Software Engineering EthicsOutlineDefinition of “Ethics” -Webster, 1993ContextPower to Do Public Harm or Good – IExample: ConfidentialityPower to Do Public Harm or Good - IIExamples: FairnessACM/IEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics -Table of ContentsCode of Ethics 2. PublicCode of Ethics 4. Client and EmployerSlide 12Rawls’ Theory of Justice (1971) -Following Collins et al., “How Good Is Good Enough?” Comm.ACM, Jan. 1994Rawls’ Theory of Justice - IIObligations of the Software ProviderObligations of the Software BuyerObligations of the Software UserObligations of the Software PenumbraCase Study: Mercy Hospital Pharmacy System -Collins et al., 1994Mercy Hospital Pharmacy System: ProblemsSlide 21Mercy Hospital : Use of ICSMUse of ICSM -- IICS 577 Ethics SituationsConclusionsUniversity of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 1Barry BoehmCS 577a, 510Fall 2010Software Engineering Ethics11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 2Outline•Definitions and context–Power to do public harm or good–ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics•Principles and examples–Rawls’ Theory of Justice–Relation to stakeholder win-win–Case study: Mercy Hospital•Integrating ethics into daily software engineering practices–Incremental Commitment Spiral Model–CS 577 ethics situations11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 3Definition of “Ethics”-Webster, 1993•The discipline dealing with what is good and bad–And with moral duty and obligation•A theory, system, or set of moral principles or values•The principles of conduct governing an individual or group–Professional ethics11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 4Context•Software engineers have increasing power to do public harm or good–Intellectual property, privacy, confidentiality, quality of work, fairness, liability, risk disclosure, conflict of interest, unauthorized access•Professional societies have developed codes of ethics•Hard to integrate value-based ethics into value-neutral software engineering practices•VBSE/MBASE/Win Win Spiral enable ethics integration11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 5Power to Do Public Harm or Good – I•Intellectual Property: use without credit; use copyrighted material•Privacy: credit, health, personal information•Confidentiality: competitive information, political sensitivity•Quality of work: many dimensions; see table11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 6Example: Confidentiality•Government agency hires company to support SW procurement–Provides data under nondisclosure agreement•Employee and company consultant prepare cost estimate–Employee: “ I don’t see how anyone can do all this for $8M”•Consultant provides $8M target cost to some bidders•Government agency angry with company for leak–Whose fault? How could it be avoided?11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 7Power to Do Public Harm or Good - II•Fairness: equality of opportunity/treatment; fair reward system•Liability: accountability; parity of authority and responsibility•Risk Disclosure: safety tests, COTS capabilities; schedule slips•Conflict of Interest: source selection; personnel or product reviews•Unauthorized Access: reading, copying, modifying; denial of service11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 8Examples: Fairness•Enron software to schedule power outages, raise prices–Suppose you had been asked to develop it?•Urban fire dispatching system–Inefficient old system caused $700M property loss–New-system spec. includes dispatching algorithm to minimize property loss•Any fairness issues?11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 9ACM/IEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics-Table of Contents1. Products: achievable goals, realistic estimates, high quality2. Public: safety, respect of diversity, public interest first3. Judgment: objectivity, no bribes or conflicts of interest4. Client and Employer: no employer-adverse interests, surface problems5. Management: fair, ethical work rules, due process for violations6. Profession: support profession and ethics code, don’t misrepresent software7. Colleagues: credit colleagues’ work, give colleagues a fair hearing8. Self: improve your technical and ethical knowledge and practices11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 10Code of Ethics 2. Public2.01 Disclose any software-related dangers2.02 Approve only safe, well tested software2.03 Only sign documents in area of competence2.04 Cooperate on matters of public concern2.05 Produce software that respects diversity2.06 Be fair and truthful in all matters2.07 Always put the public’s interest first2.08 Donate professional skills to good causes2.10 Accept responsibility for your own work 11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 11Code of Ethics 4. Client and Employer4.01 Provide services only where competent4.02 Ensure resources are authentically approved4.03 Only use property as authorized by the owner4.04 Do not use illegally obtained software4.05 Honor confidentiality of information4.06 Raise matters of social concern4.07 Inform when a project becomes problematic4.08 Accept no detrimental outside work4.09 Represent no interests adverse to your employer 11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 12Outline•Definitions and context–Power to do public harm or good–ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics•Principles and examples–Rawls’ Theory of Justice–Relation to stakeholder win-win–Case study: Mercy Hospital•Integrating ethics into daily software engineering practices–VBSE/MBASE/Win Win Spiral Model–CS 577 ethics situations11/02/2010University of Southern CaliforniaCenter for Software Engineering C S E USC© USC-CSSE 13Rawls’ Theory of Justice (1971)-Following Collins et al., “How Good Is Good Enough?” Comm.ACM, Jan.