TABLE OF CONTENTS In this section, we consider the roles of reviews and audits in general, as well as providing further detail on the major reviews. Technical reviews and audits provide both the customer and contractor with a measure of progress toward the goal of successfully introducing a system into service, while reducing the technical risks associated with the system development. Reviews and audits achieve this by doing the following:
Providing a formal evaluation of the design maturity;
Measuring and reporting on planned and actual performance;
Clarifying and prioritizing design requirements;
Evaluating and establishing the system baselines at discrete points in the design process;
Providing an effective means of formal communications between the stakeholders;
Recording design decisions and rationales for later reference.
Technical reviews and audits are a vital part of the overall systems engineering effort. Reviews can range from the very formal and structured reviews normally associated with a critical system milestone to less formal reviews involving only a few people and a minor component of the overall system. Irrespective of the level of the review, all reviews aim to determine the ability of the design in question to meet the relevant technical requirements. Reviews tend to become more detailed as the design progresses and cover all aspects of the engineering design effort (for example, software, hardware, and integration). The customer normally specifies the required technical reviews and audits and their timing in the contractual documentation. The contract must specify the length, duration, location, content, conduct, and...
