FI-04
Flag Cleared Without Resolution Evidence
Flags
Default severity: medium
ProcessOutputRisk
What it detects
The impediment flag was cleared from an issue but no comment was added explaining how the blocker was resolved. Silent flag removal is a governance problem: it leaves no record of what the impediment was, how it was addressed, or who unblocked it — critical context for retrospectives and process improvement. flag_removal = changelog.find(field=\'flagged\', old=\'Impediment\', new=NULL, LATEST)
Detection formula
IF flag_removal EXISTS: comments_at_removal = comments.filter(created BETWEEN flag_removal.date - config.fi.removal_comment_window_hours AND flag_removal.date + config.fi.removal_comment_window_hours) // default: ±4h IF COUNT(comments_at_removal) = 0 THEN FLAG silent_flag_removal IF flag_age_at_removal > config.fi.min_age_for_resolution_comment_days // default: 2 days (short flags may not need comment) AND COUNT(comments_at_removal) = 0 THEN CRITICAL Report: issue, flag_set_date, flag_removal_date, flag_duration_days, removed_byExamples in practice
- A team shows the impediment flag was cleared from an issue but no comment was added explaining how the blocker was resolved while removal comment window hours is set to ±4h.
- Example signal: The impediment flag was cleared from an issue but no comment was added explaining how the blocker was resolved.
Suggested response
Close the loop on flags—link blockers, set owners, and clear impediments with traceability.
Coaching playbook
Symptom
The impediment flag was cleared from an issue but no comment was added explaining how the blocker was resolved. Silent flag removal is a governance problem: it leaves no record of what the impediment was, how it was addressed, or who unblocked it — critical context for retrospectives and process improvement. flag_removal = changelog.find(field=\'flagged\', old=\'Impediment\', new=NULL, LATEST)
Why it matters
When "Flag Cleared Without Resolution Evidence" keeps appearing, the team is signalling a repeatable process gap. Left unexamined, the pattern hides where work really stalls and makes improvement metrics harder to trust.
What you can achieve
Close the loop on flags—link blockers, set owners, and clear impediments with traceability.
Facilitation questions
- What system change would stop "Flag Cleared Without Resolution Evidence" from firing again?
- What do the cited issues have in common — same root cause or same workaround?
- Who owns the two-week experiment and how will we verify on the next import?
Run this rule against your own tracker data with Flow Analyzer.