I’m a dev and I’m wondering about this new process we’re using. Our Agile coach wants us to use a ‘Feedback Required’ flag in Jira when we have questions. The idea is to track who’s blocked during standups.
Here’s how it works:
I have a question
I turn on the flag in Jira
I ask the question myself
I turn off the flag when I get an answer
But I’m not sure this is helpful. Usually, I just ask someone directly or bring it up in standup. Often, the question is answered before standup or the right person isn’t there to answer it.
When I suggested this might be micromanagement, the coach said it’s for our IT manager to see who’s blocked. But our manager oversees like 10-20 teams!
Am I missing something here? Is this really an Agile best practice? I’m feeling pretty frustrated with the whole thing. Any thoughts or similar experiences?
From my experience, this ‘Feedback Required’ flag seems more like a checkbox exercise than a practical solution. In theory, it’s meant to improve visibility, but in reality, it often adds unnecessary complexity to workflows.
I’ve seen similar systems implemented in past projects, and they rarely deliver the intended benefits. The key issue is that it doesn’t account for the dynamic nature of development work. Questions arise and get resolved quickly, often before the flag can be updated.
Instead of this flag system, I’d suggest focusing on improving real-time communication channels. Perhaps a dedicated Slack channel for quick queries or a 15-minute daily ‘blockers’ meeting could be more effective. These approaches tend to foster more organic problem-solving without the added administrative burden.
Ultimately, if the IT manager needs better visibility, there might be more efficient ways to achieve this without impacting developers’ day-to-day work. It might be worth discussing alternative solutions that don’t require constant manual updates from the team.
I’ve worked with various Jira setups, and this ‘Feedback Required’ flag seems like overkill to me. In my experience, effective teams communicate organically without needing such rigid structures. It’s often more efficient to just ping someone on Slack or bring it up in standup.
That said, I can see where your Agile coach is coming from. They’re probably trying to quantify blockers and improve processes. But in practice, these systems often create more overhead than value.
If I were in your shoes, I’d suggest a compromise. Maybe try using the flag for a month, then analyze if it actually helped resolve issues faster or improved visibility. If not, you’ll have data to back up your argument for ditching it. Remember, Agile is about adapting to what works best for your team, not blindly following prescribed methods.
i’ve been in a similar situation. honestly, it sounds like unnecessary bureaucracy. in my experience, these flags often become another thing to forget or manage, rather than actually helping. plus, if ur manager oversees that many teams, they probably won’t have time to check individual flags anyway. maybe suggest a trial period to see if it actually improves anything?