Which types of formal peer reviews are recognized?

In the context of formal peer reviews, inspections are recognized as one of the primary structured approaches. Inspections are characterized by a formal and systematic examination of a product, such as software requirements, design, or code, with the objective of detecting defects before they progress to the next phase. They typically involve a defined process, specific roles (like the moderator and author), and documented results, which strengthens their formal nature.

Inspections help ensure that standards are met and allow for a high level of scrutiny, which can lead to a thorough understanding of the work and any associated issues. The structured nature and goal-oriented framework of inspections make them a critical component of quality assurance in software development processes.

While management reviews, walkthroughs, and technical reviews are valuable in various contexts, they do not fit within the strict definition of formal peer reviews the way inspections do. Management reviews typically focus on assessing project status and overall management quality, walkthroughs lean towards informal presentation and clarification of work rather than structured detection of defects, and technical reviews, although they involve peers examining work, may not have the same level of rigor and documentation as inspections.