CS625 Complete Handouts

CS625 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES

WEEK [1 to 16]

 Profession: A paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification.  Professional: A professional is a member of a profession or any person who earns their living from a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skills necessary to perform their specific role within that profession.

Professional Responsibilities:

 With reference to Information Technology, Computer Science or Software Engineering, the responsibilities of working professionals in this area include network administration, software development and installation, and the planning and management of an organization's technology life cycle, by which hardware and software is maintained, upgraded and replaced.  But these are not ENOUGH.

Engineering Council states that other than professional Knowledge, an Engineer must know:

 Technical decision making and its commercial and economic implementation;…knowledge of government legislation affecting work, e.g. safety, health, environmental requirements; an understanding of the principles of management and industrial relations; some knowledge of trade unions and their organization; an understanding of the engineer’s responsibility to the profession, to the community and to the environment

The Professionalism:

 A profession isn’t just what you do, it’s who you are.  Professionalism is a way of thinking and living rather than an accumulation of learning.

Traits of a Profession:

Four Traits of Profession

1. Varied activities requiring special skills
2. Society-centric motivation
3. Personal standards of excellence
4. Giving back to society

A professional behaves ethically:

 Ethics means something more than ‘law’ and ‘morals’.  It carries an additional connotation of ‘rightness’. Breaking the law: can earn a fine or jail time Breaking a moral: can ruin your reputation Breaking an ethic: can ruin your conscience It’s possible to break all three, simultaneously!

Traits of a Professional:

 Being a professional means that they are certain traits which are expected from you.  We will go through Each of them

Trait # 1 of a professional: Seriousness

 Serious about job  The job is only a job. A means to an end

Trait # 2 of a professional: Wanting to do better:

 Exhibit a never-ending quest to improve their performance in every variable, every project, every relationship, and every detail.

Trait # 3 of a professional: Dealing with the Unexpected

 Stuff happens, things change, and the true professional rises to the occasion

Trait # 4 of a professional: Communication Skills:

 Clear  Concise  Confident

Trait # 5 of a professional: Enthusiasm:

 Attitude is everything. Those who exhibit enthusiasm for what they do and greet each day with a positive attitude inevitably become a leader

Trait # 6 of a professional: Helpfulness:

 Understand that real success in the workplace requires teamwork  Always ready to lend a hand  Make a suggestion  Offer a compliment when it’s deserved

Trait # 7 of a professional: Taking the Initiative:

 Takes the initiative to get things done

Trait # 8 of a professional: Cool under Pressure:

 Level headed and calm  Cheerful demeanor-even under stressful times

Trait # 9 of a professional: Remains Focused:

 Stay focused on the task at hand and the goal ahead  Navigate through obstacles or setbacks but never lose sight of where they headed

Trait # 10 of a professional: Don’t Follow, Lead:

 True Professionals aren’t faint of heart  Analyze the situation and willing to take new paths and try new solutions  That’s why they call it LEADERSHIP!