Non-blocking continuous code reviews, a case study

Theme: Flow

The problem with the current most commonly accepted way of running code reviews using Pull Requests is that they have the nasty habit of blocking the flow of delivery. 

They introduce a cost of delay. Delays reduce feedback and drive down quality.

Pair programming or team programming is the usual way to achieve fast, efficient, and effective Continuous Code Reviews without disrupting the flow of delivery.

However, for various valid reasons, these are often a cultural stretch for many teams and organisations.

In 2012, a novice team practising trunk-based development set up a fairly uncommon but efficient alternative to implementing continuous code reviews on mainline without ever blocking the flow of delivery.

This team went from a bunch of rag-tags to becoming a reference team in the organisation, with auditors falling on the floor because of the amount of quality the team delivered.

Participant takeaways:

• Understand why teams practice code reviews.
• Understand how Pull Requests block the flow of Continuous Delivery.
• Explore how to enhance overall development efficiency through non-blocking review processes.