How To Do Positive Code Reviews

A presentation by @stuherbert  for @GanbaroDigital Build A Culture  Of
Improvement Positive  Code Reviews

@GanbaroDigital Huge shoutout to Jo for asking me to do
this talk.

@GanbaroDigital Do you do code reviews?

@GanbaroDigital Tell me about them.

@GanbaroDigital How do you feel when your code is reviewed?

@GanbaroDigital How do you feel when you review someone else’s
code?

@GanbaroDigital Why do you feel like that?

@GanbaroDigital A positive code review is one that all participants
actively want to take part in.

@GanbaroDigital To understand code reviews, it helps to understand the
process that they sit in.

@GanbaroDigital How Tasks Are Typically Done 1. Developer is assigned
ticket in JIRA 2. Developer writes code   (and maybe some tests) 3. Best mate reviews code if they have the time 4. Developer merges code

@GanbaroDigital Let’s break that down.

@GanbaroDigital How many organisations create JIRA tickets that are ready
to code?

@GanbaroDigital How many developers question what they are told to
deliver?

@GanbaroDigital How many developers have access to the person they
need to question?

@GanbaroDigital How many organisations require tests alongside code?

@GanbaroDigital How many organisations deﬁne how many tests must accompany
code?

@GanbaroDigital It is natural to seek out people who are
more likely to agree with us. Especially in a toxic culture.

@GanbaroDigital How many organisations require code reviews?

@GanbaroDigital How many organisations deﬁne code review standards?

@GanbaroDigital What standards do you review against?

@GanbaroDigital PSR-2 is a formatting standard. It is not a
complete code review standard.

@GanbaroDigital How many organisations know what is in their shipped
software?

@GanbaroDigital Positive code reviews?!? Despite the culture, not because of
it.

@GanbaroDigital Unpleasant code reviews are a side-effect of organisation culture.

@GanbaroDigital Unpleasant code reviews are a side-effect of a lack
of deliberate organisation culture.

@GanbaroDigital To ﬁx your code reviews, you have to ﬁx
your culture.

@GanbaroDigital Some cultures are too toxic to be ﬁxed :-(

@GanbaroDigital No process can overcome toxic people :-(

@GanbaroDigital Culture is what happens when management leaves the room.

@GanbaroDigital Culture is a reaction to management behaviour.

@GanbaroDigital Leaders get the culture that they live themselves.

@GanbaroDigital Be a better leader to have a better culture.

@GanbaroDigital How does this help us do positive code reviews?

@GanbaroDigital Introducing: the rule of no surprises.

@GanbaroDigital Do not violate the rule of no surprises.

@GanbaroDigital Set expectations up front.

@GanbaroDigital Set measurable expectations up front.

@GanbaroDigital Provide evidence for and against deﬁned expectations and standards.

@GanbaroDigital Provide evidence for and against agreed expectations and standards.

@GanbaroDigital Leave opinion at the door.

@GanbaroDigital Introducing: everything must stand up to scrutiny.

@GanbaroDigital Everything == 1. Requirements 2. Design 3. Written code
4. Test plan

@GanbaroDigital People do a better job when they believe in
what they’re asked to do.

4. Test plan

@GanbaroDigital Teams write better code when they’re contributing to a
consistent design.

4. Test plan

@GanbaroDigital Review tests that cover the happy path.

@GanbaroDigital Review tests that prove robustness.

4. Test plan

@GanbaroDigital “Do as I say, not as I do.” How
many of you have worked for someone like that?

@GanbaroDigital Lead by example. Make sure all of your work
is reviewed.

@GanbaroDigital Lead by example. Make sure all of your work
meets the review standards.

@GanbaroDigital Only then do you have the moral right to
review the work of your colleagues.

@GanbaroDigital Introducing: everyone is entitled to a bad day.

@GanbaroDigital It isn’t credible to expect everyone to be brilliant
every day.

@GanbaroDigital Introducing: ask, don’t tell

@GanbaroDigital Introducing: ask, don’t tell (sometimes)

@GanbaroDigital How We Learn 1. Instruction 2. Coaching 3. Collaboration

@GanbaroDigital Not everyone is comfortable giving or receiving instruction.

@GanbaroDigital Not everyone reaches the coaching stage.

@GanbaroDigital Guiding Principles 1. The rule of no surprises. 2.
Everything must stand up to scrutiny. 3. Everyone is entitled to a bad day. 4. Ask, don’t tell (sometimes).

@GanbaroDigital Discussion: How do we incorporate these principles into a
positive review process?

@GanbaroDigital Change the conversation.

@GanbaroDigital 1. Make sure only the right people attend. 2.
Make sure expectations are known in advance. 3. Discover and correct problems early.

@GanbaroDigital Code Review Attendees 1. Person doing the work. 2.
Their boss - team lead or senior dev. 3. Observers who need to learn.

@GanbaroDigital Review Thrice, Ship Once 1. Review task and plan
of attack. 2. Review code. 3. Review & approve code + tests.

@GanbaroDigital Before Writing Code • Check understanding of the problem.
• Review proposed solution. • Review proposed test plan. • Give or withhold approval.

@GanbaroDigital After Writing Code • Review developed solution. • Review
revised test plan. • Give or withhold approval.

@GanbaroDigital Before Merging • Repeat test plan execution. • Review
test plan execution results. • Give or withhold approval.

@GanbaroDigital Break down review points into general and speciﬁc items.

@GanbaroDigital Make everyone   involved in a code review  
sign off on quality.

accountable for everything that they have approved.

@GanbaroDigital Give everyone   involved in a code review  
the right to refuse to sign off the work.

@GanbaroDigital … as long as their refusal is evidence-based against
documented standards & requirements!

@GanbaroDigital In summary …

@GanbaroDigital The root causes of unpleasant code reviews are to
be found a long way upstream.

@GanbaroDigital Agree review standards up front.

@GanbaroDigital Evidence based, not opinion based.

@GanbaroDigital Lead by example, and the right people will respond
in kind.

@GanbaroDigital Review thrice, merge once.

sign off on quality.

@GanbaroDigital No process can solve the problem of toxic people
… … except perhaps the ﬁring process!

Would you like to   know more? We can help.
Stuart Herbert ~ @stuherbert Founder @GanbaroDigital

How To Do Positive Code Reviews

How To Do Positive Code Reviews

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