ABSTRACT
Application of Design Review (DR) at each stage can greatly enhance software development. It can bring to light peculiarities of software relative to hardware, clarifying essential design points. The preventive approach is essential, which points up the importance of wide participation in DR as a prerequisite for automation. Automation is making rapid inroads into the software industry, just as it is in many others. It is commonplace in document editing, updating, and appending, as well as in coding, testing, and verifying. Software quality and productivity depend greatly on the developers’ abilities. In a cottage industry environment, disparate skill levels will inevitably yield inconsistent quality. Documentation is a prime target for DR scrutiny, especially in light of the many descriptive terms for software characteristics. DR also provides a base from which to review all production technologies related to the target product.
