Expert review (method)
Expert review is a systematic evaluation of a product, service, design, or other deliverable conducted by one or more individuals with specialized knowledge and experience in the relevant field. The primary goal of an expert review is to identify potential problems, assess the quality, usability, safety, and effectiveness, and provide recommendations for improvement. It is a qualitative assessment technique that relies heavily on the expertise and judgment of the reviewers.
Unlike user testing, which focuses on how end-users interact with a product, expert review is based on established principles, guidelines, best practices, and heuristics relevant to the domain. The reviewers leverage their understanding of these standards to evaluate the subject matter against defined criteria.
Process:
Typically, the expert review process involves the following stages:
- Planning: Defining the scope of the review, selecting appropriate experts, establishing review criteria, and setting a timeline.
- Preparation: Providing the experts with relevant materials, such as specifications, prototypes, designs, or documentation.
- Individual Review: Each expert independently examines the materials based on the defined criteria, documenting their findings and recommendations.
- Consolidation: Gathering the individual reviews and compiling a comprehensive report of issues and suggestions.
- Prioritization and Remediation: Assessing the severity and impact of the identified problems, prioritizing them for resolution, and implementing changes.
- Verification: Confirming that the implemented changes have addressed the identified issues.
Benefits:
- Early Identification of Problems: Expert reviews can detect potential problems early in the development process, reducing the cost and effort required to fix them later.
- Improved Quality and Usability: The process helps improve the overall quality, usability, safety, and effectiveness of the deliverable.
- Objective Assessment: Experts provide an objective assessment based on established standards and best practices.
- Cost-Effective: Expert review can be a relatively cost-effective method compared to other evaluation techniques, such as large-scale user testing.
- Rapid Feedback: Expert reviews can provide relatively rapid feedback compared to some other testing methods.
Limitations:
- Subjectivity: While based on expertise, the review process still relies on the judgment of the reviewers, which can introduce subjectivity.
- Limited User Perspective: Expert reviews do not directly involve end-users, so they may not capture all user-related issues.
- Potential for Bias: Experts may have their own biases or preferences that can influence their evaluation.
- Cost of Expertise: Access to qualified experts can be costly.
Applications:
Expert reviews are used in a wide range of fields, including:
- Software Development: Evaluating the usability, security, and performance of software applications.
- Web Design: Assessing the accessibility, usability, and design aesthetics of websites.
- Product Design: Evaluating the ergonomics, safety, and functionality of physical products.
- Healthcare: Reviewing medical procedures, protocols, and devices.
- Engineering: Assessing the safety and reliability of engineering designs.