Response to case study scenario 1

Decision & Reasoning

I will not ignore this problem. As a junior engineer I must abide by the IEEE Code of Ethics, which suggests that I must accept responsibility for any decision in relation to the safety, health and welfare of the public. This device can cause a fire so I must take action and make as many people aware of the problem in order to recall the affected products.

My Experience

While working at a law firm in London I was asked to complete a task by the deputy manager of my department which would make the network more vulnerable, I questioned his request however he insisted that the changes needed to happen as specified. Before attempting to complete the changes I spoke with some of my colleagues to ascertain their opinions on the matter. My colleagues agreed with me and thought that the requested actions should not be carried out as specified. I then approached my departmental manager and explained the situation to him, including the potential consequences, he agreed that the request should not be fulfilled as specified. Consequently the request was modified before being carried out, this resulted in delayed completion of the task but it was safer for all involved parties.

Actions

The scenario at the law firm is the same as the current one in principal. As a result I would act as I did in the situation at the law firm. However I would first contact several of the component suppliers to find out if they are aware of any problems with any of the components that were used in the product. I would then document this information, the test results and my colleagues opinions of the problem, before sending it to senior management via email. I would subsequently arrange a meeting with the management to discuss the information in the email and I would also remind the management of our obligation as engineers to abide by the IEEE's Code of Ethics. (The email can be tracked and recovered even if it is deleted by any party, therefore if there is any question regarding my failure to act and notify the relevant personnel in a timely manner, the email and its time stamp will act as evidence in my defense.)

Consequences

Even though this product recall could damage the reputation of the company and cost money. This loss of profit and reputation can be considered to be minor if compared to the repercussions of allowing the product to remain in circulation. If a fire was caused by one of the devices, which caused damage to or destruction of property or an individual, the company would receive a large amount of negative publicity and could be taken to court by any number of affected individuals. If the devices are found to cause harm, by perusing the issue against my managers wishes I may gain some recognition from my superiors, which could aid my career development. If the fault in the devices is caused by one or more of the components in the product the supplier is liable and can be perused legally for compensation by the company.

Alternatively, the three devices that failed the testing process could be the only affected devices, the product recall would then become unnecessary, my abilities would then be questioned. However the assumption that 1.5% of a particular batch are the only affected devices would be a very naive assumption to make, considering how the devices are mass produced. This is why I will not ignore this problem and notify the relevant individuals within the organization as soon as possible.