Software technical review

A software technical review is a form of peer review in which 'a team of qualified personnel ... examines the suitability of the software product for its intended use and identifies discrepancies from specifications and standards. Technical reviews may also provide recommendations of alternatives and examination of various alternatives' (IEEE Std. 1028-1997, IEEE Standard for Software Reviews, clause 3.7). A software technical review is a form of peer review in which 'a team of qualified personnel ... examines the suitability of the software product for its intended use and identifies discrepancies from specifications and standards. Technical reviews may also provide recommendations of alternatives and examination of various alternatives' (IEEE Std. 1028-1997, IEEE Standard for Software Reviews, clause 3.7). 'Software product' normally refers to some kind of technical document. This might be a software design document or program source code, but use cases, business process definitions, test case specifications, and a variety of other technical documentation, may also be subject to technical review. Technical review differs from software walkthroughs in its specific focus on the technical quality of the product reviewed. It differs from software inspection in its ability to suggest direct alterations to the product reviewed, and its lack of a direct focus on training and process improvement. The term formal technical review is sometimes used to mean a software inspection. A 'Technical Review' may also refer to an acquisition lifecycle event or Design review.