Which of the following technical reviews are you most likely to find only in the Production and Deployment phase?

• A. Design Review
• B. System Requirements Review
• C. Functional Configuration Audit
• D. Physical Configuration Audit (PCA)

Answer: (D)

The thing you’d expect to see predominantly during the Production and Deployment phase is the Physical Configuration Audit. This review is all about confirming that the physical item being delivered matches the baselined configuration documentation. It checks that the actual hardware and its components, serial numbers, software versions, bill of materials, and as-built drawings align with what was authorized in the configuration management records. In short, it verifies that what’s produced and packaged is the exact item that was approved and can be deployed into the field.

This focus on the tangible, verifiable state of the product makes it a production/deployment-specific activity. Other reviews happen earlier in the lifecycle: a design review assesses the proposed design for adequacy and feasibility during development; a system requirements review checks that what is being built will meet the needed requirements; a functional configuration audit looks at whether the system’s functional aspects satisfy those requirements and is typically performed before or during integration and testing. Those are not tied exclusively to the production-ready, as-built state of the item in deployment like the physical configuration audit is.