FI-11
Flagged Item Closed Without Unflagging
Flags
Default severity: medium
ProcessOutputRisk
What it detects
A team completed a sprint (or multiple consecutive sprints) without raising any flags — zero impediments reported. While possible for high-performing teams, it is statistically unusual and may indicate the team is not using flags, has normalised unacknowledged blockers into daily standup noise, or is avoiding flags to protect velocity metrics. flags_this_sprint = COUNT(changelog WHERE field=\'flagged\' AND new=\'Impediment\' AND sprint=S)
Detection formula
IF flags_this_sprint = 0 AND COUNT(committed_issues) > config.fi.min_issues_for_flag_expectation // default: 5 issues THEN FLAG zero_flags_sprint consecutive_zero_flag_sprints = COUNT(consecutive sprints WHERE flags=0) IF consecutive_zero_flag_sprints >= config.fi.consecutive_zero_flag_critical // default: 3 sprints THEN CRITICAL — three sprints with zero flags is statistically improbable; likely suppression Report: sprint, issue count, sprint duration, carry-over rate (high carry-over + zero flags = suppression signal)Examples in practice
- A team shows a team completed a sprint (or multiple consecutive sprints) without raising any flags while min issues for flag expectation is set to 5 issues.
- Example signal: A team completed a sprint (or multiple consecutive sprints) without raising any flags — zero impediments reported.
Suggested response
Close the loop on flags—link blockers, set owners, and clear impediments with traceability.
Coaching playbook
Symptom
A team completed a sprint (or multiple consecutive sprints) without raising any flags — zero impediments reported. While possible for high-performing teams, it is statistically unusual and may indicate the team is not using flags, has normalised unacknowledged blockers into daily standup noise, or is avoiding flags to protect velocity metrics. flags_this_sprint = COUNT(changelog WHERE field=\'flagged\' AND new=\'Impediment\' AND sprint=S)
Why it matters
When "Flagged Item Closed Without Unflagging" 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 "Flagged Item Closed Without Unflagging" 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.