Personal Reviews: How Fencing Helped Me Write Better Software

May, 2023

The May 2023 tech talk was presented by Dr. Bradley Hodgins

Abstract

NAVAIR has hundreds of engineers/professionals using Team Software Process (TSP) and Team Process Integration (TPI) methodologies to plan and track their projects. One especially valuable activity in TSP/TPI is the “Personal Review,” where an individual looks for mistakes in a product they have just produced (e.g., design document, source code, engineering drawing) before continuing on with their development process. Personal reviews are effective in any domain where mistakes come with a high cost – like in fencing. This presentation explains how to perform personal reviews, and outlines other activities an individual must do before they can execute an effective personal review, such as logging defects and creating a review checklist. We will also discuss fencing.

About the Presenter 

Dr. Bradley Hodgins

Brad Hodgins is a computer scientist and has been supporting Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for 36 years. He has over 20 years of experience in developing simulation and avionics software. He has spent the last 16 years as a project planning and tracking coach and instructor for the Performance Resource Team (PRT), actively coaching project teams in the development of high-quality products for on-time, on-budget delivery to the fleet.

Brad has expertise and a national reputation in process improvement. During his time with the PRT, Brad gave over two dozen presentations at symposiums and conferences, and authored/co-authored half a dozen published articles and papers, all sharing the great things NAVAIR has been doing. Brad was given a Navy patent in 2008 for the Learning Applying Mastering Perfecting (LAMP) model for team process implementation evaluation and improvement. He was awarded the Michelson Laboratory Award in 2010, and he became a NAVAIR Associate Fellow in 2013. Brad earned a Doctorate in Computer Science from Colorado Technical University in 2015. He retired from government service in 2019, but continues to support NAVAIR as an employee of Saalex Solutions Inc.

Brad is a Taurus and likes surfing (just kidding about the surfing).

Past Presentations

Why Battle-Tested Software Engineering Still Matters in the Age of AI

The June 2026 Tech Talk was presented by Mario BenitezAbstractWhile use of AI in developing and maintaining software is increasing globally, this use is relatively new, and proven practices for using AI effectively are still emerging. There are different ways to use...

The SEA Data Warehouse

The April 2026 Tech Talk announced the availability of the SEA Data WarehouseAbstractThe Data Warehouse Working Group was initiated in September 2022, with the purpose of advancing the state of the practice and the art of software engineering by providing a source of...

Agentic Coding: The Earthquake That Topples the Software Factory

The March 2026 Tech Talk was presented by Larry MaccheroneAbstractThe tectonic plates beneath software development are shifting. They are moving too fast to predict what the landscape will look like when the earthquake hits. Still, we are sure that the coming...

Why Program Increment Estimates Miss: Hidden Variables for Planning

The February 2026 Tech Talk was presented by Dr. Bill Nichols and Dr. Tapajit Dey AbstractWhat is a credible range of dates for when the work in a product increment might finish? Software development work includes many sources of uncertainty, including the size of the...

Lessons from Using LLMs to Check Software Security

The January 2026 Tech Talk was presented by Dr. Mark ShermanAbstractLarge language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are transforming the landscape of software development and evaluation, although claims of AI replacing programmers are often overstated. This session delves...

Process Isn’t a Four-Letter Word

The November 2025 Tech Talk was presented by David TumaAbstractAgile methods emerged as a direct rebellion against the heavyweight processes of the 1990s. And the Team Software Process (TSP) did too, by brilliantly reimagining process in a lightweight, agile way that...

Agile Strategy: Onward and Upward

The September 2025 Tech Talk was presented by Linda Parker GatesAbstractThis talk describes the application of Agile principles to strategic planning. It explores how applying balanced Agile values — such as prioritizing individuals and interactions, delivering...

Engineering of Complex Systems at NAVAIR: We Must Do More With Less!

The June 2025 tech talk was presented by Jeff SchwalbAbstractAt NAVAIR, we are experiencing a dwindling engineering workforce at the same time that we are trying to meet increasing demands for support to our warfighters. We have a combination of efforts uplifting the...

Victims vs. Victors: Navigating Career Uncertainty with Resilience

The May 2025 tech talk was presented by David VanEppsAbstractSetbacks are inevitable. Travel freezes, budget cuts, hiring slowdowns, layoffs — challenges like these can shake our sense of stability. While we can’t always control what happens, we can control how we...

Applying STPA to Improve Safety and Reliability of AI-Enabled Systems

The April 2025 tech talk was presented by Timothy DavisonAbstractThis talk explores the application of System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) to enhance the safety and reliability of AI-enabled systems. STPA provides a structured and scalable approach to identifying...

Drive Improved Holistic Business Results with Lean/Agile Practices

The February 2025 tech talk was presented by Fred KoosAbstractAgile practices have roots in Lean Thinking and the Toyota Production System. These are holistic approaches to improve business results. As the word “Agile” was coined in 2001, the applications were...

Clarify Your Acceptance Criteria with GIVEN-WHEN-THEN

The January 2025 tech talk was presented by Matt McConnellAbstractGherkin, also known as GIVEN-WHEN-THEN, is an effective method for writing Acceptance Criteria at many levels in software development. It treats the software as a black box, focusing on the inputs,...

A Powerfully Simple Planning Framework

The December 2024 tech talk was presented by Dr. Brad HodginsAbstractUsing this very effective five-step approach, teams and individuals can create a detailed plan that will enable them to track their progress as they execute that plan. Organizations run on schedules...

Share This