inspections

Articles

Manual vs. Automated Code Review

It's a battle between human and machine-a theme that could be ripped straight from a science-fiction story, but it is not. This is a reality many testers face when trying to determine if human expertise and intuition can detect more security flaws than automated tests. In this week's column, security expert Bryan Sullivan weighs both sides and offers his verdict.

Bryan Sullivan's picture Bryan Sullivan
spreadsheet showing reliable data on the number of test cases passed, failed, and untested at a given point in time Test-based Project Progress Reporting

Deliverable-oriented project management and test-driven development can be combined to provide an objective and easily understandable way of measuring project progress for the client, team members, and management. In this article, John Ferguson Smart presents a case study of how this approach was made to work.

John Ferguson Smart
Don't Believe Everything You Read!

There are volumes of written material covering just about every aspect of software engineering. Books, articles, magazines, conference proceedings, Web sites, and other rich sources of information are readily available to those learning about our profession. However, based on personal experience and observation, Ed Weller is compelled to ask how much of this information is actually misinformation. Anytime you collect data you must proceed with caution! In this article, we'll find out why Ed questions validity and accuracy and what you can do next time you're faced with questionable material.

Ed Weller's picture Ed Weller
Significant-other Unit Version 1.0

Significant others not only provide personal support, but can also provide the objective voice that can make your work even better. Next time you're stuck with presenting an idea or writing a paper, run it past your significant other for her opinion. In this week's column, Mike Andrews talks about how he incorporates his wife's opinion into the work he produces, and how her insight improves the quality of it.

Mike Andrews

Better Software Magazine Articles

Prepare to Succeed

Another pair of eyes will find bugs, but code reviews are traditionally time consuming and painful. Learn how modern, lightweight techniques make code reviews effective and practical.

Jason Cohen
Adapting Inspections to the Twenty-first Century

How do you adapt inspections to a twenty-first century distributed workforce? A key part of the inspection process is the team meeting, which provides peer pressure to participate and consensus on defects. Teams working in multiple time zones have limited opportunities for the team meeting. A list of requirements and the functions needed to solve this problem based on real-world experiences should help anyone faced with this problem.

Ed Weller's picture Ed Weller
Rising Above the 7 Percent Rule

Afraid of what you're missing by testing only 7 percent of your code? Forget your formal code inspections; Jason Cohen enlightens us on the merits of bringing lightweight code inspection to your organization.

Jason Cohen
Support for Testing, Testing for Support

Where supportability and testability fit in the Quality Criteria dimension of the Heuristic Test Strategy Model.

Michael Bolton's picture Michael Bolton

Conference Presentations

Software Inspections: Key Elements of Success

Inspections have over thirty years of history improving software quality and productivity. Numerous studies have shown inspection is the most effective process for discovering defects. Yet today, inspections are not widely used in the software industry. Why are they not more prevalent? Ed Weller knows that successful implementation of inspections requires a thorough understanding of
the process as well as the cultural and organizational roadblocks to implementation. Knowing when to apply inspections, or other defect identification techniques, also requires a cost-benefit analysis. Measuring and improving inspections requires an understanding of inspection process metrics and appropriate corrective actions. Ed discusses the inspection process, measurement, common pitfalls, and how to implement a successful program in your organization.

  • Learn what makes inspections different from other types of reviews
Edward Weller, Software Technology Transition

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