Difference between Inspection and Walkthrough

1. Walkthrough :
Walkthrough is a method of conducting informal group/individual review. In a walkthrough, author describes and explain work product in a informal meeting to his peers or supervisor to get feedback. Here, validity of the proposed solution for work product is checked.

It is cheaper to make changes when design is on the paper rather than at time of conversion. Walkthrough is a static method of quality assurance. Walkthrough are informal meetings but with purpose.

2. Inspection :
An inspection is defined as formal, rigorous, in depth group review designed to identify problems as close to their point of origin as possible. Inspections improve reliability, availability, and maintainability of software product.

Anything readable that is produced during the software development can be inspected. Inspections can be combined with structured, systematic testing to provide a powerful tool for creating defect-free programs.

Inspection activity follows a specified process and participants play well-defined roles.
An inspection team consists of three to eight members who plays roles of moderator, author, reader, recorder and inspector.

For example, designer can acts as inspector during code inspections while a quality assurance representative can act as standard enforcer.

Stages in the inspections process :

• Planning : Inspection is planned by moderator.
• Overview meeting : Author describes background of work product.
• Preparation : Each inspector examines work product to identify possible defects.
• Inspection meeting : During this meeting, reader reads through work product, part by part and inspectors points out the defects for every part.
• Rework : Author makes changes to work product according to action plans from the inspection meeting.
• Follow-up : Changes made by author are checked to make sure that everything is correct.

Difference between Inspection and Walkthrough :

S.No.	Inspection	Walkthrough
1.	It is formal.	It is informal.
2.	Initiated by project team.	Initiated by author.
3.	A group of relevant persons from different departments participate in the inspection.	Usually team members of the same project take participation in the walkthrough. Author himself acts walkthrough leader.
4.	Checklist is used to find faults.	No checklist is used in the walkthrough.
5.	Inspection processes includes overview, preparation, inspection, and rework and follow up.	Walkthrough process includes overview, little or no preparation, little or no preparation examination (actual walkthrough meeting), and rework and follow up.
6.	Formalized procedure in each step.	No formalized procedure in the steps.
7.	Inspection takes longer time as list of items in checklist is tracked to completion.	Shorter time is spent on walkthrough as there is no formal checklist used to evaluate program.
8.	Planned meeting with the fixed roles assigned to all the members involved.	Unplanned
9.	Reader reads product code. Everyone inspects it and comes up with detects.	Author reads product code and his teammate comes up with the defects or suggestions.
10.	Recorder records the defects.	Author make a note of defects and suggestions offered by teammate.
11.	Moderator has a role that moderator making sure that the discussions proceed on the productive lines.	Informal, so there is no moderator.