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Standard / procedure description

The sections which follow give a detailed outline of the procedures for each review/audit type (i.e. management and technical reviews, inspections, walkthroughs and audits).

Overview

When to do what

Figure 1 below illustrates the way in which the various reviews and audits are used and how they differ from each other. The processes have two main distinctions, as follows.

Subject matter - management reviews and audits evaluate the project as a whole, whereas walkthroughs, technical reviews and inspections are applied to individual documents or software modules.

Means of initiation - Audits and inspections are normally initiated by parties external to the project team, such as the quality manager or the steering committee. They are done by people selected by the initiating party who are independent of the project team, though the project team would still assist with information. Walkthroughs and technical reviews, and to a lesser extent management reviews are common project activities initiated by the project team during the normal course of a project. Walkthroughs are an optional review which are performed prior to completion of the document or software module.

Figure 1: Reviews and Audits

Review status register

A review status register shall be created to record the progress of reviews. The register shall record at least the following details for each review performed.

Review report document number (in accordance with Std-03).
Main reviewed item document number (in accordance ISSD Std-03).
Review start date.
Review end date.
Number of decisions.
Number of action points.
Number of major issues/defects.
Review effort.
Size of reviewed material.
Exit decision (pass, provisional pass or fail).
Date action points were completed.
Date all issues/defects were corrected.
Review outcomes finalised date.
Status (planned, active or complete).

Mandatory and optional practice

Mandatory - in the conduct of QMS projects the following activities are mandatory.

Technical review of all documents prior to approval (refer Std-01).
Management reviews of projects at the completion of each project phase.

Optional (recommended) -in the conduct of QMS projects the following activities are optional but recommended.

Walkthroughs of documents during their development as a means of improving document quality.
Technical reviews of selected software modules to ensure standard and specification compliance.

Optional - in the conduct of QMS projects the following activities are optional only.

Walkthroughs of software modules to identify areas for improvement.
Audit(s) of the project to establish compliance with QMS requirements.
Inspections of documents and software modules to verify compliance with QMS standards.
Technical reviews of all software modules.

Partial or complete reviews

Reviews are designated in the objectives as being either partial or complete reviews. Partial reviews examine only those elements which have changed. Partial reviews can only be done after a complete review.

When a document, software item or other project item is developed, it undergoes a review (technical review) to validate its content, and compliance with the applicable standards. (For documents, approval can only occur after the review and any follow-up actions have been resolved.)

This review must be a full review of the item. That is it must review the entire content of the item. If the item is later modified in some way another review must be performed. This review may elect to cover only the changed portion of the material. Such reviews are referred to as partial reviews.

The following applies to partial reviews.

They may be used if the material to be reviewed has previously been subject to a complete review
They shall not be used if the material has undergone major changes
The sections to be reviewed must be stated in the review objectives
The review meeting must agree that a partial review is appropriate and that the changes do not affect the remainder of the document.

Management review process

Purpose

A management review is the formal evaluation of a project by a designated review team to determine whether the project is proceeding according to the project and quality plans.

During the review meeting the whole review team examines plans, or the progress against applicable plans, standards and/or guidelines. Each problem area is recorded. When critical data and information cannot be provided, an additional meeting shall be scheduled to complete the management review process.

The results of the review are published in a report which is filed in accordance with Std-03.

While management reviews can be done at any time, they are normally done at the end of each phase of the project.

The objectives of the management review process are as follows.

Ensure activities move forward according to plan, based on an evaluation of the product development status.
Change project direction or to identify the need for alternative planning.
Maintain overall control of the project through the adequate allocation of resources.

Initiation

Initiating event

Management reviews are scheduled activities; their timing is determined by the project and quality plans. Unscheduled management reviews may be called by the project manager, project steering committee or quality manager.

Staffing

The review leader for scheduled management reviews is nominated by the project manager, unless specified otherwise in the project or quality plan. The review leader for unscheduled management reviews is determined by the party initiating the review in consultation with the project manager.

A management review shall consist of at least three people. The roles and responsibilities of these people are given below.

Role

Responsibility

Review leader

· Issue the review notification.

· Produce and distribute the review material in advance.

· Chair the review meeting to ensure its objectives are met.

· Issue the review report.

· Prepare for the review by studying the distributed material.

· Participate in the review to ensure its objectives are met.

Recorder

· Record the action points and decisions during the review.

· Reflect any changes to the review objectives and/or agenda in the review report.

· Prepare for the review by studying the distributed material.

· Participate in the review to ensure its objectives are met.

Reviewer(s)

· Prepare for the review by studying the distributed material.

· Participate in the review to ensure its objectives are met

Notification

Participants in a management review shall be given at least five working days notice of the review. The review notification shall include the following information.

Project name and number.
Date, time and venue of the review meeting.
Type of review - (i.e. management, technical, inspection or walkthrough).
List if input material.
Statement of review objectives.
List of issues ensuring objectives cover all issues to be discussed.
Review team - who will participate and in what role (i.e. moderator/leader, author, recorder etc.).
Agenda.
Date, time, venue and expected duration of the preliminary briefing (if required).

Where a management review determines that subsequent meetings are required to complete the review date & time decided by the meeting (notification is not required).

Input material

The input material shall be made available to the participants by the review leader at least two working days prior to the review.

The minimum input to the management review is as follows.

Statement of objectives (in review notification).
Current project plan, schedule and cost data.
Reports (i.e. managerial review reports, technical review reports, audit reports) from other reviews/audits which have already been done (project documents are filed according to Std-03 - Project Document Filing.
Reports of resources assigned to the project.
Data on the documents and software modules completed, or in progress.
Additional information as required by the review leader.

Objectives

The objectives of a management review may vary considerably. An example set of objectives that may be used by a review leader follows.

Check the project status for compliance with the expected status as outlined in the project plan (i.e. milestones reached on schedule, and that the required documents and software modules exist and have been reviewed and approved).
Identify any departures from the project plan, making a note of any risks that might apply.
Determine whether the project is being adversely affected by internal and/or external factors not identified in the project plan.
Compile a list of issues and recommendations to be addressed by the project steering committee.
Compile a list of issues and recommendations which will be addressed by other people involved in the project.
Identify a continuing course of action - expressed as an action point resolving to make certain recommendations.

Role	Responsibility
Review leader	· Issue the review notification. · Produce and distribute the review material in advance. · Chair the review meeting to ensure its objectives are met. · Issue the review report. · Prepare for the review by studying the distributed material. · Participate in the review to ensure its objectives are met.
Recorder	· Record the action points and decisions during the review. · Reflect any changes to the review objectives and/or agenda in the review report. · Prepare for the review by studying the distributed material. · Participate in the review to ensure its objectives are met.
Reviewer(s)	· Prepare for the review by studying the distributed material. · Participate in the review to ensure its objectives are met