Computing Professional and Professional Ethics

OCCUPATION

Work or a role someone

performs.

PROFESSION

A field associated with

specialized knowledge and

public responsibilities.

PROFESSIONALISM

How a person exercises

competence, judgment, and

responsibility.

Professional

A person trusted to exercise

skilled, responsible judgment.

Attributes of professions: expertise and trust

• Knowledge

• Judgement

• Public Service

KNOWLEDGE

Specialized learning and

continued development.

JUDGMENT

Discretion exercised with

reasons and limits.

PUBLIC SERVICE

Responsibility for effects

beyond the paying client.

Attributes of professions: shared accountability

• Standards

• Community

• Accountability

STANDARDS

Shared expectations for

conduct and work quality.

COMMUNITY

Peer learning, scrutiny, and

professional identity.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Answer for decisions and

support correction.

Moral basis

Why professional duties are

justified: trust, dependence, and

potential harm.

The moral basis is public trust

• Expertise gives practitioners influence.

• Users may be unable to detect unsafe work.

• Rights and welfare constrain professional choices.

• Role duties add responsibility to ordinary morality.

The Good Work Project: three Es

• Excellence

• Ethics

• Engagement

EXCELLENCE

Work is competently

performed and high quality.

ETHICS

Work is socially responsible.

ENGAGEMENT

Work feels meaningful and

worthwhile.

ETHICAL CODE

Principles for responsible

professional judgment.

TECHNICAL

STANDARD

Criteria for evaluating

processes or products.

LAW

Rules carrying state-backed

obligations.

Professional standards need evidence

• Define quality before acceptance.

• Test security and accessibility.

• Request review beyond your competence.

• Record defects, decisions, and handovers.

Evidence

Artifacts that make a quality

claim reviewable.

Use the ACM Code to name a duty

• 1.2: consider and reduce harm.

• 1.3: communicate honestly.

• 2.5: evaluate systems and their risks.

• 2.9: build robust, usable security.

Application

Provision → case fact →

concrete action → reason.

Software Engineering Code: eight principles

How many Software Engineering Code

PUBLIC • CLIENT

Public interest; client and

employer interests consistent

with it.

PRODUCT •

JUDGMENT

Quality of the product;

integrity and independence

of judgment.

MANAGEMENT +

Management, profession,

colleagues, and self.

Recognize conflicts of interest

• Actual

• Potential

• Apparent

ACTUAL

A secondary interest

currently conflicts with a duty.

POTENTIAL

An interest could create a

future conflict.

APPARENT

A reasonable observer may

doubt independence.

Loyalty and confidentiality

— and — have limits

CLIENT INTERESTS

• Respect confidential information.

• Use authorized evidence.

• Give accurate, timely reports.

• Consider disruption from delay.

PROTECT THE PUBLIC

• Do not conceal credible harm.

• Escalate through capable channels.

• Limit what you disclose.

• Document the reasons for action.

Different forms of accountability

• Professional

• Organizational

• Legal

PROFESSIONAL

Explain and correct work

under codes and peer

expectations.

ORGANIZATIONAL

Answer through role, policy,

and contractual processes.

LEGAL

Consequences depend on

applicable law and

established facts.

RECOGNIZE

Name the duty, risk, and

conflict.

VERIFY

Check evidence and limits

of authority.

ESCALATE

Use a capable channel;

disclose only what is

needed.

REVIEW

Assign an owner and a

trigger to reassess.

External reporting needs a reasoned threshold

• Assess the seriousness and credibility of risk.

• Check whether capable remedies remain.

• Choose an appropriate independent authority.

• Limit disclosure and seek qualified guidance.

Whistleblowing

Reporting serious wrongdoing or

risk beyond the usual

responsible channel.