Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!gatech!udel!haven!mimsy!tove.cs.umd.edu!cml From: cml@tove.cs.umd.edu (Christopher Lott) Newsgroups: comp.software-eng Subject: Re: Code inspections Keywords: inspection, software engineering Message-ID: <29653@mimsy.umd.edu> Date: 29 Jan 91 16:15:24 GMT References: <14964@megatest.UUCP> <40530@genrad.UUCP> <7362@tekchips.LABS.TEK.COM> Sender: news@mimsy.umd.edu Reply-To: cml@tove.cs.umd.edu (Christopher Lott) Organization: The University of Maryland Dept of Computer Science Lines: 33 In article <40530@genrad.UUCP>, mas@genrad.com (Mark A. Swanson) writes: >> In addition, it >> is absolutely forbidden for someone's manager to help inspect his product or >> to use the # of defects found by an inspection as part of performance rating. >> <7362@tekchips.LABS.TEK.COM> rjn@crl.labs.tek.com (Jim Nusbaum) replies: > >I just don't see this as being realistic. What other job where a product >(software in this case) is produced do you find people not being judged on >the quality of their output? I think Mr. Nusbaum misses the point slightly. A manager or group leader who introduces code inspections into a s/w environment must assure the group that "number of faults found during inspections" will not suddenly dominate performance appraisals. Of course people must be judged on the quality of their work - but define software quality for me ;-) Number of faults detected in inspections is important, but beware of attaching too much importance to this figure. Joe may make silly logic errors, but his skill at design and spotting problems early are invaluable. You don't want to stifle such a person's abilities. Likewise, if detecting faults in another person's work directly results in negative performance ratings, think of the chilling effect this could have on peer review in a friendly group - or the inflammatory opposite result among antagonists. chris... -- Christopher Lott Dept of Comp Sci, Univ of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 cml@cs.umd.edu 4122 AV Williams Bldg 301-405-2721