By removing defects at their origin (e.g., requirements and design documents, test plans and procedures, software code, etc.
), technical peer reviews prevent defects from propagating through multiple phases and work products and reduce the overall amount of rework necessary on projects.
Improved team efficiency is a side effect (e.g., by improving team communication, integrating the viewpoints of various engineering specialty disciplines, more quickly bringing new members up to speed, and educating project members about effective development practices).
They are also distinct from software audit reviews, which are conducted by personnel external to the project, to evaluate compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements, or other criteria.
On the other hand, personnel from outside the project who do not have a vested interest in the work product bring objectivity and a fresh viewpoint to the technical peer review team.