of the surrounding social environments (e.g., democratic values)

Does the Software Engineering Community Need Ethics?

The importance of ethics of software engineers stems from the significant influence of computers and software on the world.

• On the one hand, software engineers can cause damage;

• On the other case they can contribute a lot to the society.

Software engineers should know what is permitted, what is forbidden, when they have the freedom to choose, etc.

Ethics of Software Engineering

The importance of Ethics in the start-up era:

Martin, C. D. (2001). Ethics@Coms: Why Internet start-ups need ethics codes, SIGCSE Bulletin, 33(2), pp. 7 “8.

• Focus was placed on the product and marketing.

• Less attention was put on topics such as vision, mission, ethics.

Ethics contributes to the image of the company; lack of ethics may cause damage.

Ethics of Software Engineering

In what follows , several cases related to software engineering are presented. With respect to each scenario:

• Express your opinion about the described behavior ”Is it ethical?

• Describe how would you behave in such a case.

• According to your decision: Formulate one or more ethical norms, which, in your opinion, should be included in the Code of Ethics of Software Engineering.

[Lecturers are invited to select case studies for discussion from the book as well as from their own experience]

Ethics of Software Engineering Class Activity

Formulate ethical roles for the profession of software engineering.

[After that class activity, the code of ethics should be presented to the students. You can use the URL http://www.acm.org/serving/se/code.htm ]

Comments on the Code of Ethics of Software Engineering

• In the previous version, the first principle was the product.

• In the updated version, the first principle is public.

• The Code is phrased in a way that it fits to changes in the world of software engineering

Ethics of Software Engineering ”Group Work

Suggest three activities that can be done on a regular basis to fulfill the Self section of the Code of Ethics of Software Engineering.