[Class Report] Introduction to System Development – Week 10: Reading and Communicating Through Code

In Week 10, we took on the challenge of code review. A code review is the process of reading code written by others and communicating feedback. In professional environments, this is a daily activity and considered a fundamental part of team development.

■ Instructor’s Introduction: “Code Review is a Kind Critique”

Mr. Tanaka: “The goal of a review is not to criticize, but to share insights to make the code better.”

Examples of review points include:

• Detecting typos or bugs
• Suggesting clearer ways of writing
• Ensuring function and variable names are meaningful
• Checking if comments sufficiently explain the code

In addition to technical skills, this task also requires consideration for others and communication skills.

■ Exercise 1: Practicing Code Reading

First, we reviewed a simple Python code sample provided by the teacher and evaluated it based on the following points:

Checkpoints:

• What does this code do?
• Are there any unclear parts?
• Are there any parts that could be improved?

Example: Simple Omikuji (Fortune Telling) Code

import random

def omikuji():
    result = random.choice(["Great Blessing", "Middle Blessing", "Blessing", "Curse"])
    print("Your fortune is: " + result)

omikuji()

Student A: “The function name is fine, but the result message could be a bit more descriptive.”
Student B: “It might be nice to define the options as a separate list.”

Mr. Tanaka: “Giving reasons behind your feedback is important. When your opinion includes a ‘why,’ it’s easier for others to understand.”

■ Exercise 2: Peer Review Session

Next, students paired up and exchanged the mini-apps they built last week to review each other’s code.

Review Process:

1. Read your partner’s code
2. Comment on what was good or creative
3. Gently point out areas for improvement
4. Conclude with a thank-you message

Student C: “Your function names were really clear!”
Student D: “You could simplify the repeated part using a for loop.”

■ Students’ Reflections

• “I didn’t realize how much I could learn just by reading someone else’s code.”
• “Now I try to write code with the reader in mind.”
• “Giving compliments is just as important—it’s a bit embarrassing but also uplifting.”

■ Instructor’s Comment

“Programming requires both the ability to write and read code. But most of all, having the ability to communicate makes development much smoother. Today, you took the first step toward that.”

■ Next Week’s Preview: Designing a Simple Text App

Next week, we’ll enter the ideation phase—deciding what to build. You’ll start by creating a blueprint for your own app and then move on to development based on that specification. It’s time to bring your ideas to life!

In Week 10, we nurtured not just technical skills, but also the power of communication. The shared mindset of “making things better together” fostered an essential programming attitude.