Reviews and Inspections play an important role in quality assurance. A review or inspection involves a group of people considering a deliverable / document with the aim of finding any problems that may be associated with it. A review can occur at any time along the development process of a product or system. They typically occur down the left hand side of the V-model.

Reviews often prove themselves to be a highly effective and efficient way of finding problems. They are also relatively inexpensive. Most software companies undertake reviews of some kind within their development processes.

There are different types of reviews:

- Formal Reviews (potentially more efficient but more expensive / time-consuming)
- Technical Reviews
- Walkthroughs (informal)

Fagan's Inspections

Inspections (or "Fagan's Inspections") are a more formal type of review based on the ideas of Michael Fagan. An inspection typically involves 5-7 people. Preparation is key. Problems with the deliverable under inspection are identified against applicable standards or guidelines. These problems are recorded so that they can be fixed at a later time.

Some standard roles involved in an inspection are outlined below:

- Moderator (chairs the meeting, manages and organises the overall process)
- Recorder (takes minutes, records document defects - the moderator and recorder are sometimes the same person)
- Reader (someone who is familiar with the document)
- Author (provides any needed clarifications, will make necessary changes to the document)
- Inspector (identifies the problems)

Some potential negative consequences of inspections are the increased cost and time involved in development, as well as the possible negative affect upon people's morale. A "blame culture" can develop if not properly conducted in a professional manner.

A positive affect can be that people are motivated to produce work of a higher standard from the start as they know that their work will be inspected closely by others.

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