If you are feeling like there is no hope, read this book. It is a very inspiring book, easily readable, and full of gems on how to improve the quality of your software. What I found particularly reassuring were the actual case studies on how inspections were implemented in certain companies, describing in all honesty their joys and tears. What also impressed me are the many true examples (often related directly to the authors) of savings on time because of implementing inspections, and also the quality benefits gained from using this technique.

The book is for both beginners and advanced users of Inspection techniques. It clearly states the roles and responsibilities and contains examples of checklists, master plans, change request forms, and other documents, which might prove to be helpful in your environment. Without a doubt, if you are doing anything with software, this book is a "must-have"! Ideally, the technique described in this book should filter down from the higher levels in the company, but there are also suggestions on how to present the technique and its benefits to top management, in order to at least start with a pilot project.

Apart from a very handy self-assessment questionnaire, the book covers the process of Inspection, as well as delving deeply into the depths of each of these processes: Initiation and Documents, Checking, Completion and Process Improvement.

Inspection can be applied from the first draft of the contract. Inspection can also drive process improvement, which is an often-neglected aspect of business and especially software development. A chapter is also included on overcoming difficulties, as well as six chapters of case studies within six different organisations - providing much insight!

Some quotes from the book, explaining the ethos: "Prevention is better than cure", "Use walkthroughs for training, reviews for consensus, but use Inspections to improve the quality of the document and its process." "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to relive it.", "One Inspection user, with a very large systems programming project, had finished three weeks before the official deadline. They didn't believe it themselves. So, they spent two and a half weeks checking to see what they had missed. After all, nobody had ever finished anything on time. They found no defects (indeed there were virtually none, as it turned out) and handed over officially three days early". This last quote speaks for itself. You will know the benefits of delivering a quality product before the deadline! Read the book, and start implementing Inspections.

Nina Nyback

What Other Reviewers Say?

This book is recommended wholeheartedly to those who want a thorough introduction to the topic of Software Inspection. This book is also recommended to those who are already practicing Inspections, Walkthroughs or Peer Reviews. It is felt that all can learn from this book. This book is used for teaching Inspections at Odegard Labs.

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