Chapter 22

Software Technical Reviews

“A stitch in time saves nine.”

Francis Baily, 1797

Conventional wisdom echoes the English astronomer Baily in many aspects of daily life, from oil changes in a car to preventative software maintenance. In so many ways, we all depend on forms of reviews—surgical second opinions, movie and restaurant reviews, home safety inspections, Federal Aviation Authority aircraft inspections, and so on (add your favorites).

Are software technical reviews a form of testing? The generally accepted answer is a considered “yes.” This is amplified by the chapters on software reviews in the International Software Testing Certification Board (ISTQB) Foundation and Advanced Level Syllabi (ISTQB 2007, 2012). Software testing seeks ...

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