informal review in software testing

A review is a type of static testing during which a work product or process is evaluated by one or more individuals to detect issues and to provide improvements. When done properly, reviews are the single biggest, and most cost-effective, contributor to overall delivered quality. This is why a test manager must know about and assess what software testing reviews add the most value in the testing process.

INFORMAL REVIEW

The Informal review is a review without a formal or documented procedure. Same as: buddy check, pairing, pair review.

Main purpose: detecting potential defects

Can also generate ideas, solutions or quickly solve minor problems.

WALKTHROUGH

A walkthrough is a review in which an author leads members of the review through a work product and the members ask questions and make comments about possible issues.

Main purpose: find defects, improve the product, consider alternative implementations, evaluate conformance to a standard or specification.

INSPECTION

An inspection is a formal review type used to identify issues in a work product, which provides measurement to improve the review process and the software development process.

Can also: motivate and enable authors to improve future work products and the software development process, achieving consensus.
There is a defined process with formal documented outputs, based on rules and checklists.

An output of this review consists of lists of action items, issues to be resolved and decisions made.
Test Manager should participate in and may initiate management reviews of testing processed and should consider such reviews as an integral part of process improvement .

AUDITS

An audit is an independent examination of a work product, process, or set of processes that is performed by a third party to assess compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements, or other criteria.