Unifying Inspection Processes to Create a Framework to Support Static Quality Assurance Planning

Inspections, Reviews and walkthroughs are highly effective and efficient means for static software quality assurance. During the last three decades different variations and facets evolved on how to perform and apply such techniques, ranging from Fagan inspection over structured walkthroughs to Peer Reviews and simple Desk Checks. What is missing today is a systematic approach on how to select and apply the most appropriate technique under the consideration of the given development constraints and quality goals a company wants to achieve. This paper presents the first step towards a comprehensive planning framework for static quality assurance activities, i.e., the definition of a generic process that explicitly models the commonalities and variabilities of different techniques. The paper describes how such a process is defined by using concepts of product line engineering and how the generic process and a related decision model supports the selection of a technique.