Abstract
Substantial net improvements in programming quality and productivity have been obtained through the use of formal inspections of design and of code. Improvements are made possible by a systematic and efficient design and code verification process, with well-defined roles for inspection participants. The manner in which inspection data is categorized and made suitable for process analysis is an important factor in attaining the improvements. It is shown that by using inspection results, a mechanism for initial error reduction followed by ever-improving error rates can be achieved.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Section 1: Cited References and Foot Notes
O. R. Kohli, High-Level Design inspection Specification, Technical Report TR 21.601, IBM Corporation, Kingston, New York (July 21, 1975).
It should be noted that the exit criteria for I1 (design complete where one design statement is estimated to represent 3 to 10 code instructions) and I2 (first clean code compilations) are checkpoints in the development process through which every programming project must pass.
The Hawthorne Effect is a psychological phenomenon usually experienced in human-involved productivity studies. The effect is manifested by participants producing above normal because they know they are being studied.
NCSS (Non-Commentary Source Statements), also referred to as “Lines of Code,” are the sum of executable code instructions and declaratives. Instructions that invoke macros are counted once only. Expanded macroinstructions are also counted only once. Comments are not included.
Basically in a walk-through, program design or code is reviewed by a group of people gathered together at a structured meeting in which errors/issues pertaining to the material and proposed by the participants may be discussed in an effort to find errors. The group may consist of various participants but always includes the originator of the material being reviewed who usually plans the meeting and is responsible for correcting the errors. How it differs from an inspection is pointed out in Tables 2 and 3.
Marketing Newsletter, Cross Application Systems Marketing, “Program inspections at Aetna,” MS-76–006, S2. IBM Corporation, Data Processing Division, White Plains, New York (March 29, 1976).
J. Ascoly, M. J. Cafferty, S. J. Gruen, and O. R. Kohli, Code Inspection Specification, Technical Report TR 21.630, IBM Corporation, Kingston, New York (1976).
N. S. Wald stein, The Walk-Thru—A Method of Specification, Design and Review, Technical Report TR 00.2536, IBM Corporation, Poughkeepsie, New York (June 4, 1974).
Independent study programs: IBM Structured Programming Textbook, SR20–7149-1, IBM Structured Programming Workbook, SR20–7150-0, IBM Corporation, Data Processing Division, White Plains, New York.
Section 2: Genral References
J. D. Aron, The Program Development Process: Part 1: The Individual Programmer, Structured Programs, 137–141, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Reading, Massachusetts (1974).
M. E. Fagan, Design and Code Inspections and Process Control in the Development of Programs, Technical Report TR 00.2763, IBM Corporation, Poughkeepsie, New York (June 10, 1976). This report is a revision of the author’s Design and Code inspections and Process Control in the Development of Programs, Technical Report TR 21.572, IBM Corporation, Kingston, New York (December 17, 1974).
O. R. Kohli and R. A. Radice, Low-Level Design Inspection Specification, Technical Report TR 21.629. IBM Corporation, Kingston, New York (1976).
R. R. Larson, Test Plan and Test Case Inspection Specifications, Technical Report TR 21.586, IBM Corporation, Kingston, New York (April 4,1975).
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2002 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fagan, M. (2002). Design and Code Inspections to Reduce Errors in Program Development. In: Broy, M., Denert, E. (eds) Software Pioneers. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59412-0_35
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59412-0_35
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-63970-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-59412-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive