S-ITC506 CSU Assignment: Ethical Dilemma of Early Software Delivery

This essay examines an ethical dilemma presented in a case study video, focusing on a software developer being pressured to deliver an incomplete program. The analysis centers on the Australian Computer Society Code of Professional Conduct, specifically the principle of competence. The essay explores the conflict between delivering a product on time and ensuring its security and completeness, considering the interests of stakeholders including the development team, executives, and the company receiving the software. The discussion incorporates the concept of expediency, highlighting how market forces and client interests can influence the definition of competence. The essay concludes by recommending a negotiation strategy to balance client demands with ethical standards, emphasizing the importance of considering all stakeholders and finding a logistically sound solution. The analysis incorporates academic references to support the arguments presented.

Running Head: THE ETHICAL DILEMMA ASSOCIATED WITH THE EARLY DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT
Name
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Running Head: THE ETHICAL DILEMMA ASSOCIATED WITH THE EARLY DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT
Introduction
In the current study, we are dealing with a case study where the owner of the company is
forcing a developer to deliver a software program which is incomplete. For a better view of
the case study please refers to the video posted on the URL that goes asunder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5M7ohdZ6qA
The conflict part of this video introduces us to a scenario where the head of the operations
summons a senior programmer and request him to deliver the project ahead of the schedule.
The programmer expresses his unwillingness on the issue by saying that he cannot deliver an
unfinished product, especially when it is not encrypted. This lack of encryption can lead to a
loophole in the security and further, it can invite hackers to capture the website and create a
serious cybersecurity threat. Towards the end of the video, the maker of the video presents
three options in front of the viewers about the decision that should be made.
When we check this problem with the framework of the Australian Computer Society Code
of Professional Conduct then we find that this issue can be debated under the fourth pointer
described under the framework of the subheading of Code which is a "Competence."
The ethical dilemma associated with the competence in this case
Australian Computer Society Code of Professional Conduct identifies "Competence" under
the following the definition. According to this code, competence can be equated to “a diligent
delivery of the work with an intention to secure the best interest of the stakeholders." In the
present case, we can identify three stakeholders prima facie.
1. The team developing the software
2. The team of the executives acting as the negotiator between the customer and
developers
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Running Head: THE ETHICAL DILEMMA ASSOCIATED WITH THE EARLY DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT
3. The Company is going to receive the final software.
The pointer of the competence associated with the ethics of a computer professional clearly
says that as a software developer any individual is duty bound to deliver the best product to
serve the interests of the final user. In the current case, we can say that the team developing
the software is raising a valid point when they are saying that they don't want to deliver
underprepared software. However, the same definition of the competency can also be seen
from the lens view of the expediency as well (Leicester, 2016).
The principle of expediency expands the definition of the competency under a different light.
An expedient solution is a solution where a software developer or any individual seeking for
a creative pursuit can go for time-bound creativity. The concept of the time-bound creativity
further expands that as a competent software developer sometimes an individual can deliver
the optimum best solution (Doemeny, 2017).
This we can also understand with the help of the beta testing of software or an application.
Many companies in the field of IT and software development are now launching products
when they are half done. Under this concept of beta testing them first collects the feedback
from the clients and develop the next version in accordance.
As we can see in the above-mentioned video, the executive working as the link between the
software companies also gave this offer where he said that another version of the software
can be developed and released after a month. Here the developer can take care of security
issues later on. The inclusion of competence as code allows a developer to secure the interests
of the clients. At the end of the day,, he is accountable to the profits books of the client and
this where some times the perfection of software or any other product can take a back seat.
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Running Head: THE ETHICAL DILEMMA ASSOCIATED WITH THE EARLY DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT
It has been observed that many companies don’t want to release the best product in the
market. Instead of that, they want to gain a competitive advantage over the rivals by releasing
the technology in a phase-wise fashion. We can understand it with the help of the race that
took place between MS Office and Apple Office. Both Microsoft and Apple Inc. developed
office suites for word processing and spreadsheet processing. Microsoft released its office
suite with an aggressive campaign and removed all the price barriers by offering free copies
of the same. Apple, on the other hand, waited for the best component.
By the time Apple Inc. came out with the best version of their software, MS office captured
the market and it became difficult for Apple to make a mark in the market even when they
were offering a better product.
This example allows us to rethink about the code of competency. Competency is dependent
on the conditions of the market. The best interest of the client dictates the concept of
competency; if a computer programmer fails in delivering a good to serve the financial
interest of a client then it will be termed as incompetency at their part.
Conclusion
In the present case, while solving the ethical dilemma of the programmer, in this case, we can
suggest that the programmer should go for the second options, where he can negotiate the
terms and conditions of the middle path. In order to meet ethical standards, it is better to pick
the second option. Under this condition, the developer meets with the demands of the client
by giving him a product during a stipulated time. Later on, he can improve the product and
deliver a quality product where he can fill all the necessary conditions associated with
cybersecurity and the threat presented by the hackers. As the bottom line we can say that the
“ethic of competency” is not all about delivering the technically best product, sometimes we
need to see it from the point of view of the other stakeholders and fix the definition of the
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Running Head: THE ETHICAL DILEMMA ASSOCIATED WITH THE EARLY DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT
best with an agreement to the logistically best solution. The current case study is a testimony
of the above-mentioned statement. When we enter in a professional arena the definitions of
the terminology associated with the ethics changes. This we can see in the present case where
an undeveloped project is delivering the goods for a given client. Technical competency and
competency with the market forces are two different issues and one should learn to strike a
balance between the two.
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Running Head: THE ETHICAL DILEMMA ASSOCIATED WITH THE EARLY DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT
Bibliography
Doemeny, L. (2017). The Importance of Ethical Conduct in Scientific Research. Committee
on Ethical Research American Chemical Society,
https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/about/governance/committees/ethics/the-
importance-of-ethical-conduct-in-scientific-research-final.pdf.
Leicester, N. (2016). Ethics in the IT Profession: Does a Code of Ethics have an Effect on
Professional Behaviour. Victoria University of Wellington,
https://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10063/5127/project.pdf?
sequence=1.
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