A review process for evaluating the status and products of an activity of a project as appropriate. It is frequently a mechanism for determining project status at the completion of a major software development milestone. The reviews are normally conducted jointly between acquirer of the system that represent the user, and the supplier that represents the software developer. Joint acquirer-developer reviews are usually thought of as visibility and status mechanisms; however, the gate-keeping and action item aspects of joint acquirer-developer reviews are also powerful control mechanisms.