How can you encourage a team member to review their code?

1 Explain the benefits

Before you ask a team member to review their code, make sure they understand why it is important and how it can help them grow as a developer. Code review can help you catch bugs, errors, and vulnerabilities before they cause problems in production. It can also help you learn new techniques, best practices, and standards from your peers. Code review can also enhance your communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, which are essential for any software project.

2 Set clear expectations

To avoid confusion and frustration, you should establish some ground rules and guidelines for code review in your team. For example, you can define what kind of feedback you expect, how long it should take, and how to handle disagreements. You can also use tools and frameworks, such as pull requests, code quality metrics, and code style guides, to streamline the code review process and ensure consistency. By setting clear expectations, you can make code review more efficient and transparent for everyone.

3 Provide constructive feedback

One of the most challenging aspects of code review is giving and receiving feedback. You want to be honest and helpful, but not harsh or demoralizing. You also want to avoid personal attacks, sarcasm, or blame. To provide constructive feedback, you should focus on the code, not the person. You should also use positive and respectful language, and explain the reasons and benefits of your suggestions. You should also acknowledge the strengths and efforts of your team member, and thank them for their contribution.

4 Encourage questions and discussions

Code review is not a one-way street. It is a dialogue between the reviewer and the author, where both parties can ask questions, share opinions, and learn from each other. You should encourage your team member to review their code as an opportunity to ask for clarification, feedback, or advice from their peers. You should also invite them to express their thoughts, concerns, or alternatives, and listen to them with an open mind. You should also avoid imposing your preferences or opinions, and instead seek consensus and compromise.

5 Follow up and follow through

Code review is not over until the code is merged, tested, and deployed. You should follow up with your team member after the review and check if they have implemented the feedback, resolved the issues, or faced any challenges. You should also follow through with your own commitments, such as reviewing their code again, approving their changes, or providing additional support. By following up and following through, you can show your team member that you care about their work and their success.

6 Celebrate and reward

Code review can be a rewarding experience for both the reviewer and the author, if done right. You should celebrate and reward your team member for reviewing their code and improving their skills. You can do this by giving them recognition, praise, or feedback in public or private. You can also offer them incentives, such as badges, points, or prizes, for completing code reviews or achieving quality goals. By celebrating and rewarding your team member, you can motivate them to review their code more often and more effectively.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?