Formal review techniques:  Inspections, Reviews & Walkthroughs

·        Inspections - find defects

·        Reviews - gain consensus - Is this the right thing to be doing?

·        Walkthroughs - training

Why review?

·        Fewer defects

·        Group ownership

·        Knowledge sharing

·        Improved practices

·        Consistency of team style

·        ROI in industry estimated between 1:9 and 1:35

Model based on work by Brian Lawrence of Coyote Valley Software

Inspection steps

·        Inspection topic identified

·        Material distributed

·        Individual study - each reviewer prepares a list of possible defects and questions and records the amount of time spent preparing

·        You can use checklists to ensure that everyone is on the same track - use our Grading Sheets

·        Inspection meeting - no longer than 2 hours

·        Third hour – rework and discuss solutions

·        Exit decision

Attendees at Inspection - ALL identify defects, in addition some have other duties.

·        Author of material - NEVER presenter

·        Moderator - keeps meeting moving, responsible for setting defect criteria

·        Presenter - paraphrases the material line by line

·        Recorder - records defects

·        Inspectors

·        Goal is to identify defects NOT to fix them.  If there's doubt if something is a defect, record it, move on, and then decide later.

Third Hour

·        Go over list of defects

·        Discuss possible solutions

How to tell if it’s successful?

Defect characterization

You can have defects that are

·        Major - produces an observable departure from the spec or failure during execution.

·        Minor – are cosmetic or descriptive - won't cause the product to fail.

Defects can fall into lots of technical bins:

·        Functionality

·        Interface

·        Logic

·        Data

·        Human Factors

·        Syntax

·        Performance

·        Standards

·        Comments

·        Maintainability

·        Other

Defects can be sins of omission, commission or incorrectness:

·        Missing

·        Extra

·        Wrong

Common reasons for inspection failure

·        Lack of management support – but not in this class!

·        Didn't follow agenda

·        Poor preparation by participants

·        Unprofessional conduct