TSE024 Peer Reviews

Inspections and Structured Walkthroughs

Course Description

This two day program offers the peer review techniques of Product Review, Structured Walkthrough and Fagan Style Inspections. These approaches vary in level of detail, applicability and formality. While the walkthrough is the static testing technique most frequently employed, the formality of the Inspection helps to find the most errors at the detailed deliverable level.

With increased quality and error detection as the primary objectives of each review, the producer is given the benefit of his or her colleagues' critique, prior to formal construction and testing. To facilitate the experience of constructive and synergistic walkthroughs, each attendee participates in multiple reviews as reviewer and producer. Some less obvious, but beneficial by-products of peer reviews include: Team commitment to each piece of the project; Quicker knowledge transfer for team members; Better understanding of other parts of the deliverables; Lower testing, development and maintenance costs; and certainly, increased quality, "The first time!"

We fully endorse the IIBA™ and PMI® in their global efforts to improve the quality of Business Analysis and Project Management! Their work is quoted and referenced in this course. For Business Analysts, we are an IIBA, EEP, Endorsed Education Provider.  Upon completion of the program, participants involved with PMI, the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Professional – PMP or PMI's Business Analysis Professional - PMI-PBA programs, are awarded 16 PDUs or “Contact hours”.

Upon completion of this workshop, each participant will be able to:

The workshop is designed for any Business Analyst, Programmer, Liaison or Project Leader, who may actually make an error!  Participants learn from exercises and actual inspections and walkthroughs, planned, run and critiqued during the class. Upon request, course will be adjusted to include internal policies and standards.

Course Outline

  1. Introduction
    1. What is a Peer Review?
    2. Why the Different Types?
    3. Benefits of Each
      1. Are there risks?
      2. The V-Model of Testing and Tools
    4. What should be reviewed? (Just to name a few!)
      1. Analysis Knowledge Transfer
      2. Purpose
        1. Completeness
        2. Accuracy
        3. Conform to standards
        4. Requirements and Specifications
        5. Interview Plans/Findings
        6. Risk assessment
      3. Products of Design
        1. Logical and Physical Views
          system, data and data base
        2. Screen/Report Layouts
        3. Program Specifications and Design
        4. Test and Conversion Plans
      4. Implementation and Testing
        1. The code
        2. Documentation
          1. user
          2. program
          3. data center
            Reviews are not just for programs!
    5. Who Should Participate
    6. The IIBA and PMI
      (The Value of the BABOK and PMBOK)
  2. The Types of Peer Reviews and Inspections
    1. Definition and Characteristics of
      1. Product Reviews/Walkthroughs
      2. Fagan Style Inspections
    2. When each should be used
  3. Synergy and the Team Approach
    1. The Team and the Individual
    2. What is Synergy, and How it can help
    3. Using Synergy to its potential
  4. The Product Review & Walkthroughs
    1. Objectives of the Review
      1. Why not an Inspection
      2. Here we can offer recommendations
      3. Informal but valuable for the team
      4. Expected result of the review
    2. Who Should Attend
    3. Preparation for the Meeting
    4. How to run the Review
    5. Recording the Findings
  5. The Intangibles
    1. Who should attend
      1. Selecting the Moderator
      2. Reviewers
      3. The emotions involved
      4. Setting the ground rules
    2. Distributing the Product for Review
    3. Preparation
      1. By Moderator and Producer
      2. By Reviewers
    4. Running the Meeting
      1. The Moderator's opening
      2. Producer's comments
      3. The Recorder Role
        1. Responsibilities
        2. Using the Walkthrough Report Form
      4. The Actual Review Session
    5. Rules of the Walkthrough
      1. Timing
      2. Criticism (Constructive)
      3. Recommendations
  6. The “Fagan Style” Inspection
    1. The Fagan Approach
      1. Formal Process Definition
      2. Measurement
      3. Process Improvement
    2. Quality Metrics
      1. Major Flaws
      2. Minor Flaws
      3. Process Defects
    3. The Seven Step Process
      1. Planning
      2. Overview
      3. Preparation
      4. Inspection
      5. Process Improvement
      6. Rework
      7. Follow-up
    4. Roles and Responsibilities
      1. Moderator
      2. Author
      3. Reader
      4. Tester
    5. Entrance Criteria
    6. Exit Criteria
    7. Reports
      1. Error Categories
      2. Summary
      3. Detail
      4. Inspection Effectiveness
    8. Continuous Process Improvement
      1. Root Cause Analysis
      2. Duration
      3. Number of Inspectors
  7. Concerns
    1. What is being reviewed, the Product or the Producer?
    2. Involving the Manager
      1. The Manager as the Lead Technician
      2. When he/she must attend!
    3. Ego is real!
      Accepting criticism is difficult, giving it properly, is even harder!
    4. Reviewing the Novice's work
    5. Reviewing the Experienced Member's work
    6. Personality Conflicts
    7. Selecting the Moderator
    8. Are resources (time) allocated to the review?
      1. Does the process save or cost time?
      2. You can pay now, or later!
      3. There is enough time, NOW!
  8. Conclusion
    1. Review Major Topics
    2. Getting Started in Your Area
    3. The IIBA and PMI (Local Chapters)
    4. PMI-PBA and IIBA-CBAP Certifications
    5. Participants critique class
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