Embedded.fm · 31 Oct 2024 · 1h 10m · Episode 488
Adrienne Braganza Tacke, author of 'Looks Good To Me: Constructive Code Reviews,' explains why code reviews are often dreaded and how to make them effective. She advocates for creating a Team Working Agreement to make implicit expectations explicit, using comment signals to prioritize feedback, and employing the 'triple R pattern' (request, rationale, result) to write objective comments. The discussion covers the impact of tools like GitHub PRs versus email, the time required for thorough reviews, and the importance of catching design issues before coding begins.
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Jeff Gable and Luca discuss the purpose, process, and culture of code reviews in embedded software development. They argue that reviews are primarily for knowledge transfer, shared understanding, and mentoring rather than just bug detection, warning against 'bike shedding' on trivial syntax issues. The hosts advocate for early design reviews, small atomic commits, and empathetic communication to maintain team cohesion and prevent bottlenecks.
Bryan Cantrill, Adam Leventhal, and Kendall Morgan discuss the nuances of code review, contrasting modern digital tools with historical in-person practices at Sun Microsystems. They share specific war stories, including a DTrace integration bug caused by removing a single interrupt line and an n^3 algorithm in SCSI target code, to illustrate the importance of context and scale. The group debates the value of empathy, tooling choices like GitHub and Gerrit, and strategies for introducing code review cultures in organizations that resist them.
Jeff Gable and Luca discuss common project management dysfunctions in embedded systems, focusing on the anti-pattern of sticking to inefficient processes because teams feel they are 'close to done.' They advocate for small, continuous improvements like unit testing and hardware abstraction layers to reduce friction between hardware and software teams. The hosts also address the danger of promising fixed dates without credible estimation, explaining the project management triangle and the importance of managing uncertainty by tackling high-risk items first.
Adam Keating, Co-Founder and CEO of CoLab, explains how his software platform reengineers design reviews by integrating with tools like SolidWorks, Creo, and Siemens Teamcenter to parallelize feedback and reduce late-stage errors. He cites survey data showing 43% of design feedback is lost and 87% of engineers struggle to find decisions, leading to significant cost and time overruns in new product development. Keating highlights success stories with Ford, which saved 30-40% of conversion timelines, and Mainspring Energy, which cut a 12-month program to under six months through early supplier engagement. He argues that modern engineering teams must adopt these 'design engagement systems' to retain talent and compete against tech-driven companies.
Jeff Gable and Luca Jani, both solo embedded software consultants, discuss the unique challenges of working alone, such as multitasking pressure and wearing multiple hats. They identify five bad habits: skipping documentation, avoiding code reviews, making poor architectural decisions, neglecting simulators, and failing to make code easy for others to take over. The hosts propose solutions including hiring third-party reviewers, using LLMs for low-level checks, forming mastermind groups, and enforcing self-imposed processes to maintain quality and sanity.
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