A formal technical review (FTR) is a very effective quality filter. The term 'formal technical review', in a generic sense, implies a structured meeting with an organized approach to technically assess a work product with respect to its specifications so as to identify the issues that need to be resolved.

There are many review types under FTRs. These review types vary in their degree of 'formality' and structure.

In this section, we will discuss how the review types covered under FTRs vary along a 'formality spectrum', and how this variation in formality can affect review effectiveness.