Reducing Pull Request Pickup Time

• Team level
  In the Home dashboard, set the view to All Teams and click the Cycle Time → Pickup metric to identify delays across teams.

  

• Team member level
  In People Team → Activity, select the relevant team and hover over the Cycle Time metric for each team member to identify whose PRs are not being reviewed promptly.

• Pull request level
  In the Metrics → Pull Requests tab, apply the Review Request Hanging filter to identify PRs hanging for more than 3 days. Use the Start/End Date filter to view PRs hanging for less than 3 days.

• Lack of awareness
  PRs may go unnoticed. Use Slack alerts to notify teams when PRs have been waiting too long.
• Team overload
  Excessive workload and multitasking can delay reviews. Use the Pulse view to balance work across the team.
• Large pull requests
  Larger PRs require more review time. Encourage breaking work into smaller, manageable changes.
• Unclear review ownership
  PRs without clearly assigned reviewers are more likely to stall. Assign reviewers explicitly and use WorkerB personal alerts to notify individuals when reviews are assigned.

Set up Slack alerts for hanging pull requests

Configure Slack alerts to notify the team when a PR has been waiting for review too long. Set thresholds to 1–2 days to catch delays early.

1. In the LinearB side menu, click Settings.
2. Select the relevant team from the Teams dropdown.
3. Navigate to the Goals tab.
4. Edit the Pull Request Pickup Time goal.
5. Set the alert threshold (for example, 1 day or 12 hours).
6. Click Save.
7. Enable the Pull Requests Merged without Review alert to prevent unreviewed code from being merged due to missed or overlooked PRs.

Once configured, alerts are sent to the team’s Slack channel. Team members can click directly from Slack into the PR, enabling faster reviews and smoother workflows.

Enable WorkerB personal Slack alerts

WorkerB personal Slack alerts send direct messages when PRs are assigned, commented on, or awaiting action.

If Slack is already connected, team members can activate WorkerB by typing /lb invite and manage preferences using /lb pref.

Available commands include:

• /lb updates — View updates on your PRs
• /lb reviews — View PRs assigned to you
• /lb prs — List PRs you created

Build a metrics dashboard

Use the Metrics tab to build a custom metrics dashboard tracking Pickup Time, PR Size, and Active Branches. This helps identify trends and review bottlenecks early.

Monitor large PRs and high work in progress

Regularly review large pull requests and use the Pulse view to monitor team workload. Managing PR size and balancing assignments helps reduce pickup time.

By applying these practices, teams can reduce pickup time, accelerate reviews, and maintain a smooth delivery flow.