Slow code reviews: the silent velocity killer

This article explores the hidden impact of slow code reviews on software development velocity. It presents data from Graphite, LinearB, and Workweave showing that median PR review times can exceed 5 days, with Time to First Review (TTFR) being the critical metric. The article explains how delayed reviews cause developers to context-switch, increase work-in-progress, and reduce productivity by over 2x once TTFR exceeds 8 hours. It provides benchmarks for elite vs. unhealthy teams and emphasizes the need to track review metrics in business hours. Aimed at engineering managers, it offers actionable insights to identify and fix review bottlenecks.