Identifying hidden bottlenecks in the PR review process is crucial for experienced engineering leaders. Examining ArtistConnect's experience, we showcase how using Setori to detect and resolve these bottlenecks can lead to improved team performance.
Matti Schmidt, CTO of ArtistConnect, shares his thoughts on Setori with a touch of humor:
ArtistConnect's PR Review Bottlenecks
ArtistConnect, a fast-growing tech company, faced several overlooked PR review process issues. First, handoffs and communication was non-standardized and messy. This led to workflow disruptions from PR review delays and holdups. To make up for this, the team would sometimes rush reviews, leading to the accumulation of technical debt.
To address these issues, ArtistConnect's engineering leadership turned to Setori for assistance.
Progress by Improving Review Process
After implementing Setori's tools, particularly the "At-Risk PRs" feature, ArtistConnect observed impressive improvements:
95% reduction in average PR review time
90% decrease in PR cycle time
240% increase in PR throughput
To achieve these results, ArtistConnect combined Setori's capabilities with the following strategies:
Real-time PR review monitoring: Setori played a crucial role in identifying specific bottlenecks and taking the productivity of ArtistConnect's PR review process to new heights. By keeping a watchful eye on PR data in real-time, the team was able to address problems the moment they popped up.
Insightful team feedback analysis: ArtistConnect made it a point to consider not only the valuable insights from Setori but also the opinions of their own engineers. By merging these data points, they gained a solid understanding of the issues at hand and worked together to come up with practical solutions.
Strategic targeted improvements: During the team's casual morning coffee breaks, Matti made it a habit to examine high-risk PRs daily and then bring them up for a lively discussion in the daily standup meetings. In the weekly retrospectives, they tackled recurring challenges that were slowing down the review process. Setori's weekly missions were a godsend, helping the team to focus their efforts on key aspects—like PR size, PR frequency, and the overall cycle time. This meticulous approach ensured that Matthew's team consistently functioned at peak efficiency, turning their engineering processes into a well-oiled machine.
Takeaways for Engineering Leaders
Refine PR visibility: Leveraging Setori's real-time monitoring capabilities helps engineering leaders maintain insight into the status of PRs, facilitating quicker identification and resolution of bottlenecks.
Adopt automation: Implement automated solutions like Setori to improve the accuracy and timeliness of detecting potential PR review inefficiencies, freeing up time for strategic decision-making.
Foster a feedback-driven culture: Ensure open communication channels between engineering leaders and team members, enabling ongoing improvement fueled by engineers' insights and supported by tool-driven data.
Conclusion
ArtistConnect's success in revealing and addressing their hidden PR review bottlenecks highlights the value of leveraging Setori's tools. By employing practical strategies and data-driven tools like Setori's "At Risk PRs" feature, engineering leaders can optimize their PR review process, driving increased productivity and collaboration within their teams.
