Ethics in software engineering

This topic has a lot of importance and relevance in today’s world, which is why it is my first post on my blog. Software engineering is going through lots of cycles and changes. The way I used to do things 10 years ago is no longer true. There are several changes in terms of culture, with the advent of technology enablers like cloud computing, architectural patterns like service oriented architecture, etc., but the fundamentals never change.

One such fundamental area is ethics in software engineering. It holds a lot of value in the way we practice software engineering, design, and architecture, but is sometimes ignored. There is a code of ethics in software engineering and professional practice jointly approved by ACM and IEEE. Here is a short version of this code from the ACM:

Software engineers shall commit themselves to making the analysis, specification, design, development, testing and maintenance of software a beneficial and respected profession. In accordance with their commitment to the health, safety and welfare of the public, software engineers shall adhere to the following Eight Principles:

1. PUBLIC - Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.

2. CLIENT AND EMPLOYER - Software engineers shall at in a manner that is in the best interests of their client and employer consistent with the public interest.

3. PRODUCT - Software engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.

4. JUDGMENT - Software engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.

5. MANAGEMENT - Software engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance.

6. PROFESSION - Software engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest.

7. COLLEAGUES - Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive of their colleagues.

8. SELF - Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding the practice of their profession and shall promote an ethical approach to the practice of the profession.

If you are interested in the longer version, you can visit the ACM site; Full version. While all the points above are important, point 7 is a more interesting point which warrants a separate post.

Further, each company has its own demands and requirements when it comes to ethics. I urge every IT manager to use this code as a basis to draft a more relevant and specific code of ethics, that suits his engineering practices. He then needs to educate his team on the benefits of the code. It is a moral responsibility of every software engineer to adhere to these principles.