Reviews

Definition

Reviews are formal or informal evaluations of work products — including requirements, designs, test cases, deliverables, and decisions — to ensure they meet quality standards and stakeholder expectations before advancing to the next stage. Reviews catch errors early when they are cheapest to fix, improve quality through structured peer evaluation, and create a documented checkpoint for governance and compliance purposes.

Inputs

• Work products to be reviewed (requirements document, design, test plan, etc.)
• Defined review objectives and quality criteria
• Identified reviewers with relevant expertise and roles
• Pre-read materials distributed in advance with sufficient time for preparation

Outputs

• A review record with findings categorized by severity
• Agreed actions to resolve identified issues
• A quality-assured work product ready to advance
• A governance artifact demonstrating that the checkpoint was completed

When to Use

• After requirements definition before design or development begins
• Before design approval or architecture sign-off
• Before testing or release to catch specification gaps early
• During governance checkpoints where formal sign-off is required

When Not to Use

• Very early drafts where content is too incomplete for meaningful review
• When reviewers do not have the expertise or availability to contribute
• When the overhead of a formal review exceeds the risk of advancing without one on low-stakes items