The
BCS Codes
We aim to comply to the
rules provided for information system specialists by the British Computer Society.
The BCS sets the professional standards of competence, conduct and ethical practice
for computing in the United Kingdom.
Codes
of Conduct
As an aid to understanding, these rules have been grouped into the principal
duties which all members should endeavor to discharge in pursuing their professional
lives.
The
Public Interest
- Members shall in their professional
practice safeguard public health and safety and have regard to protection
of the environment.
- Members shall have due regard
to the legitimate rights of third parties.
- Members shall ensure that within
their chosen fields they have knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation,
regulations and standards and that they comply with such requirements.
- Members shall in their professional
practice have regard to basic human rights and shall avoid any actions that
adversely affect such rights.
Duty
to Employers and Clients
- Members shall carry out work with
due care and diligence in accordance with the requirements of the employer
or client and shall, if their professional judgment is overruled, indicate
the likely consequences.
- Members shall endeavor to complete
work undertaken on time and to budget and shall advise their employer or client
as soon as practicable if any overrun is foreseen.
- Members shall not offer or provide,
or receive in return, inducement for the introduction of business from a client
unless there is full prior disclosure of the facts to the client.
- Members shall not disclose or
authorise, to be disclosed, or use for personal gain or to benefit a third
party, confidential information acquired in the course of professional practice,
except with prior written permission of the employer or client, or at the
direction of a court of law.
- Members should seek to avoid being
put in a position where they may become privy to or party to activities or
information concerning activities which would conflict with their responsibilities
in 1-4 above.
- Members shall not misrepresent
or withhold information on the capabilities of products, systems or services
with which they are concerned or take advantage of the lack of knowledge or
inexperience of others.
- Members shall not, except where
specifically so instructed, handle client's monies or place contracts or orders
in connection with work on which they are engaged where acting as an independent
consultant.
- Members shall not purport to exercise
independent judgment on behalf of a client on any product or service in which
they knowingly have any interest, financial or otherwise.
Duty
to the Profession
- Members shall uphold the reputation
of the Profession and shall seek to improve professional standard through
participation in their development, use and enforcement, and shall avoid any
action which will adversely affect the good standing of the Profession.
- Members shall in their professional
practice seek to advance public knowledge and understanding of computing and
information systems and technology and to counter false or misleading statements
which are detrimental to the Profession.
- Members shall encourage and support
fellow members in their professional development and, where possible, provide
opportunities for the professional development of new entrants to the Profession.
- Members shall act with integrity
towards fellow members and to members of other professions with whom they
are concerned in a professional capacity and shall avoid engaging in any activity
which is incompatible with professional status.
- Members shall not make any public
statements in their professional capacity unless properly qualified and, where
appropriate, authorised to do so, and shall have due regard to the likely
consequences of any statement on others.
Professional
Competence and Integrity
- Members shall seek to upgrade
their professional knowledge and skill and shall maintain awareness of technological
developments, procedures and standards which are relevant to their field,
and shall encourage their subordinates to do likewise.
- Members shall seek to conform
to recognised good practice including quality standards which are in their
judgment relevant, and shall encourage their subordinates to do likewise.
- Members shall only offer to do
work or provide a service which is within their professional competence and
shall not claim to any level of competence which they do not possess, and
any professional opinion which they are asked to give shall be objective and
reliable.
- Members shall accept professional
responsibility for their work and for the work of their subordinates and associates
under their direction, and shall not terminate any assignment except for good
reason and on reasonable notice.
- Members shall avoid any situation
that may give rise to a conflict of interest between themselves and their
client and shall make full and immediate disclosure to the client if any conflict
should occur.
Codes
of Practice
Personal
Requirements
- Keep himself, and subordinates
informed of such new technologies, practices, legal requirements and standards
as are relevant to his duties.
- Ensure subordinates are trained
in order to be effective in their duties and to qualify for increased responsibilities.
- Accept only such work as he believe
he is competent to perform and not hesitate to obtain additional expertise
from appropriately qualified individuals where advisable.
- Actively seek opportunities for
increasing efficiency and effectiveness to the benefit of the user and of
the ultimate recipient.
Organisation
and Management
- Plan, establish and review objectives,
tasks and organisational structures for himself and subordinates, to help
meet overall objectives.
- Ensure that any specific tasks
are assigned to identified individuals according to their known ability and
competence.
- Establish and maintain channels
of communication from and to seniors, equals and subordinates.
- Be accountable for the quality,
timeliness and use of resources in the work for which he is responsible.
Contracting
- Seek expert advice in the preparation
of any formal contract.
- Ensure that all requirements and
the precise responsibility of all parties adequately covered in any contract
or tendering procedures.
Privacy,
Security and Integrity
- Ascertain and evaluate all potential
risks in a particular project with regard to the cost, effectiveness and practicability
of proposed levels of security.
- Recommend appropriate levels of
security, commensurate with the anticipated risks, and appropriate to the
needs of the client.
- Apply, monitor and report upon
the effectiveness of the agreed levels of security.
- Ensure that all staff are trained
to take effective action to protect life, data and equipment (in that order)
in the event of disaster.
- Take all reasonable measures to
protect confidential information from inadvertent or deliberate improper access
or use.
- Ensure that competent people are
assigned to be responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the data in the
data file and each part of an organisation's database.
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