Design Review Checklist

Design Review Checklist: useful during the design, as well as during the review session

  • What problem is being solved
    • What requirements does it tie to?
  • Describe the design
    • Artifacts that document the design
    • Specific challenges faced – and how they are addressed
    • Assumptions
    • Design pattern(s) used
    • Approaches considered / rejected. Why?
    • Evidence that this design works: e.g. prototype; tests
    • Walk through prototype – if one exists
    • Known / potential limitations
    • Confirm that all requirements are met – or identify those missing (if we’re reviewing work in progress)
  • Any new technology involved?
    • Why?
    • How well has it been tested?
    • Other candidates reviewed / rejected. Why?
    • New hardware / software that needs to be purchased / licensed for Dev or QA
    • New open-source packages added to product?
  • Impact on testing / QA
    • Tests that are now obsolete
    • New test fixtures that need to be built – or migrated from Dev to QA
  • Impact on product.  For the following identify, anything new and/or anything modified
    • Code version / Build / Unit tests
    • APIs? Interfaces?
    • Classes / packages
    • DB schema
    • Error handling
    • Logging
    • Security
    • Installation
    • Provisioning / Configuration
    • Monitoring / Management console
    • Online help / tips / messages
    • Internationalization
    • Product documentation / manuals
    • Troubleshooting guides / info for tech support
    • Marketing documentation
  • Next steps
    • Can the design be simplified?
    • Location of all design documentation / code / other artifacts / info on external stuff added to product
    • Complete test scenarios
    • Next steps in implementation
    • Next steps in testing
    • When will we be sure it works?
    • Who can help?

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