We cover data warehouse design review checklist in this post.  Design reviews are very helpful for ensuring quality in the operational environment. It identifies errors before coding and saves costs. A design review considers such things as transaction performance, batch window adequacy, system availability, capacity, project readiness, user requirements satisfaction. The benefits of a design review become obvious when there is less code churn.  A design review is applicable to both operational systems and data warehouse but there are some differences.
In the data warehouse case, it is not built using SDLC as with operational systems.
In the operational environment, development is done one application at a time. In the data warehouse environment, they are built a subject area at a time.
In the operational environment, there are firm requirements whereas in the data warehouse environment, the processing requirements are not known at the outset of DSS development.
In the operational environment, transaction response time is critical.
In the operational environment, the input comes from external systems
In the operational environment, the data is current-value where as in the warehouse, its time-variant.
A design review in the data warehouse is done as soon as a major subject area has been designed.
Participants of a design review typically include data administration, database administration, programmers, DSS analysts, end users other than DSS analysts, operations, system support and management. End users and DSS analysts matter more than others.
The design review could table any item for discussion especially the controversial ones. The design review helps with ensuring the success.
The data warehouse design review should result in the following:
A list of the issues encountered, and recommendations for actions
A documentation of where the system is in the design, as of the moment of the review.
A list of action items that are specific and precise.
Typically a review includes both a facilitator as well as a recorder. The facilitator is not the leader so that the review can have maximum input. The facilitator brings in an external perspective and can offer criticism constructively.
There items on the checklist for the design review includes all of the points discussed above and more.  The complete list is available in building the data warehouse book.