What it is
A second set of eyes
Independent review puts a separate reviewer between “done” and “live.” It checks the diff, the evidence and the risk, and returns a clear verdict — PASS, FAIL, or needs review.
Why independent
Authors share their blind spots
A maker reviewing their own work shares its blind spots. A genuinely separate reviewer can catch what the author cannot see — it is a real check, not a rubber stamp.
A worked example
No PASS, no ship
If the verdict is not a clear PASS, the change does not ship. With degraded mode, even the absence of a review becomes a stop.