Working Only in Areas of Competence
Understand the importance of working only in areas that fall within our professional expertise.
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Given the scenario below, select the approach that you would choose from the options provided.
Scenario
You are a skilled and experienced software engineer, proficient in building web applications and database management systems. You take pride in your expertise, and your reputation for delivering quality work precedes you.
One day, your company assigns you a project that involves developing a complex artificial intelligence system for autonomous vehicles, a domain you have little experience in. You feel uneasy about this assignment, knowing that it requires specialized knowledge and expertise in machine learning and computer vision, which are not your strengths. As the project progresses, you struggle to grasp the technologies’ intricacies. You realize you cannot handle such a sophisticated system despite your best efforts. You begin questioning your abilities and worry that your lack of expertise will compromise the project’s success.
Now, you must decide whether to continue struggling with the project, risking its success and compromising your principles, or to communicate honestly with your team about your limitations and be ready for the potential consequences.
You are caught between your desire to succeed and the ethical responsibility to work only in areas where you have the necessary skills. What do you do in this scenario?
Case study
The following case study is based on an incident where incompetency, carelessness, and a lack of software specification documentation and testing led to grave consequences.
Therac-25
The Therac-25 radiation therapy device was designed to provide medical treatment for cancer patients through radiation therapy by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in 1982. Developed in the 1980s, the Therac-25 was an advanced version of its predecessors, the Therac-6 and Therac-20. The two previous versions differed in the way that they offered better safety due to hardware-based controls.
The Therac-25 was a one-of-a-kind computerized device that could choose multiple treatment table positions and energy levels. It was a crucial advancement in cancer treatment, integrating electron and photon beams for efficient ...