How to improve DevEx through a better Pull Request Process

Pull Requests (PRs) are a cornerstone of the developer experience—central to collaboration, quality control, and the entire software development lifecycle. A smooth PR process empowers developers to move quickly, get actionable feedback, and deliver code with confidence. But when PRs become a bottleneck, they can drain energy, stall momentum, and create frustration. Many hidden inefficiencies in a developer’s workflow often trace back to the PR process, which makes it essential to focus on optimizing this experience.

A number of issues, both big and small, can impact the effectiveness of PRs: PRs left open too long, complex feedback loops, massive PRs that overwhelm reviewers, CI/CD issues, and even lack of clarity around standards and documentation. Tackling these challenges head-on can have a transformative impact on DevEx, reducing cognitive load, speeding up the feedback loop, and ultimately boosting team productivity.

The Problem: PR Pain Points That Drain Developer Productivity

To create a more efficient PR process, we first need to identify the most common pain points:

• Big PRs That Are Hard to Review
  Large PRs can be overwhelming and time-consuming to review thoroughly, increasing the chance of missing issues and requiring multiple review cycles. This can lead to frustration for both reviewers and authors and slow down the entire development flow.
• PRs Open for Too Long
  PRs left open for too long without feedback create mental overhead for developers, who are left waiting or context-switching to other tasks. This delay can add significant strain and long feedback loops, as developers need to wait to continue their work.
• Too much Back-and-Forth
  A PR with multiple rounds of comments and changes can quickly become frustrating. While feedback is crucial, overly prolonged reviews increase cognitive load, as developers juggle reworks and repeated input, which can drag out the process.
• Flaky Tests and CI/CD Build Failures
  CI/CD issues, particularly flaky tests, are a significant pain point in the PR process. When tests fail inconsistently or builds frequently break, developers are forced to spend time debugging CI/CD issues rather than focusing on actual code, leading to wasted effort and delayed feedback loops.
• Lack of Documentation and Standards Compliance
  Checking PRs for compliance with documentation and standards is time-consuming, especially without clear guidelines. Inconsistent adherence to team practices can lead to quality issues and a lack of cohesion across the codebase, requiring extra effort to resolve.
• Coordination in Shared Repositories
  When multiple teams or squads are working in the same repository, PRs often clash due to unclear ownership or dependencies. This lack of coordination leads to confusion, repeated changes, and context-switching, impacting the productivity of everyone involved.
• PRs Falling Across Sprints
  PRs that remain unresolved from one sprint to the next disrupt the flow and impact team morale. Carrying PRs forward creates a sense of stagnation and can cause teams to feel like they’re struggling to keep up.

‍

Hidden Inefficiencies and Their Impact

While each of these pain points may seem manageable in isolation, together they create hidden inefficiencies that compound over time. Unaddressed, these issues can cause significant productivity loss and frustration across teams. PRs left waiting for review or stuck in complex feedback loops lead to context-switching and mental fatigue, while large PRs, CI/CD failures, and lack of standards add cognitive load and delay projects. These bottlenecks drain time and energy, reducing the effectiveness of the whole team and dragging down morale.

‍

Tackling the PR Process to Improve DevEx

Improving the PR process requires targeted strategies that reduce inefficiencies and support a smoother workflow. Here are some effective ways to transform your PR process:

1. Break Down Large PRs
   Encourage developers to create smaller, focused PRs to make reviews faster and more effective. By tackling smaller changes, reviewers can focus on code quality without getting overwhelmed, which reduces the likelihood of errors and speeds up feedback.
2. Prioritize Timely Review and Action
   Define protocols for picking up and reviewing PRs in a timely manner. Setting expectations for quick action helps avoid PRs lingering without feedback, keeping work moving and minimizing the cognitive strain of waiting.
3. Streamline Feedback Loops
   Set clear guidelines for giving focused, constructive feedback to reduce prolonged back-and-forth. By keeping feedback concise and purposeful, teams can resolve issues faster, reducing cognitive load and keeping developers engaged.
4. Address CI/CD Stability
   Proactively monitor and maintain CI/CD pipelines to minimize flaky tests and unexpected build failures. Regular maintenance ensures that PRs can move smoothly through reviews without being stalled by infrastructure issues, enabling developers to focus on coding rather than debugging build issues.
5. Integrate Documentation and Standards Checks
   Implement tools that automatically check PRs against team standards and documentation requirements. This can help ensure consistency, reduce time spent on manual reviews, and prevent quality issues from slipping through the cracks.
6. Coordinate Squads in Shared Repos
   Establish clear ownership and workflows for teams working on shared repositories. By defining responsibilities and reducing overlap, teams can reduce conflicts, avoid duplicated work, and minimize disruptions caused by other squads’ changes.
7. Sprint-Aligned PR Management
   Structure sprints to prioritize completing PRs within each cycle. By keeping PRs tied to sprint goals, teams can maintain a consistent flow and avoid carryovers that bog down the next sprint. This keeps developers focused, improving team morale and reducing the pressure of unfinished work.

Conclusion: A Focus on DevEx for Sustained Team Performance

Improving the PR process doesn’t just speed up individual tasks; it has a broader impact on developer experience by reducing cognitive load, minimizing delays, and creating a more predictable workflow. When PRs are managed efficiently, developers can focus on meaningful work without constant interruptions, leading to a more positive and productive environment.

At FirstMate, we understand how much of an impact an optimized PR process can have on DevEx. Our solution is designed to integrate team-specific standards, provide real-time guidance, and flag potential blockers early, all in service of creating a smooth and efficient PR process. By addressing hidden inefficiencies before they turn into bottlenecks, FirstMate helps teams keep their focus on what matters: building great software.

‍