Peer Reviews

a key process area for level 3: Defined

The purpose of Peer Reviews is to remove defects from the software work products early and efficiently. An important corollary effect is to develop a better understanding of the software work products and of defects that might be prevented.

Peer Reviews involve a methodical examination of software work products by the producers' peers to identify defects and areas where changes are needed. The specific products that will undergo a peer review are identified in the project's defined software process and scheduled as part of the software project planning activities, as described in Integrated Software Management.

This key process area covers the practices for performing peer reviews. The practices identifying the specific software work products that undergo peer review are contained in the key process areas that describe the development and maintenance of each software work product.

Goals

Goal 1

Peer review activities are planned.

Goal 2

Defects in the software work products are identified and removed.

Commitment to perform

Commitment 1 -- The project follows a written organizational policy for performing peer reviews.

This policy typically specifies that:

The organization identifies a standard set of software work products that will undergo peer review.
Each project identifies the software work products that will undergo peer review.
Refer to Activity 1 of the Integrated Software Management key process area and Activity 2 of the Organization Process Definition key process area for practices covering the identification of software products that undergo peer review.

Examples of software work products include:
- operational software and support software,
- deliverable and nondeliverable software work products,
- software (e.g., source code) and nonsoftware work products (e.g., documents), and
- process descriptions.
Peer reviews are led by trained peer review leaders.
Peer reviews focus on the software work product being reviewed and not on the producer.
Results of the peer reviews are not used by management to evaluate the performance of individuals.

Ability to perform

Ability 1 -- Adequate resources and funding are provided for performing peer reviews on each software work product to be reviewed.

Resources and funding are provided to:

Prepare and distribute the peer review materials.
Lead the peer review.
Review the materials.
Participate in the peer review and any follow-up reviews required based on the defects identified in the peer review.
Monitor the rework of the software work product based on the defects identified in the peer review.
Collect and report the data resulting from the peer reviews.

Ability 2 -- Peer review leaders receive required training in how to lead peer reviews.

Examples of training include:

the objectives, principles, and methods of peer reviews;
planning and organizing a peer review;
evaluating readiness and completion criteria for a peer review;
conducting and facilitating a peer review;
reporting the results of a peer review;
tracking and confirming rework to address the actions identified in a peer review; and
collecting and reporting the data required for the peer reviews.

Refer to the Training Program key process area.

Ability 3 -- Reviewers who participate in peer reviews receive required training in the objectives, principles, and methods of peer reviews.

Examples of training include:

types of peer reviews (e.g., reviews of software requirements, software design, code, and software test procedures);
the objectives, principles, and methods of peer reviews;
roles of reviewers; and
estimating the effort for preparing and participating in peer reviews.

Refer to the Training Program key process area.

Activities performed

Activity 1 -- Peer reviews are planned, and the plans are documented.

These plans:

Identify the software work products that will undergo peer review.
- The software work products selected include the set identified in the organization's standard software process.
Refer to Activity 2 of the Organization Process Definition key process area for practices covering the organization's standard software process.
Specify the schedule of peer reviews.
For peer reviews that are scheduled to occur in the near future, the trained peer review leaders and the other reviewers for each peer review are identified.

Activity 2 -- Peer reviews are performed according to a documented procedure.

This procedure typically specifies that:

Peer reviews are planned and led by trained peer review leaders.
Review materials are distributed to the reviewers in advance so they can adequately prepare for the peer review.

The review materials should include the relevant inputs to the development of the software work product undergoing peer review.

Examples of relevant input include:

the objectives of the software work product,
the applicable standards,
the relevant requirements for a design module, or
the relevant detailed design for a code module.

Reviewers have assigned roles in peer reviews.

Readiness and completion criteria for the peer reviews are specified and enforced.

Issues in satisfying these criteria are reported to the appropriate managers.

Checklists are used to identify criteria for the review of the software work products in a consistent manner.

The checklists are tailored to the specific type of work product and peer review.

Examples of items addressed by tailoring the checklist include:

compliance with standards and procedures,
completeness,
correctness,
rules of construction, and
maintainability.

The checklists are reviewed by the checklist developers' peers and potential users.

Actions identified in the peer reviews are tracked until they are resolved.

The successful completion of peer reviews, including the rework to address the items identified in the peer reviews, is used as a completion criterion for the associated task.

Activity 3 -- Data on the conduct and results of the peer reviews are recorded.

Examples of data include:

identification of the software work product reviewed,
size of the software work product,
size and composition of the review team,
preparation time per reviewer,
length of the review meeting,
types and number of defects found and fixed, and
rework effort.

Measurement and analysis

Measurement 1 -- Measurements are made and used determine the status of the peer review activities.

Examples of measurements include:

number of peer reviews performed compared to the plan,
overall effort expended on peer reviews compared to the plan, and
number of work products reviewed compared to the plan.

Verifying implementation

Verification 1 -- The software quality assurance group reviews and/or audits the activities and work products for peer reviews and reports the results.

Refer to the Software Quality Assurance key process area.

At a minimum, the reviews and/or audits verify that:

The planned peer reviews are conducted.
The peer review leaders are adequately trained for their roles.
The reviewers are properly trained or experienced in their roles.
The process for preparing for the peer reviews, conducting the peer reviews, and performing the follow-up actions are followed.
Reporting of peer review data is complete, accurate, and timely.

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