agenda professionalism ethics accreditation 2 what is professionalism? profession (sage canadian...

Agenda Professionalism Ethics Accreditation 2

What is Professionalism? Profession (Sage Canadian Dictionary): An occupation requiring special postgraduate education and training, especially law, medicine, teaching, engineering, or the ministry People collectively engaged in a profession (i.e. doctor, lawyer) 3

What are professions? Full-time, paid occupations recognized in society: as requiring advanced knowledge and/or skill, with at least one association members can or must join, and a code of conduct/ethics. Some professions are legally recognized Governments have passed laws recognizing members In turn, members have a legal responsibility to uphold the interests of society, above other interests Others professions are less formal 4

Professions with legal recognition Professions with signoff-restricting licenses or certifications A licensed/certified person must approve certain types of work done, but may delegate most of the work to others Engineering (in some places), Financial Analysis (CFA), Chartered Accountancy (CA), Certified Management Accountancy (CMA), Logistics, certain trades (Electrician, Plumber) Professions with legal standing but where there is no license issued nor legal requirement for signoff of work Information Systems Professional (I.S.P.) in Canada 5

6 Professions with legal recognition Professions with practice-restricting licenses in many jurisdictions Practice/aspects of practice are limited to license holders Medicine, Dentistry, Chiropractic, Pharmacy, Law, School Teaching, Engineering (in theory in Canada), Architecture Some licensed professions in Ontario http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/working/car eer/ http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/working/car eer/ *Divinity (those licensed can perform marriages, etc), etc. Those requiring less education are commonly called trades *Truck Driving, (required training and drivers license) *Hairdressing, barbering

7 Professions without legal recognition Professions with optional certifications that do not have legal weight Software Development (CSDP), Project Management (PMP) Discussed later Professions not generally licensed or certified, but where a degree or diploma provides evidence of competence Scientist (various types), Journalist Other professions or trades where an apprenticeship model is typically followed Mason Professions where the limiting factor is simply that you must have sufficient skill or knowledge that someone is willing to pay you enough to do it full time University or College Professor, Sport player (Hockey, Golf, Football), Actor, Artist, Musician, Politician

8 Key attributes of a profession Public recognition: Others outside profession X understand what a member of profession X does and can do So outsiders know who to consult when they want some service So outsiders can feel confident they are getting work done by someone competent To ensure public recognition: There must be A. A defined scope of practice B. A recorded body of knowledge (principles, facts, best practices, required procedures such as the building or plumbing code) C. A code of ethics consequences when it is violated D. Methods to educate/train, accredit education, and ensure continuing education E. Well-understood criteria for membership F. Organizations to establish and administer the above

9 So what does it mean to exhibit professionalism? Obtain the required education and ongoing education (D) Adhere to the code of ethics (C) Apply the principles and knowledge properly (B) Practice within the scope of your expertise (A, D) and defer to others when boundaries are reached Obtain and maintain appropriate credentials (E) Participate in the appropriate professional organizations (F)

10 Other attributes of many professions Membership and practice may be limited or controlled The profession may be self-governing The profession controls all attributes described on the last slide Members are disciplined by their organization There may be legal recognition and responsibility Includes the concept of malpractice Being a professional may confer respectability / status / social privilege

11 Specializations / Specialties Most professions have well-defined specialties, often with their own certifications and associations Medicine: Board-certified specialties IT/Computing: AI - American Association for Artificial Intelligence Project management Professional http://www.pmi.org http://www.pmi.org Information security (Certified Information Security Manager) http://www.isaca.org/Template.cfm?Section=CISM_Certification http://www.isaca.org/Template.cfm?Section=CISM_Certification Hacking (Certified Ethical Hacker) http://www.certifiedethicalhacker.com/ http://www.certifiedethicalhacker.com/ Certified Information Technology Professional Information Systems Professional Vendor-specific certifications (Microsoft, Oracle) etc.

12 Different Types of Professionals in Computing Computer Scientist Conceptually: Researches/develops new techniques in computing In practice: Develops software, often specializing in some areas of practice such as particular types of architecture Software Engineer Conceptually: Has deep skills in the areas of the SE lifecycle: Requirements, design, implementation, plus management Focus on systems where safety or other areas of public interest are of concern In practice: Very little difference from a computer scientist just one of several computing specialties that employers consider to largely overlap But: A software engineering graduate has a straight-forward path to the P.Eng Also: Computer Engineer, programmer, technician, business analyst, database administrator, technical writer, user-support specialist, cognitive scientist, engineer or scientist developing software, etc.

13 General Professional Associations for Computer Professionals CIPS - Canadian Information Processing Society The national society for computing in Canada US-based associations with international membership ACM - Association for Computing Machinery IEEE Computer Society Australian Computer Society British Computer Society

Certification An earned professional designation which assures qualification as a professional Earned through a professional body (society) who sets the criteria for eligibility of the qualification Usually: Course of study in an accredited program Proof of professional accomplishments (work experience) Examination 14

Certification Value of certification: Demonstrates commitment to your profession Increases your professional credibility Adhere to the code of ethics Mastery of a BOK (Body of Knowledge) Committed to ongoing education 15

Certification Must be renewed periodically (usually annually) Types: Legal (doctors, dentist, lawyers, truck drivers, teachers) vs: non legal (PMP, apprentices, athlete) Product-Specific (i.e. MCSE, CISCO) Professional-wide (i.e. CGA, CA) 16

IT Certification Vendor specific Cisco IBM Microsoft Red Hat SAP .. Third party CompTIA CISSP ITIL General Certification IEEE CITP (BCS) I.S.P./ITCP (CIPS) 17

18 CIPS Canadian Information Processing Society Started in 1958 Helped strengthen the Canadian IT industry by establishing standards and sharing best practices for the benefit of individual IT professionals and the sector as a whole Has thousands of members nationally Student Memberships: http://www.cips.ca/studentsjoinhttp://www.cips.ca/studentsjoin Offers: Networking opportunities Certification of IT professionals (I.S.P. and ITCP designations) Accreditation of IT university and college programs A voice to government on issues that affect the profession and industry

19 Some Activities of CIPS Presents professional development and social-networking events Certifies individual practitioners (I.S.P. and ITCP) Accredits academic institutions CSAC - Computer Science Accreditation Council ISTAC Information Systems and Technology Accreditation Council Adopts standards of practice Advocates on behalf of the profession

20 CIPS Wants Us to Become Trusted Professionals Trusted Competence Mastery of a defined body of knowledge evaluated in one of several ways Includes a set of best practices A considerable period of experience Trusted intentions Adhering to a code of ethics

21 The Information Systems Professional (I.S.P.) Certification http://www.cips.ca/isp Goals Protection of the public Professional credibility Personal integrity and competence Enhanced customer confidence Enhanced professional profile Increased value to employer

22 The I.S.P A provincially-administered national standard Recognized by statute in 6 provinces as a self-regulating profession Canadian Information Processing Society of Ontario Act, 1998, c.Pr5 See http://local.cips.ca/ontario/documents/pr21_final.pdfhttp://local.cips.ca/ontario/documents/pr21_final.pdf And http://local.cips.ca/ontario/http://local.cips.ca/ontario/ Mutual recognition with other countries (British Computer Society, Australian Computer Society, New Zealand Computer Society, and in the US-ICCP http://iccp.org)http://iccp.org

23 Routes to the I.S.P Education plus experience An accredited degree makes this faster CPD, CPA and BSD programs at Seneca are accredited Exam based Professor at a university/college Industry leader / Senior established professional

24 ITCP Information Technology Certified Professional http://www.ipthree.org/ http://on.cips.ca/ITCPEvents Certifies a higher level of knowledge than the I.S.P SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age: http://www.sfia.org.uk) level 5 http://www.sfia.org.uk IP3: International Professional Practice Partnership A body that uses accreditation standards (IP3P) to certify national professional certifications like ITCP Sponsored by IFIP (http://www.ifip.org/)http://www.ifip.org/ The International Federation for Information Processing A variety of countries have IP3-accredited certifications Australia UK US (IEEE Computer Society is working on it)

25 Some Benefits of Professional Status in Computing Social and societal standing Computing professionals have similar responsibilities to society as engineers, doctors, lawyers, accountants, financial analysts, etc. Other professionals, members of the public and the media need to know who to consult Legal reasons Judges and lawyers need to know who can be considered an expert witness in a court case involving computing or IT The Chief Information Officer (CIO) of a corporation needs to know who has the expertise to certify that the corporation has adhered to laws and regulations Privacy acts like PIPEDA Corporate regulatory compliance E.g. Sarbanes Oxley Act in the US

26 Benefits of Professional Status in Computing We need better software and IT services, hence better people to develop and deliver these Professional status comes with a requirement to maintain competence The more professionals there are, the more clients and employers will decide to insist on hiring a certified professional It will give them extra confidence As a result, the quality of products and services should rise

27 Bodies of Knowledge in Computing Body of Knowledge: Body of Knowledge (BOK) is a term used to represent the complete set of concepts, terms and activities that make up a professional domain, as defined by the relevant professional association. While the term body of knowledge is also used to describe the document that defines that knowledge - the body of knowledge itself is more than simply a collection of terms; a professional reading list; a library; a website or a collection of websites; a description of professional functions; or even a collection of information. It is what defines a specific domain. Some examples: Software Engineering Body of Knowledge SWEBOK Skills Framework for an Information Age SFIA CIPS Body of Knowledge Under development

28 SWEBOK An IEEE Computer Society effort: http://www.swebok.org http://www.swebok.org Basis for Certification, Curriculum Development and US Accreditation Knowledge areas Requirements Design Construction (detailed design) Testing Maintenance Configuration management Software Engineering management Process Tools and methods Quality The upcoming version will have: Engineering economics Computing foundations (core computer science) Mathematical foundations (discrete math and statistics) Engineering foundations (cost benefit analysis, etc.)

29 SFIA: Skills Framework for the Information Age Developed in UK, but used worldwide http://www.sfia.org.uk/ Basis for IP3 accreditation Seven levels Level 1: New entrant Level 5: Senior professional (e.g. ITCP) Level 7: Director At different levels Basics of additional knowledge categories should be learned Greater depth in certain categories needed

30 SFIA Knowledge Categories 1-21 Strategy and architecture Information, Business/IT, Technical 22-31 Business change implementation and management Project management, business analysis and modelling 32-48 Solution development and implementation Systems development (requirements; software/network/data design; programming; safety engineering; information content authoring; testing) Human factors (ergonomics, usability requirements and evaluation) Installation and Integration (installation, porting, decommissioning) 49-66 Service management Service strategy (IT management, financial management for IT, capacity and availability management Configuration, change and release management Service operation (system software; security; support of applications, network, database; service desk and problem handling) 67-82 Procurement and management support Supply, quality, resource and learning management 83-86 Client interface: Marketing and client support

32 Ethics What is Ethics: Study of what it means to do the right thing Assumes people are rational and make free choices Rules to follow in our interactions and our actions that affect others

33 Ethics No simple answers to many ethical questions Do organizations (businesses) have ethics? Important Distinctions: Right, wrong and okay Difference between wrong and harm Wrong: May cause harm, but may not Harm: Bad consequence actually occurs Personal preference and ethics Collective rights vs. individual rights Law and Ethics

34 Summary of the CIPS Code of Ethics http://www.cips.ca/ethics 1. Protect the Public Interest and Maintain Integrity Work with due regard for health, safety and the environment Report problems that may injure persons, organizations, property or the economy Not discriminate on any grounds, such as race, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, social origin, family status or disability Not bring the profession into disrepute

35 Summary of the CIPS Code of Ethics 2. Demonstrate Competence and Quality of Service Serve client in conscientious, diligent and efficient manner Not undertake a task unless you have competence or can become competent without delay, risk or expense to the client Exercise uncompromised judgment Be honest and candid when providing service Maintain competence (constantly update knowledge) Be aware of and compliant with legislation, standards and bodies of knowledge Respect rights of third parties, such as giving credit where it is due Respect property rights

36 Summary of the CIPS Code of Ethics 3. Maintain Confidential Information and Privacy Duty of Secrecy: Clients have a right to expect that anything disclosed, seen or overheard will remain confidential Do not even disclose having been retained by the client Respect PIPEDA (Privacy Act) and other laws 4. Avoid Conflict of Interest 5. Uphold Responsibility to the IT Profession Use courtesy and good faith when dealing with other professionals Participate in professional societies Support others in their professional development

37 What should guide ethical decision making? Seven levels International treaties and agreements Laws (statutes) Regulations Standards of good practice Professional codes of ethics Corporate policies Community and personal values

38 Ethical Judgment Is a kind of pattern recognition It gets better with experience

39 Method for Ethical Analysis Take a set of ethical points of view Equality, justice, respect, self-respect (integrity) Gather all ethically relevant facts regarding the situation and people involved Actions, roles, relationships (e.g. conflicts of interest) Identify key issues Look for an existing policy or law that matches Pay attention to precedents and people who might be sensitive to any given solution If a solution found, apply it But watch out for conflicting policies, laws, principles and points of view Otherwise apply higher-level general principles and consult with others

40 Example ethical situation 1 You are developing software for the government that determines whether someone is eligible for a drivers license You think there is a problem in the law that will deny certain people licenses that is unfair in your opinion E.g. old people when somebody has complained about their driving You consider adjusting the software so that the public complaints are ignored by the software What are the ethical implications?

41 Example ethical situation 2 You realize that the software a colleague developed has been over-billing customers. If you reveal the problem and the company pays back the money, they company may go bankrupt and you may lose your job. What do you do?

42 Example ethical situation 3 You discover a vulnerability in your companys software that could lead hackers to break in and obtain or alter critical information causing great harm You could just work with the company to fix it quietly and say nothing to others But perhaps you should notify the users and customers so they can take steps to protect themselves in case hackers break in before the fix is made But this might cause great harm to the companys reputation What do you do?

44 Accreditation of Computing Programs Provides evidence that computing education meets the standards of the profession Performed in Canada by a CIPS agency CSAC Computer Science Accreditation Council Accredits University CS and SE Programs in Canada ISTAC Information Systems and Technology Accreditation Council Accredits College CST diploma and degree programs in Canada CS Accredited programs: http://www.cips.ca/node/288http://www.cips.ca/node/288 SE Accredited programs: http://www.cips.ca/node/289http://www.cips.ca/node/289 CST Accredited programs: http://www.cips.ca/AppliedDegreePrograms and http://www.cips.ca/ComputerTechnologyDiplomaProgramshttp://www.cips.ca/AppliedDegreeProgramshttp://www.cips.ca/ComputerTechnologyDiplomaPrograms

45 Accreditation of Computing Programs International recognition of CSAC accreditations through the Seoul Accord http://www.seoulaccord.com/ Analogous to the Washington Accord for engineering and Canberra Accord for architecture US, Korea. Australia, UK, Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan Your degree will be recognized for certifications in these countries All accreditation agencies are themselves accredited AAAC: Association of Accrediting Agencies of Canada http://www.aaac.ca

46 Overview of Criteria for Computing Program Accreditation Elements assessed College Environment Faculty Students Facilities and Resources Curriculum General Application domain Basic and advanced technical Applied Communications and professionalism Industry Support Innovation and Research

47 Credit Thank you to Timothy Lethbridge PhD, P.Eng., I.S.P., CSDP for providing this lecture. Tim is a Professor of Software Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Ottawa.

agenda professionalism ethics accreditation 2 what is professionalism? profession (sage canadian...

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