Review and walkthrough
Software reviews in order of formality: informal review, walkthrough, technical review and Fagan inspection with its roles and six phases, and the checklist.
- 21 cards
- 4 topics
- Free
The outline, topic by topic
Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.
- Concepts
- Questions
- Sort and link
- Scenarios
A few cards from the deck
Informal review: what is it?
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A review with no procedure: a colleague reads the work and gives an opinion, with no required preparation or record.
It is the cheapest and least formal kind. It catches many obvious defects but leaves nothing measurable behind.
Who leads a walkthrough?
- The author of the document
- A moderator from outside the project
- The project manager
- The customer
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The author of the document
The author walks the group through their work. A trained moderator is the mark of an inspection, not a walkthrough.
In an inspection, the … paraphrases the document aloud and the … writes down each defect found.
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In an inspection, the reader paraphrases the document aloud and the recorder writes down each defect found.
Separating these roles keeps one person from reading, discussing and noting at once, and brings out misunderstandings.
Walkthrough: what is it?
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A review where the author walks the group through their document or code, to gather questions and defects.
The author leads: this is what sets it apart from an inspection. It also spreads knowledge, but the author may steer the discussion without meaning to.
A team wants to introduce a new design to three developers joining the project, and gather their questions. Which review fits?
- A full inspection with defect measurement
- A decision-making technical review with management
- No review: the documentation is enough
- A walkthrough led by the design's author
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A walkthrough led by the design's author
The aim is to pass on knowledge and gather questions, not count defects. The walkthrough, led by the author, fits; an inspection is too heavy for that.