professional & ethical issues ( the bcs at work ) university of surrey 16 th october 2003...

Professional & Ethical Issues

( The BCS at Work )

University of Surrey

16th October 2003

Professor David J Parsons

BCS Regional Operations Manager North

Agenda

Today’s Business / Technology Environments

The Role & Importance of Information Systems

The Need for Professionalism

Information Systems Engineering

Professional & Ethical Issues

Role of Professional Societies

Conclusions

We live in an increasingly complex environment

President of the World Future Society said in his 1996 annual report :

'the global network of interconnected computers and telecommunications links is already the biggest machine ever built..... but it will likely become bigger and more powerful in the coming decades. This monster machine will fundamentally transform human life as we know it today.‘

We should ask whether is it just as relevant today – as we look at the

Professional & Ethical Issues facing today’s IS Professional

© David J. Parsons 2003

Professional – a definition

( NOD )

PROFESSIONAL - “of or belonging to a profession ....... involving training....... showing appropriate skill ........ maintaining proper standards ....... competent .... expert....."

The Business Environment faced by today’s IS Professional

• Change the only constant factor• Pressures on costs and revenues• Intensive competition - traditional markets under attack• Markets - global, location independent, customer

focused• Customers - more demanding• Increasing range of technology related opportunities• IT becoming essential to compete


The Technology Environment faced by today’s IS Professional

• Change / pace of change• Huge amounts of storage• Ever increasing processing power• Increasing amounts of networking bandwidth• Better - faster - smaller - cheaper• Pervasive / ubiquitous computing• Mobile / portable everything• 'E' / ‘M’ everything• Technology driven Information / 'cyber' age


The ‘Martini’ ScenarioThe ‘Martini’ Scenario

Anytime - anyplace - anywhere

Technology that will allow ANY user : ANY whereANY timeANY how

Authorised access to : ANY productsANY servicesANY information

Available from ANY information or service provider

Located : ANY where ANY distance from the user

The ‘Martini’ Scenario - the ‘right’ oneThe ‘Martini’ Scenario - the ‘right’ one

Technology that will provide the RIGHT user :

Authorised access to : the RIGHT productsthe RIGHT services

the RIGHT information

At the RIGHT locationIn the RIGHT format

At the RIGHT timeFor the RIGHT

price

ISE IMPORTANCE

Information Systems now critical to

Individuals

Business & Wealth Creation

Communications

National Economy

Information Systems have become all Pervasive

The need for ProfessionalismAre IS / IT Professionals getting it RIGHT ?

Remember the old adage : PERCEPTION IS REALITY

Some surveys suggest that the performance of the IS /ITIndustry leaves much to be desired.

Scientific American Survey - 1994Gartner / Standish Surveys - 1998OASIG Survey – 1998


The Need for ProfessionalismSurvey Results - 1

Scientific American 1994

25% of all large scale developments cancelled

Gartner / Standish 1998

Almost 33% of the projects failed altogether

OASIG 1998

About 40% of developments fail or are abandoned


The Need for Professionalism Survey Results - 2

Gartner / Standish 1998

Almost 75% of IT projects exceeded their budgets & schedules

OASIG 1988

About 80% of systems are delivered late and over budget


IS Industry Performance – 3What about something more up to date ?

Standish 2002 *

31% of projects cancelled before completion88% of projects exceed deadline, budget or bothFor every 100 starts, there are 94 restartsAverage cost overrun – 189%Average schedule overrun – 222%

* IT Project Management : On Track from Start to FinishJoseph Philips ( McGraw Hill ) 2002


IS Industry Performance – 3What about nearer home ?

Computing

26th Sept. 2002 “More project skills for civil servants”

3rd Oct. 2002 “Trials begin on Child Support IT system”

Computer Weekly

3rd Oct. 2002 “ National insurance number errors not taxpayers fault “


IT Professionalism – some questions ??

As IS / IT Professionals - is this level of performance acceptable ?

Would a situation in other branches of engineering be acceptedif, for example :

4 bridges in 10 failed ??4 out of 10 miles of new highway were unusable ??

Are there differences between Information SystemsEngineering and other branches of Engineering ?

What can be learnt that will help the IS /IT Professional ?


The Need for Professionalism

Computing - 7th August 2003

“IT failures show lessons have not been learnt”

POST ( Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology )

Report on GOVERNMENT IT PROJECTS – July 2003



Technology Issues – specific to IT :

Rapidly changing technologyUser requirementsComplexityOversight

Project Issues :

Relations with SuppliersProject management



Causes of Project Failure :

Lack of clear link between project and organisations priorities

Lack of clear senior management ownership

Lack of effective engagement with project stakeholders

Lack of project / risk management skills

Lack of understanding / contact with supply industry

Evaluation driven by price NOT value for money

Too little breakdown of projects into manageable steps

Inadequate resources and skills to deliver requirements


Professional – a definition

( NOD )

PROFESSIONAL - “of or belonging to a profession ....... involving training....... showing appropriate skill ........ maintaining proper standards ....... competent .... expert....."

Information Systems Engineering Key words

Taken from the Definition of Information Systems Engineering agreedbetween the BCS and the Engineering Council :

Creation, use and support of information systems for the solution of practical problems.

Specification, design, construction, testing, bringing into service, maintenance and enhancement

Quality assurance

Design, development and use of standards and tools

Fitness for purpose, range of functionality, economy and efficiency, reliability, cost-effectiveness, security and safety, and life cycle support.


Where do we need to develop our professional skills, be expert, competent etc. ?

Technical skills associated with our profession :

Programming, systems, operations, support etc....

Other skills essential to most ( including our ) professions

People

Project

Personal


Professional Responsibilities – ‘people’ examples

Systems impact people

Users, individuals, management, colleagues, customers, clients etc.

Considering impact on work & working practices

Ensuring fitness for purpose – meeting users’ / clients’ needs

Team matters – leading, coaching, advising


Professional Responsibilities –Project Management examples

Requirements – care & diligence ( including legal issues )

Solutions – ensuring designs meet requirements

Risk Analysis – security, restart, recovery

Task / time / skills / resource scheduling / management

Meeting schedules within budgets

Ensuring quality at all stages of systems life cycle


Professional Responsibilities –a few Legal examples

Health & Safety - Critical Systems

Data Protection

Intellectual Property

Computer Misuse

Computer Contracts

Computer generated evidence

etc. etc. © David J. Parsons 2003

Legal Issues A few important thoughts

We all have a duty to comply Technology - including software is relatively new Law not always considered adequate to deal with issues

thrown up by new technology Legal Profession has variable levels of experience

as to how the law relates to IT Legal issues can be & often are complex Complexity increases with global operations Find a good lawyer !!

Professional Responsibilities – ‘personal’ examples

Taking responsibility for own actions & those of subordinates including our CPD - ( Continuing Professional Development )

Maintaining our knowledge & understanding

Developing our competence & expertise

If necessary, identifying actual / potential personal conflicts of interest


So we have :Issues, Pressures, Challenges, Opportunities associated with :

• Business Pressures / challenge of change

• Technical challenges & opportunities

• People issues

• Project ( including legal issues )

• Personal professionalism - keeping ‘up to date’ & maintaining high standards of personal behaviour

& this is where Professional Ethics need to be considered


ETHICS – definitions

General - New Oxford Dictionary

‘Moral principles that govern a person’s behaviouror the conducting of an activity ‘

Ethics & Computing - Robert Ayers : Professional Issues in Computing

‘Ethics is concerned with questions of right and wrong, goodand bad, and determining how people should behave in particular situations’


PRACTICAL Computer Ethics

NOT academic philosophical study

BUT Practical issues - e.g.

Dealing with personal uncertaintiesDealing with conflicts of opinionWhat choice should I make ?Is this action unfair ?

Source : Duncan Langford Practical Computer Ethics


Professional BehaviourWhy be ethical ?

Discussions held with Computer Scienceundergraduates suggest these points :

TRUST as a reliable IS / IT Professional

SECURITY guarding against unexpected outcomes

COMFORT peace of mind

Source : Duncan Langford – Practical Computer Ethics


Professional Behaviour Which action should I take ?Ethics Check Questions

Taken from Blanchard & Peale : The Power of Ethical Management

Is it LEGAL ?

Will it violate either civil law or company policy ?

Is it BALANCED ?

Is it fair to all concerned - short and long term ?Does it promote win-win relationships ?

How will it make me feel about myself ?

Will it make me feel proud ?Would I feel good if my decision were published ?Would I feel good if my family knew about it ?


Professional & Ethical IssuesProfessional Behaviour – sources of help

We have briefly discussed how systems impact & issues related to:people, projects, personal professionalism

We have also briefly looked at the need forprofessional compliancepersonal integrityhigh standards of personal behaviour

Is there a source of help ?

e.g. Can the Codes of Conduct / Practise of the Professional Societies provide any useful guidelines ?


Professional Societies – a source of help ?What can they do / what do they do ?

Accredit individual professional competence and integrity

Advise the UK Government on IS-related matters, examine & initiate debate on topical IS issues

Represent profession on issues of importance

Set standards for education and training

Provide opportunities for networking through branch and specialist groups

IMPORTANTLY they set standards for professional conduct

etc. etc.....


Professional Society - Codes of Conduct

Define rules of Professional & Personal Conduct ( i.e. behaviour )

( in the case of the BCS the professional standards required as a condition of membership )

Allow evaluation of what should be expected from members of their profession.

Provide clear definitions of what is acceptable and what is unacceptable behaviour


British Computer SocietyCode of Conduct & Practise

The BCS Introduced Revised Codes of Conduct and Practise inJanuary 2002. The revised Code of Conduct covers :

The Public Interest Rules 1 - 6

Duty to Relevant Authority Rules 7 - 9

Duty to the Profession Rules 10 - 13

Professional Competence & Integrity Rules 14 – 17

Copies can be ‘downloaded’ from the BCS WEB Site


British Computer SocietyCode of Conduct & Practice

Code of Practise covers :

Maintaining ‘standards’ of competence & Members’ Duty of Professional Care

Upgrading/ maintaining personal knowledge / skill

Maintaining awareness of relevant :

• technological developments• procedures• standards

Encouraging sub-ordinates to do the same


Other OrganisationCodes of Conduct & Practice

Institution of Analysts and Programmers (IAP)

Similar in structure to the BCSIncludes Duties to the Public, Profession, the IAP, Clients / Employers

ACM - Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct

Defined in terms of : General Moral ImperativesSpecific Professional Responsibilities

Organisational Leadership Imperatives

Institution of Electrical Engineers

Institution for the Management of Information Systems

There are links to these and many others from the BCS WEB Site


Looking to the future..........

As IS Professionals we can expect to see pressure for

Professional Standards & Behaviour from :

Customers / Clients / Users

Industry & Commerce

Government

& possibly the Insurance Industry


To help to respond to the issues / pressures :

Professional Societies can provide :

Some useful guidelines

e.g. through Codes of Conduct / Practice

Support

e.g. Branches & Specialist GroupsCPD Schemes

etc..


Some Conclusions for IS/IT ProfessionalsPutting the ISSUES in context

Information systems are here to stay !

Technology is becoming all pervasive

Technology & associated information systems are becoming /have become essential to most / many businesses

Businesses will demand more of the technology & informationsystems investments e.g. quality, reliability, functionality

As individuals involved with IS/IT we ALL need to be professional and act professionally

Perhaps Professional Societies like the BCS can help.


The increasingly complex information & technological infrastructure - a challenge

President of the World Future Society :


This comment was made in 1996 – is it just as relevant today ?


The FUTURE ? What other Professional & Ethical issuesdo IS Professionals need to be considering ?

These are some of my thoughts / questions :

Are we becoming excessively reliant on IT ?

Any there morally/ethically objectionable uses of IT ?

What will be the social impact of incessant growth of IT ?

Will DATA be the next major pollutant ?

Are we developing a digital divide – separating the information haves from the information have nots .

I leave them with you - no doubt you can and will add your own thoughtsto this list !


The increasingly complex information & technological infrastructure - a challenge

President of the World Future Society :


It surely HAS and surely WILL continue so to do.

That is why an understanding of PROFESSIONAL, ETHICAL andrelated ISSUES is so important to us all.


Thank You

professional & ethical issues ( the bcs at work ) university of surrey 16 th october 2003...

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