The National Society of Professional Engineers
Creation of Software
Engineering P.E. Exam
By
Dan Wittliff, P.E., F.NSPE
President 2012-2013
Creating a Software Engineering Exam
and a Path to Licensure
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Consortium background and organizations
Consortium accomplishments
Professional society efforts
State regulator actions and concerns
Exam development and content
What’s in it for the profession?
What’s licensable practice?
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Consortium Background
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1998 – Texas began licensing software engineers
through portfolio / experience review
2002 – NCEES changed rules
Competing software engineering (SWEngr) licensure
models
Competing definitions and goals
Purpose of consortium
– Reach consensus on SWEngr licensure models
– Develop a path forward that:
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Engages State Boards
Includes like-minded parties
Culminates with first SWEngr PE Exam in Spring 2011
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Software Engineering Exam
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NCEES
NSPE
IEEE – USA
IEEE Computer Society
Texas Board of Professional Engineers
Prometric
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Organizations involved
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IEEE (USA, CS
PPC, CS Wireless)
NSPE (PEI, L&QP,
BOD)
TBPE (Board,
Staff, SWETF)
NCEES (Exam
Development)
TBPE
-SWETF
-Board
-Staff
NSPE
IEEE
-BOD
-L&QP
-PEI
-Staff
Software
Engineering
Licensing
Consortium
NCEES
-BOD
-EPE
Software Engineering Licensing Consortium
-USA
-Comm Soc
-Comp Soc
-Wireless
Others
-FL, NY
-DE, MI, NC
-VA
Consortium accomplishments (1 of 4)
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Summit meeting in Denver, July 07
Reached consensus on key issues
– Separate discipline that can impact public health,
safety, and welfare
– Software engineering definition
– Licensure of Software Engineers should be
promoted
– Specifics remain state-by-state process
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Software Engineering Defined
Software engineering is the application and/or study
of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach
to the development, operation, and maintenance of
software, that has an impact on the lives, property,
economy, or security of people or the national
defense; that is, the application of engineering to
software.
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Consortium accomplishments (2 of 4)
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Consensus issues continued:
– Basic path to licensure
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ABET engineering degree
FE Exam
4 years engineering experience
SWEngr P&P exam
– Certification by IEEE does not replace licensure
– Use NCEES model for exam development
– Inclusion of related disciplines in the BOK for
SWEngr
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Consortium accomplishments (3 of 4)
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Developed “Recommendation for a Path to
Software Engineering Licensure”
Developed plan for approaching State Boards of
Licensure
Received resolution of support from NSPE BOD
Received letters of support from Licensing
Boards in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Michigan,
Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,
Texas, and Virginia
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Consortium accomplishments (4 of 4)
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Presented SELC path forward to IEEE-USA L&R
Committee on 12/01/07
Received IEEE-USA L&R endorsement and
favorable recommendation to IEEE-USA BOD
IEEE-USA agreed to be the lead sponsoring
technical society for the software engineering exam
in August 2009
PAKS team formed in late 2009
Exam writing team began work in late 2010
First exam administered in April 2013
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Action Plan
Goal: Administer the first SWEngr P&P
Exam by Fall 2011
Seven Step Process:
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Step 1: Engage with State Boards (11/07 – 4/08)
Step 2: Get at least 10 State Boards to request
NCEES develop a SWEngr exam (1/08 – 6/08)
Step 3: Receive NCEES Board of Directors‘
approval (6/08 – 8/08)
Step 4: Consummate exam development
agreement with NCEES (9/08 – 11/08)
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Seven Step Process continued:
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Step 5: Engage with NCEES in developing
PAKS, test questions, and exam questions
(12/08 – 7/09)
Step 6: Review and score exam. Set cut off
score and standards (8/09 – 11/10)
Step 7: Prepare, distribute, and administer first
PE Exam for Software Engineers (12/10 –
10/11)
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
NCEES Examination
Development Process Overview
Need for
Examination
Identified
Examination
Assembly &
Task
Analysis
Performed
(PAKS)
Examination
Scoring
Examination
Specification
Developed
Item
Writing &
Review
Standard
Setting
Study
Equating of
Examination
Review
Examination
Administration After Cut Score Established
Software Engineering – PE
Exam Specification
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Requirements
Design
Construction
Testing
Maintenance
Configuration Management
Engineering Processes
Quality Assurance
Safety, Security, and Privacy
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Public Awareness
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NSPE PE article in 2007 and 2009
IEEE Today’s Engineer article in July 2011
Press releases to Technical Societies in 2009
Presentations to State Boards
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Alabama, 5/08
Delaware, 4/08
Illinois, 2/08
Kansas, 12/08
Michigan, 4/08
New Mexico, 4/08
Texas, 1/08
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Professional Organization Action
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NSPE Board of Directors, July 28, 2007
– Endorsed the actions of the SWEngr Summit
– Resolved to support the path forward in licensing
SWEngr
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IEEE-USA L&R Committee, December 1, 2007
– Supported SELC actions
– Voted a resolution of support
– Forwarded resolution to IEE-USA Board of Directors
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Professional Organization Action
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IEEE-USA Board of Directors
– Approved the resolution to IEEE-USA L&R
Committee in August 2009
– Agreed to be the lead sponsoring technical society
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NCEES Board of Directors
– Received the 10 state requests for the exam
– Approved the creation of the exam in 2010
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
State Agency Action
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Alabama – Presentation on 5/2/08. Letter to NCEES in 8/4/09.
Connecticut – Considering
Delaware – Letter sent to NCEES in 11/08.
Florida – Letter sent to NCEES in 7/08.
Illinois – Presentation on 2/21/08. Letter in the works.
Kansas – Presentation on 12/11/08.
Louisiana – Considered on 3/16/08. Declined to support at this
time.
– Michigan – Letter sent to NCEES in 8/08.
– Mississippi – Declined to support at this time.
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
State Agency Action
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Missouri – Supported in 1/09.
New Jersey – Considering
New Mexico – Support letter sent in 12/08.
North Carolina – Letter sent to NCEES in 7/08.
New York – Letter sent to NCEES in 3/08.
Oklahoma – Declined to support at this time.
Pennsylvania – Reconsidering earlier declination.
Texas – Letter sent to NCEES in 2/08.
Virginia – Letter sent to NCEES in 11/08.
Wisconsin – Considering
Wyoming – Declined to support at this time.
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
What concerns do the Licensing
Boards have?
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Is this recommended path to licensure
consistent with the model law?
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Yes
Graduate from ABET-accredited curriculum
Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
Four years of acceptable experience
Pass the P&P Exam
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
What concerns do the Licensing
Boards have?
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What is normal software?
– Software is the electronically coded instructions to
computers or programmable control devices.
– Software effects entertainment and office products
as well as many key infrastructure devices.
– Software development for mass consumer products
is regulated under commerce regulations and
generally exempt from Engineering Practice Acts.
– SELC proposes no change to state practice acts.
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
What concerns do the Licensing
Boards have?
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What is software engineering?
– Software Engineering is the application and/or study of a
systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the
development, operation, and maintenance of software that has
an impact on the lives, property, economy, or security of people
or the national defense; that is, the application of engineering to
software.
– Software Engineering requires the application of higher
mathematics and the physical sciences to writing software that
controls key pieces of infrastructure with a potential impact on
public health, safety, and welfare.
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
What concerns do the Licensing
Boards have?
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What needs to be programmed or overseen by a
Licensed PE?
– Infrastructure: emergency dispatch services, fire
alarms/sprinklers, emergency shut down systems, electrical grid,
public water supply
– Medicine: heart lung machines, ventilators, medical infusion
pumps, medical dispensers, implant devices, robotics, and
medical records
– Energy: nuclear reactors, override systems, electrical grid
systems, petroleum pumps
– Recreation: amusement park rides
– Transportation: railway signals/controls, auto; airbags, brakes,
seatbelts, aviation; air traffic control, avionics, air crew life support,
emergency evacuation equipment, automated traffic control
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
What concerns do the Licensing
Boards have?
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What needs to be programmed or overseen by
a Licensed PE?
– Financial: banking systems, accounting, online
financial systems, information security
– Government: taxation, licenses, criminal systems
legislative support, public policy tools
– Communications: switching, transmission
multiplexing, network management
– Military: GPS satellite, radio communications,
artillery controls, aircraft systems
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
What’s in it for the profession?
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Professional licensing of software engineers serves the
interest of the as many as 30,000 IEEE-USA members
by providing a formal path to licensure.
Software Engineering degree programs are growing:
– 2005 – 18 Schools and 196 BS Degrees
– 2006 – 24 Schools (13 ABET) and 218 BS Degrees
– 2007 – 450 Seniors, 305 Juniors, 262 Sophomores, and 459
Freshmen, 15 ABET programs
– 2013 – 22 ABET programs
– Six Canadian universities granted 297 BS degrees in 2006
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
What’s in it for the profession?
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22 ABET Degree programs in 17 states
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Alabama
California
Connecticut
Florida (2)
Georgia
Indiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Montana
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
What’s in it for the profession?
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22 ABET Degree programs in 17 states
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Montana
New Jersey
New York (2)
Pennsylvania (3)
South Dakota
Texas (2)
Virginia
Wisconsin (2)
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
What’s in it for the profession?
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Setting a path for licensure now allows state boards to
attract these graduates and set a new paradigm.
Licensure of software engineers serves to distinguish
them from lesser qualified professionals in the public's
perception of the profession.
Licensure provides an extra level of scrutiny where
public safety, health, and welfare are at issue.
A separate PE Exam for Software Engineering provides
the formal path to licensure recognized by the States.
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium
Software Engineering
Defined
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Software Engineering is the application and/or study of
a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the
development, operation, and maintenance of software
that has an impact on the lives, property, economy, or
security of people or the national defense; that is, the
application of engineering to software. (Software
Engineering Licensure Consortium)
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Software Engineering
Licensing Process
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Licensure Process – Same as other Disciplines
– ABET Engineering Degree
– Associated Degrees (CS ?)
– FE Exam – EE / Computer or Other Disciplines
– Work Experience
– PE References – Software PE, EE PE, Other Disciplines
– Software Engineering PE Exam
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Software Engineering
Licensable Practice
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States require licensure of certain engineers to ensure
that any practitioner is at least minimally competent
Intent is to protect the public from injurious
consequences of incompetent “engineers”
Licensure is required if the engineer is involved in
building a system whose failure could cause significant
harm is offering his services directly to the public and
not through a corporation, or government entity
Same for Software Engineering
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Software Engineering
Licensable Practice
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Would all software engineers need to be licensed?
– No, only those providing their services directly to the public
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Would all software have to be developed or supervised
by licensed software engineers?
– No, only software that has an impact on the lives, property,
economy, or security of people
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Licensing software engineers isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime
event
– Engineers must renew their licenses annually and may be
subject to mandatory continuous professional development
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Software Engineering
Licensable Practice
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Does the software control a device or devices that could
directly inflict harm to a human being if there was a
malfunction?
Does the software put the assets of an individual or
corporate entity at risk beyond the normal amount of
risk assumed in everyday business transactions?
Does the software expose identifying information of an
individual or a corporate entity that would violate any
federal, state or local laws?
Does the software interact with other systems in way
that directly satisfies 1-3 above?
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Software Engineering
Licensable Practice
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License
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Smart Building Controls
Water Treatment Plant
Nuclear Power Plant
Power Grid
Traffic Control Systems
No License
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Websites
Network Maintenance
‘Shrink Wrapped’ Software
Games
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Software Engineering
Licensable Practice
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Licensure?
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Banking Systems
Medical Information Systems
Government Databases
Engineering Tools (CAD, Structural Analysis Systems, etc.)
Cyber security
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Software Engineering Exam
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NCEES
NSPE
IEEE – USA
IEEE Computer Society
Texas Board of Professional Engineers
Prometric
37
Creation of a Software
Engineering Exam
Q&A
Dan Wittliff, P.E., F. NSPE
Dan.Wittliff@gdsassociates.com
Software Engineering Licensing
Consortium