Which of the following factors is critical to the manager s decision?

Project management has been complaining that code inspections are taking too much time and are not worth the effort. The software manager has to decide whether the inspection program should be continued or disregarded for the upcoming release.

Which of the following factors is critical to the manager s decision?
A . The resources currently available for development
B . The estimated impact of inspection on the schedule
C . The cost of additional testing
D . The cost of not using inspection

View Answer

Answer: D

Explanation:

The critical factor for the software manager’s decision on whether to continue or disregard the inspection program is the cost of not using inspection. Code inspections are a preventive measure to identify defects early in the development process. The cost of not using inspections can include increased defects in the final product, higher costs for post-release fixes, decreased customer satisfaction, and potentially significant impacts on the company’s reputation. While resources, schedule impact, and additional testing costs are important considerations, the long-term cost implications of not identifying defects early can be far more detrimental.

Reference: Gilb, Tom, and Dorothy Graham. "Software Inspection." Addison-Wesley, 1993.

IEEE Std 1028-2008, IEEE Standard for Software Reviews and Audits.