Eligibility
Who can apply.
Individuals or teams who designed, built, tested or substantially improved software. Each applicant must identify their own contribution.
- Applications, platforms, libraries, developer tools or systems that are in use or have a working release.
- Major improvements to reliability, architecture, performance or maintainability of an existing system.
Achievement recognised
What the entry must show.
This category recognises software engineering work where design, implementation and care for the system are evident. The emphasis is on the engineering, not on a product announcement.
Evidence required
- The system or change, described so a technical reader can understand it.
- The applicant’s own design, implementation, review or operational contribution.
- Validation such as tests, incident history, performance measures or peer review.
- The outcome for the people who build or rely on the software.
- Do not include employer secrets, confidential third-party material, or personal data about other people.
Assessment criteria
How the entry is read.
These are the published criteria for this category. They are not a claim that an independent judging panel is already appointed.
Technical quality and rigour30%
Quality of the architecture, implementation, testing and operational care. Trade-offs should be explained rather than hidden.
Originality and problem-solving25%
A considered response to a real constraint, such as scale, legacy code, safety or developer experience.
Demonstrated impact25%
Evidence that the work improved reliability, delivery, performance or the ability of others to build on it.
Evidence and clarity of the applicant’s contribution20%
The entry should separate the applicant’s work from the surrounding product and team.
Process and fee
From application to a decision.
01Application
Submit the application for this category on this website, naming the work and your own contribution. Submitting the form does not charge the applicant. Fee-payment instructions will follow before evaluation begins.
02Evidence review
The submission is checked for whether the evidence can be considered. Incomplete, confidential or unsupported claims may need further material, or may be set aside.
03Evaluation
The entry is read against the published criteria and weights for its category. That reading is what the US$200 evaluation fee covers, when collection is open.
04Decision
An award is made only when the standard is met. A category may have one recipient, more than one, or none. A decision that no award is made is a completed assessment.
Entry evaluation fee: US$200 per entry, per category.
The US$200 evaluation fee covers the administration and assessment of your entry. Payment does not guarantee shortlisting or an award. Entries may be unsuccessful following assessment.
The evaluation fee is not refundable solely because an entry is unsuccessful, subject to applicable law and the published cancellation and refund terms.
Each category is a separate assessed entry. Entering more than one category requires its own application and its own US$200 evaluation fee.
SASACO membership is a separate programme. Membership does not influence award scores, shortlisting or selection, and it does not guarantee recognition.
The detailed cancellation and refund terms are not published yet, so live charges stay off. A successful payment, when collection is enabled, means the entry is paid for assessment. It does not grant an award.
Integrity
- Submit truthful information, and only work you have authority to submit.
- Disclose any relevant conflict, including a close connection with SASACO.
- Confidential or unsupported claims may need further evidence before they can be considered.
- A category may have no recipient if the published standard is not met.
- This is a SASACO-administered recognition programme. It does not confer professional accreditation, employment, funding, immigration outcomes or indexed publication.