I’ve been on big teams working for nationwide brands where no one is formally responsible for code quality. It was a nightmare. Everyone was writing on the same codebase and one bug would halt everyone’s progress. The end client didn’t know the difference because it was all hidden under the pretty user interface, but it caused lots of problems and inefficiencies.
One of the responsibilities of your lead developer should be to review every line of code that is merged into your main codebase. We have tools and technologies like GIT version control that make it easy to see every line of code that changes, down to line endings.
Just because a developer gets through your filters, passes your coding test, and makes it on to your project, doesn’t mean they’re going to be able to provide value to a project long term. Not only do they need to be able to write code well, they also need to be able to take feedback, deliver consistent value, write readable code, improve consistently, communicate clearly, and meet deadlines. The way you find out if they’re doing well is through code review.
Code review adds about 10% of cost to the project but it probably saves 20-40% by catching potential bugs, opportunities for improvement, and overall readability of the code.
For a benchmark, unfortunately, about 1/4 of developers who make it onto a project fail after they’re assigned to some real tasks and go through consistent code review.
This article is part of a series of articles designed to help non-technical founders find success on technical projects. For all our tips and tricks, download our free Guide to Tech Projects for Non-technical Founders.
If you need hands on help with your project, Buink has years of experience managing and completing technical projects on time, under budget, and with a high level of quality. Contact Buink today.
