11 proven practices for more effective, efficient peer code review

URL

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/11-proven-practices-for-peer-review/index.html?sf1100060=1

Description

For your convenience, here are the 11 practices in a simple list that's easy to keep on file:

  1. Review fewer than 200–400 lines of code at a time.
  2. Aim for an inspection rate of fewer than 300–500 LOC per hour.
  3. Take enough time for a proper, slow review, but not more than 60–90 minutes.
  4. Be sure that authors annotate source code before the review begins.
  5. Establish quantifiable goals for code review and capture metrics so you can improve your processes.
  6. Use checklists, because they substantially improve results for both authors and reviewers.
  7. Verify that the defects are actually fixed.
  8. Foster a good code review culture in which finding defects is viewed positively.
  9. Beware of the Big Brother effect.
 10. Review at least part of the code, even if you can't do all of it, to benefit from The Ego Effect.
 11. Adopt lightweight, tool-assisted code reviews.