FI-09
Flag Without Blocker Link
Flags
Default severity: medium
ProcessOutputRisk
What it detects
The sprint ended with one or more flags still active on committed issues — impediments were not resolved before sprint close. Unresolved flags at sprint end directly explain carry-over (CO-01) and indicate the Scrum Master did not escalate or resolve impediments in time. open_at_sprint_end = issues WHERE flagged=true AT sprint.end_date AND was_committed_in_sprint
Detection formula
IF COUNT(open_at_sprint_end) > 0 THEN FLAG unresolved_flags_at_close IF COUNT(open_at_sprint_end) > config.fi.critical_open_flags_at_end // default: 2 THEN CRITICAL unresolved_sp = SUM(story_points, open_at_sprint_end) Report: issues still flagged, flag_age_each, sp_blocked, bv_blocked Correlate with CO-01 (carry-over) — flags at sprint end strongly predict next sprint carryoverExamples in practice
- A team shows the sprint ended with one or more flags still active on committed issues while critical open flags at end is set to 2.
- Example signal: The sprint ended with one or more flags still active on committed issues — impediments were not resolved before sprint close.
Suggested response
Close the loop on flags—link blockers, set owners, and clear impediments with traceability.
Coaching playbook
Symptom
The sprint ended with one or more flags still active on committed issues — impediments were not resolved before sprint close. Unresolved flags at sprint end directly explain carry-over (CO-01) and indicate the Scrum Master did not escalate or resolve impediments in time. open_at_sprint_end = issues WHERE flagged=true AT sprint.end_date AND was_committed_in_sprint
Why it matters
When "Flag Without Blocker Link" 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 Without Blocker Link" 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.