Review Architectural Conformance

(Activity) for Tier: Sprint

PURPOSE

This activity provides a final check that a completed product increment conforms to the Solution Architecture. Unlike the sprint review, the focus of this activity is not on whether the product increment is functionally acceptable but instead on if it was implemented in a way that will reduce the cost and risk of future development activity. This review focuses on architecturally significant aspects of the implementation and unlike code reviews does not evaluate code quality at a detailed level.

WHEN

At the end of a sprint when code is complete for a product increment.

PARTICIPATING ROLES

• ACCOUNTABLE

  • Solution Architect

• RESPONSIBLE

  • Developer
  • Scrum Master

INPUTS

• Code
• Working Product
• Solution Architecture

ENTRY CRITERIA

Todo

Need ASG to define entry criteria for this activity.

SUB-ACTIVITIES

1. Create a compliance checklist

   • Review the Solution Architecture and list the patterns, structures, and interactions that are applicable to the product increment under review.

2. Conduct the review

   • For each checklist item view one or more representative samples of its implementation in the product increment under review.

3. Determine if product increment is compliant

   • In accordance with team norms determine if the product increment adequately meets the intent of the solution architecture.
   • If not fully compliant, identify and define the potential technical debt releasing the increment will incur. Technical debt is any aspect of the code base or other technical artifacts that have the potential to make future development efforts less productive, more susceptible to defects, or more difficult to extend or modify.
   • If needed, update team norms for how compliance decisions are made.

4. Recommend Next Action

   • If the increment under review is fully compliant recommend release of the increment in accordance with team norms and contingent upon any other team approval actions required such as a successful sprint review.
   • If the increment is non-compliant, recommend whether corrective action should be taken before or after release of the increment and propose one or more product backlog items for corrective action.
   • Document the recommended action in accordance with team norms.
   • Communicate the recommended actions to project management and other team leaders and members in accordance with team norms.
   • If needed, update team norms for how recommendations are documented and communicated with the team.

OUTPUTS

• If the product increment under review is fully compliant a recommendation for release of the product increment.
• If the product increment is non-compliant, a recommendation on whether corrective action should be taken before or after release of the product increment and, if needed, one or more proposed product backlog items for corrective action.

EXIT CRITERIA

Todo

Need ASG to define exit criteria for this activity.

NEXT ACTIVITY

• Conduct Sprint Retrospective
• If the current design is not working go to Identify Architectural Concerns

SEE ALSO

Process Guidance Version: 10.4