Codes of Conduct and Professionalism

Topic area	Professionalism / Liability
Target audience	Undergraduates and graduates in IS, CS, CE
Activity type	Case Study, Reading, Worksheets, Class Discussion, Mock Trial
Time required	Two or Three Class periods
Attachments	Worksheets
Additional materials	ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (http://www.acm.org/constitution/code.html) OR Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (http://www-cs.etsu.edu/seeri/secode.htm) AND Re port of the Inquiry Into the London Ambulance Service (February 1993) (ftp://ftp.cs.city.ac.uk/pub/requirements/lasnodiags0.9.ps.gz)
Background needed to complete the assignment	Students must be given a copy of one of the codes of conduct, material related to the case study at hand, "The London Ambulance Service" and the attached worksheets Worksheet 1 and Worksheet 2 . An understanding of the Software life cycle would be helpful.
References	Brian Randell and Tervor Jenkins, London Ambulance Service, (http://www.acm.org/constitution/code.html) "Computing and Accountability" in Computers, Ethics & Social Values Deborah G. Johnson (Editor), Helen Nissenbaum (Editor), Prentice Hall College Div; pp. 526-538. "A Comedy of Errors: the London Ambulance Service case study", A. Finkelstein & John Dowell,The Eighth International Workshop on Software Specification and Design (IWSSD8 - '96) (ftp.cs.colorado.edu/users/alw/papers/sen0996.ps.Z)
Last modified	August, 1999

Abstract:
Is it possible that the emerging codes of conduct for computing professionals, when accepted, will bring with them a new set of responsibilities? This new profession will require its members to be legally accountable for the effective function (fitness to purpose)of developed software in the same sense that other professions now are. The activities presented here focus first on the codes of conduct and then examine a spectacular software failure involving loss of life. The students will then determine the liabilities of the many players in the disaster. The first part of the exercise simply examines a code of conduct and relates it to stages in the software lifecycle. The second part is a case study of the London Ambulance Service software failure.

Goals for the activity:

To understand a code of conduct.
To analyze and critique a failed software project.
To determine roles and responsibilities in the case study.
To assess potential liabilities on the part of the software professionals involved.
To better understand how and why software fails.

Knowledge / skills / attitudes to be developed (behavioral objectives):
    Students are expected to develop:
    1. A deeper understanding of the implications of subscribing to and working under a code of conduct.
    2. Skills in applying ethical guidelines to a software postmortem.
    3. Critical analysis skills for assessing and assigning responsiblity for software system failure.
    4. An understanding of the dire real-world consequences of badly planned and written software.
Procedure:
(Presumes 50 minute classes)
    In preparation:
Class I

Students should be given a copy of ONE of the codes of conduct. (All should have the same one)
Assign the reading "Computing and Accountability" in Computers, Ethics & Social Values
Distribute Worksheet I as homework to be brought to the next class completed.

During Class I

Collect the worksheet - Review quickly and return (This ensures that all students have completed it).
Put students in small groups and have them use their worksheeets to complete a single group copy of the worksheet - elect a spokesperson for the group.
As a class (on an overhead) create a single "Class worksheet" allowing spokes persons to contribute items from the worksheets of the individual groups.

In preparation:
Class II

Give each student a copy of the Case Study and the Finklestein paper.
Give each student a copy of worksheet II to be returned at the beginning of the next class.

During Class II

As a large group do a "post mortem" analysis of the case study. The focus here is "what happened?"
Randomly allow students to describe the most irresponsible observed behavior of the professionals involved in the case.
Using the current student worksheets and the "class" lifecycle/conduct sheet evaluate each stage and role in the case study. (Can be done in small groups -> large group as in class one or as a large group activity.) The focus here is "who is responsible?"

(Optional)
In preparation:
Class III

Assign each student a role to play e.g. software developers, UK NHS Manager, Witnesses, Legal defense for developers and managers, judge, jury.
Have each person prepare for a mock trial.

In Class:

Allow students to hold a mock trial
Homework: have each role player write the document appropriate for her/his role, e.g. lawyers write briefs, witnesses write a "deposition", developers write a defense etc.

Assessing outcomes:
Written and oral presentations (worksheets and mock trial) should reflect the students' deeper understanding of the codes of conduct and their responsiblities as software professionals working under such codes. Grading could be done on worksheets, participation and trial.

Additional remarks:
Remember here the focus here should be on the roles of the individuals involved not on the dramatic nature of the Case Study. The goal is to get the students to visualize themselves as involved in such a software event and to view their roles and responsibilities in the development of a large software project.

Author contact information:
Pamela B. Lawhead
Department of Computer and Information Science
The University of Mississippi
University, MS 38677
Phone: (662)232-5356
E-mail: lawhead@cs.olemiss.edu

Page maintained by: kwb@csee.usf.edu