Peer Reviews in Software: A Practical Guide

by Karl Wiegers

Peer review works : it leads to better software. But implementing peer review can be challenging -- for technical, political, social, cultural, and psychological reasons. In this book, best-selling software engineering author Karl Wiegers presents succinct, easy-to-use techniques for formal and informal software peer review, helping project managers and developers choose the right approach and implement it successfully. Wiegers begins by discussing the cultural and social aspects of peer review, and reviewing several formal and informal their implications, their challenges, and the opportunities they present for quality improvement. The heart of the book is an in-depth look at the "nuts and bolts" of inspection, including the roles of inspectors, planning, examining work products, conducting code review meetings; improving the inspection process, and achieving closure. Wiegers presents a full chapter on metrics, and then addresses the process and political challenges associated with implementing successful software review programs. The book concludes with solutions to special review challenges, including large work products and software created by distributed development teams. For all developers, project managers, business analysts, quality engineers, testers, process improvement leaders, and documentation specialists.

Genres: Programming, Software, Nonfiction, Technology, Computers

256 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2001

About the author

Karl Wiegers is Principal Consultant with Process Impact, a software development consulting and training company in Portland, Oregon. He has a PhD in organic chemistry. Karl is the author of 14 books, including Software Requirements Essentials (with Candase Hokanson), Software Development Pearls, The Thoughtless Design of Everyday Things, Software Requirements (with Joy Beatty), More About Software Requirements, Successful Business Analysis Consulting, and a forensic mystery novel titled The Reconstruction.

Karl has also written many articles on software development, design, project management, chemistry, military history, consulting, and self-help, as well as 18 songs. He has delivered hundreds of training courses, webinars, and conference presentations worldwide. When he's not at the keyboard, Karl enjoys wine tasting, volunteering (library and Meals on Wheels), playing guitar, recording songs (hear them at https://www.karlwiegers.com/songs.html), military history, and traveling.

You can reach Karl at https://www.ProcessImpact.com or https://www.KarlWiegers.com.

Reviews

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was well organized and well put together. Not an exciting topic but a useful one. To many other sources rely on anecdotes and hearsay but this one contains actual research and facts. Not required reading, but useful if you want to do good code reviews.

[Joni Malén · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should more accurately be titled "How to Hold Formal Inspections", because 100 out of 200 pages is dedicated to the particulars of formal inspections, and the last 40 pages is a FAQ on "Why won't people agree to do formal inspections?". If you're new to the concept of peer reviews in general, the first 50 or so pages are worth checking, but otherwise it reads like a stretched out blog post attached to a formal inspections how-to.

[Dorum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. Sadly the methodology isn't too much implemented in full. Github and similar tools have made it somewhat more accessible, but the full methodology described here, rarely takes place in companies.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars only because there aren't enough books on this subject. This is a good book, filled with lots of very good insights into peer reviews. It's hampered by poor editing and obscure writing. Other than that, it's recommended. ;-)

[Timon Karnezos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads poorly, mostly common sense. Totally outmoded, for a small startup in SV.

[Christophe Addinquy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ma note de lecture complète en français ici