PA 3.5 SG 2 – Perform peer reviews

Peer reviews are performed on selected work products and peer review data is analysed.

Introduction

This Specific Goal is looking to have demonstrated that all work products are reviewed according to the plan and that reviews are conducted in accordance with established procedures.

This includes adherence to the mix of review types as planned for and management of issues through to closure. In particular it looks to ensure that important work products are reviewed by the test function for testability (thinking and defining how an item or feature is to be tested).

This Specific Goal also looks to demonstrate that the data resulting form peer reviews are collated and analysed to:

• Identify process trends that may identify organisational weaknesses that could be improved (common issues within requirement specifications, code review construct issues being found frequently).
• Demonstrate that reviews are effective, efficient and fit for purpose (find the most critical defects early in the development life cycle when cheaper to find and fix).

Specific Practices

SP 2.1 Conduct peer reviews

SP 2.2 Testers review the test basis documents

This review almost always identifies issues with the item or feature – for example incomplete, inconsistent, incorrect or ambiguous.

SP 2.3 Analyse peer review data

Deployment notes

• Are all reviews undertaken for specified work products according to the review plan?
• Specifically, are all relevant work products reviewed from the testability perspective?
• Are review results data analysed at all levels to ensure they are efficient, effective and fit for purpose (which can also identify review process weakness areas)?