Flow policy
Also known as Review pull rule
Definition
A flow policy defines the behavior expected at a workflow boundary. It may specify entry criteria, WIP limits, service class handling, blocked work, and completion evidence.
Flow policy in practice
A flow policy defines the behavior expected at a workflow boundary. It may specify entry criteria, WIP limits, service class handling, blocked work, and completion evidence.
A concrete example
An illustrative team states that reviewers pull the oldest eligible change when the review lane has room, while urgent incidents require an explicit owner. The policy turns an informal preference into an observable operating rule.
How to use the signal
Compare this measure with cycle time, throughput, work in progress, and queue time. Define the start and finish events, inspect distributions instead of relying on one average, and record the policy behind any comparison. A useful measure should lead to a specific question about flow rather than a score for an individual.
Limitations
Policies need exceptions for unusual risk and work. A policy that is too complex will not be followed consistently. Review actual behavior and change the rule deliberately.
How this relates to Weave
Weave's engineering intelligence can help teams inspect delivery activity and timing around flow policy. Use those signals to find patterns and test workflow improvements, while keeping the team's work system as the source of truth for product, operational, and dependency context.
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