Software Quality Assurance Practice Exam

Which technique is used to evaluate anonymous programs in terms of their overall quality, maintainability, extensibility, usability, and clarity?

1. Code walkthroughs

2. Peer ratings

3. Code inspections

4. Desk checking

The correct answer is: Peer ratings

The chosen technique, peer ratings, is particularly effective for evaluating anonymous programs based on several quality attributes such as overall quality, maintainability, extensibility, usability, and clarity. This approach leverages the expertise of multiple individuals who assess the program independently and provide their insights based on their subjective experiences with the code. Peer ratings facilitate a diverse range of perspectives, as different individuals may notice various aspects of the program. This collective insight can highlight strengths and weaknesses related to quality and maintainability that might not be observed by a single individual or through more technical methods. Additionally, since these evaluations come from peers who are skilled in a similar domain, their feedback can focus on practical usability and clarity, making it especially relevant for improving the program from a user-centric standpoint. The other techniques, such as code walkthroughs, code inspections, and desk checking, while valuable, tend to focus more on specific aspects of code review rather than a holistic evaluation of all those dimensions. For example, code inspections are structured reviews based on predefined criteria, often looking for defects. Similarly, desk checking is a manual review process that typically evaluates logical correctness rather than overall quality attributes. Code walkthroughs encourage collaborative knowledge sharing but may not always capture the same depth of feedback as peer ratings do