ICT351 Professional Practice: Analyzing Ethical Issues in Software Dev

This report provides an in-depth analysis of ethical issues in software development, utilizing the 'Doing Ethics Technique' and the ACS (Australian Computer Society) Code of Ethics. It examines a scenario where software developers exploit customers by not being transparent about project costs and p...Read More

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SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
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Introduction
Codes of ethics are the sets of moral principles which deals with doing what is bad or
good having moral obligations and duties. These ethics are very important in most work as well
as any profession just like in ICT industry. The codes of ethics will ensure that experts operate
in the required state of the profession. As ICT proceeds to place a progressively inescapable part
in all our lives, the way in which ICT experts conduct themselves will be subject to more
prominent examination. To really call themselves experts, those working in ICT must not as it
were work within the bounds of the law, but go beyond that to conduct themselves morally and
capable at every time.
The ACS code of ethics permits a yardstick for both its ICT specialists and individuals
who esteem proficient guidelines. Revered within the code are six ethics to which ICT specialists
should follow: the supremacy of the open intrigued; the improvement of the quality of life;
genuineness; competence; proficient advancement; competence (Maxwell, 2013). As ICT
proceeds to place a progressively inescapable part in all our lives, the way in which ICT
specialists conduct themselves will be subject to more prominent examination. To really call
themselves specialists, those operates in ICT should not as it were work within the bounds of the
law, but go past that to conduct themselves morally and capable at all times. Revered within the
code are six standards to which ICT experts must follow: the supremacy of the open intrigued;
the improvement of the quality of life; genuineness; competence; proficient advancement;
professionalism (Currie, 2011).
ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION USING THE DOING ETHICS TECHNIQUE

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Doing ethics techniques are very important as they guide the way of operation for the
professionals working in the software development (Hamid, 2011). The work plan for the
development of the software is not made clear to the customers who fund the whole project. This
is done since the developers are sure that the customers do not understand the scope of the
development task hence they take the advantage of that and in most cases, they can overcharge
the customers because they do not know how much they need to pay for the same (Kultgen,
2011). It has come to a normal practice of sneak into the maintenance in the development work.
These acts are against the codes of ethics in the ICT professional, some of these doing ethics
techniques for the ICT includes the following; ¨
i. Thou shalt you not harm people in any way using the computer.
ii. You should not hinder with other person´s files in the computer.
iii. You should not use the computer to steal from others individual.
iv. One should not use the computer to bear false witness.
v. Thou shalt you use a computer in a way which ensures deliberation and respect for
fellow human being.
In this software development, all the software development are performed and done against
the budget codes which is also against the codes of ethics for the operation of the ICT (Ptilum,
2013). The software developer operates against the ethics by harming the people financially
(customers). The developers ought to have been open and make the customers understand the
full operation of the software development in terms of how much they are required to pay for the
activities. Such actions are totally against the ethics of operation of the IT profession (Bott,
2013). When one pays for the activity like in this case customers pay for the service of software
development but they are not even aware of how much they need to pay results to overpay. The

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developers may in some cases ask the customers to pay the more money like double the amount
they need to pay.
The customers in some cases may pay even if the development is fully complete, but they
cannot know since they are kept at bay even though all the development activities are done by
them but the payment is done an internal fund transfer (Wiener, 2011). From the code of ethics,
Thou shalt not use the computer to steal from others. These software developers basically steal
from their own customers since they are able to ask the customers to pay for more than what they
ought to pay. If this software development firm was acting within the required ethics, it was to
put everything clear so that every customer fathoms how much they need to pay for the software
development (Reynolds, 2018). When every ICT organization adhere to the above-mentioned
code of ethics then the organization will be termed as a good organization which operates within
the required codes of ethics according to the IT profession.
ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF AN ICT
PROFESSIONAL USING THE ACS CODE OF ETHICS
The ACS codes of ethics are part of the ACS constitution, when one is a member, he or
she needs to uphold as well as advance the dignity, honour and efficacy of being an expert
(McDermid, 2013). This includes being a good individual/ organization operating within the
regulation. Some of the ACS codes of ethics in the ICT industries include the following;

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i. Honesty in the operation
ii. Competence
iii. Professional development
iv. Professionalism
v. Authority and responsibility
vi. Experience and knowledge
vii. Attitude
viii. Primacy to the public interest
ix. Be just and take action to avoid discriminate.
A computing proficient ought to be straightforward and give a full revelation of all germane
framework capabilities, restrictions, and potential issues to the suitable parties. Making
purposely wrong or deceiving claims, creating or distorting information, advertising or tolerating
bribes, and other untrustworthy conduct is an infringement of the Code. Computing experts
ought to be genuine almost their capabilities, and approximately any impediments in their
competence to total an assignment (Krul, 2016). Computing experts ought to be blunt around any
circumstances that might lead to either genuine or seen clashes of intrigued or something else
tends to weaken the autonomy of their judgment. Besides, commitments ought to be honoured.
Computing experts ought to not distort an organization's arrangements or strategies, and ought to
not talk for the sake of an organization unless authorized to do so
As an IT expert, it is advisable to be very honest in his undertakings and makes everything
they do in the company. This will ensure that even the clients trust the activities and services
they offer. When there is trust in the activities the IT expert do, there will be more client who

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entrusts their services and this will make them realize more profit and make a lot of money in
their services. In this software development, there is no honesty since the customers are not
aware of any issue and operations in the development of this software (Soraj, 2016). An honest
IT expert equates to a good quality of performance in any IT organization. Under the ACS code
of honesty, there are some ethics which clearly outline what is expected from an ICT specialist.
Some of these are; the organization must not knowingly mislead a client or potential client as to
the suitability of a product or service. The organization should not parody my knowledge or
skills.
This organization of software hence operates against the required code of ethics for ICT since
the organization is misleading the client to the sustainability of the services (Heathcote, 2016).
All the development works are funded by the clients yet they are not aware of how much money
they should pay. This will give the organization a lot of room to steal from the customers and in
long run jeopardize the reputation of the organization which will definitely result to loss of the
loyalty of the customers to the organization (Lucas, 2013). Another IT ACS code of ethics states
that there should be primacy to the public interest. The ICT organization should, therefore, put
the interest of the public first and not the organizational own interest.
For this software development organization customers who in another way can be termed as
the public is not given first priority (McDermid, 2015). The organization is using their powers to
undermine their own customers. Within the situation of this Code, the open intrigued takes
priority over the individual, sectional and private interface, and any clashes ought to be settled in
support of the open intrigued. In ones´ operation, he ought to protect the interface of your quick
partners, provided that these interests don't strife having the obligation and devotion you owe to
the open. It is very important for an ICT specialist to put the customers first in their operations.

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When the customers feel that their interest is put first they will like the organization and this will
as well attract more customers into the same organization. This is very important to an ICT
expert since most customers will love their services and the end result is a lot of profit to the ICT
organization.
Another very important ACS code of ethics for ICT specialist is to be just and to avoid
discrimination. This is actually contrary to what is the case in this software development where
the customers are highly discriminated against and they are mistreated in this organization
(Jungers, 2012). The organization ought to treat the customers as one of their own and to make
matters worse, it is the customers to pay for the software development in this ICT organization.
The values of uniformity, resistance, regard for others, and equity administer this guideline.
Decency requires that indeed cautious choice forms give a few roads for a change of grievances.
Computing experts ought to cultivate the reasonable interest of all individuals, counting those of
underrepresented bunches.
Biased separation on the premise of age, colour, inability, ethnicity, family status, sex
personality, labour union enrolment, military status, nationality, race, religion or conviction, sex,
sexual introduction, or any other improper figure is an unequivocal infringement of the Code.
Badgering, counting sexual badgering, bullying, and other manhandle of control and specialist,
maybe a frame of segregation that, among other hurts, limits reasonable the virtual and physical
spaces where such badgering takes put (Raul, 2012). When the customers feel they are not
discriminated in the organization they get services from, they become more into the organization
and in some cases they can even recommend the organization to their friends, this will definitely
result to the advertisement of this organization which will result to more customers hence more
profit to the organization.

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Another ACS codes of ethics in ICT is the professionalism, the organization should
operate with lots of professionalism. This will make their customers entrust their services and
make the organization´s reputation grow as fast as possible and results in more profit for the
organization. It hasn´t had the opportunity to progress over plentiful a long time and get it
possesses measures and performing. The ACS is trying to progress open certainty within the ICT
industry (Brunnstein, 2015). It is basic that members of the Society keep up proficient guidelines
that make strides and improve the industry's picture, particularly within the working
environment. Everyone has a right to be respected and treated with a lot of care. Discrimination
is amateurish behaviour, as is any frame of badgering. It can as well give bolster for taking
fitting activity, including whistleblowing, in case you find an ACS part locks in in untrustworthy
conduct (Piotrowska, 2013).
Another ACS code of ethics for IT expert is professional development, in this code of
ethics, it is expected that the specialists to provide special skills and advice. For this to be
effectively done there must be kept up to date. The manager of the organization should
encourage the colleagues and other staff to do the same thing. In this software development
firm, the opposite is witnessed as the organization does not advice the customers correctly on
what they are supposed to do. The customers pay for the software development and still, they
are not aware of how much they need to pay, the organization is not giving the correct advice on
the organization (Ansara, 2014). Under this code of ethics, the organization needs to conduct an
educational support, professional development as well as training in ICT which reflect the
diverse requirements of individual professional as well as their several career paths. The
education which should be done here is done to the customers to enable them to understand the
operation of the software development of the organization (Lavrakas, 2013). Actually, this will

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highly encourage the customers to be very loyal to the organization and highly boost the
company´s reputation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the codes of ethics are very important in practising as an ICT expert as
aforementioned above. With effective application and adherence to these code of ethics, the
organization will ensure a safety survival as well as maintaining a good reputation of the
organization. According to some of the codes of ethics discussed above, it is not proper for the
organization to steal from any individual, the organization should not harm anybody in their
operations. That is contrary to what this organization was actually doing. Therefore this
organization is not operating according to the requirements of the ICT ethics techniques. The
organization also is not operating according to the ACS codes of ethics which affect the
operation of the ICT firm.
These ACS highly affects the ICT from the expert point of view. Some of these ACS as
discussed above are honesty, professionalism among others. When these codes adhere then the
organization will actually realize a lot of profit and at the same time boost the organizational
reputation. It is therefore recommended that the organization should perform their operation in
honesty, the organization should not steal from customers, and the organization should have the
public interest at heart. It is recommended that the organization should let the customers know
the amount of money they need to pay for the organization. This will make the customer feel
that the organization is more open to them hence they will be more loyal to the organization.

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