Workshop Proposal:



                 A Global Software Engineering Profession



                      Proposer:  J. Barrie Thompson





 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE



 Software Engineering is a discipline that must operate at a global

 level.  Other engineering disciplines such as Mechanical Engineering

 (which shaped the 19th century) or Electrical Engineering (which shaped

 the 20th century) to a great extent developed and operated within

 domains defined by nation states or, at least, continental boundaries.

 Software Engineering is different to these older disciplines in that it

 must be viewed in a wider context.  Already we have situations where,

 for example, software can be specified in the USA, developed in India,

 and then used globally on the Internet.  It is thus of paramount

 importance that the Software Engineering discipline is viewed at a

 global level rather than at just at the continental or national level.

 In any search for a Software Engineering Profession work carried outside

 the USA and in particular by international bodies such as IFIP

 (International Federation of Information Processing) must be considered.

 Workshop Aim and Objectives The prime aim of the workshop is to provide

 a forum to consider the global dimensions of a Software Engineering

 Profession.



 In achieving this aim our objectives are to examine:



 -  The current situation with regard to certification of licensing in

    different countries



 -  The drivers and constraints regarding Software Engineering

    Professionalism



 and to determine:



 -  The extent to which world-wide Software Engineering Professionalism

    is achievable



 -  Possible strategy(ies) that would assist in achieving such world-wide

    Software Engineering Professionalism.





 PROFILE OF LIKELY PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR SOLICITATION



 -  teachers/lecturers

 -  practitioners

 -  managers

 -  legislators and members of certifying or professional bodies.



 Ideas for Soliciting Participants:



 Use of mailing lists, mailshots to known centres of expertise, such as

 SEA (Software Engineering Association), SEWORLD, ISWORLD, cti (the UK's

 computers in teaching initiative) and to relevant professional and

 legislative bodies.





 POSITION PAPERS



 Position papers will be requested which address either or both of the

 following subjects:



 1.  Current situations regarding the licensing/certification of Software

     Engineering and IS/IT professionals in different countries (e.g.,

     The Texas Licensing situation in the USA, Chartered Engineering

     status in the UK).



 2.  What are the likely "drivers" and constraints regarding Software

     Engineering Professionalism within particular countries and/or

     globally.





 PRIOR ACTIVITIES



 To ensure the time in the workshop is spent as effectively as possible

 the position papers of the participants will be made available on the

 WWW.  In coming to the workshop the delegates are expected to bring with

 them a list of key issues that need to be considered (some of these will

 be highlighted in their position papers).





 OPERATION OF THE WORKSHOP



 It is intended that the workshop will involve the active participation

 of all attendees and that extensive use will be made of activities

 within small groups.  It is envisaged that the workshop will essentially

 consist of two distinct parts.



 Part A



 1.  Recap the objectives of the workshop and present summaries of the

     most relevant position papers.



 2.  Break out into activity groups: each group will be allocated a

     particular topic to consider.  Each topic will be either in the area

     of certification and licensing or in the area of drivers and

     constraints.  The number of topics will be result from the position

     papers and may represent situations within different parts of the

     world or within different sectors of the software industry.



 3.  Feedback to full group: a nominated speaker from each activity group

     is to feedback themes emerging from their group's discussions.



 Part B



 1.  Break out into new activity groups: groups will, in the light of the

     feedback provided in stage 3 above, appraise the usefulness of

     IFIP's proposals for the harmonization of Software Engineering

     Professionalism within different parts of the world or within

     different sectors of the software industry.



 2.  Feedback to full group: a nominated speaker from each activity group

     is to feedback themes emerging from their group's discussions.



 3.  Brain storming session with all participants to identify future

     goals and strategies.





 FINAL DELIVERABLE



 A final outcome of the workshop will be the production of a report

 detailing the major recommendations relevant to the aim and the topics

 considered.  This will be circulated to participants and a paper based

 on it will be submitted for journal publication.