Track merged code and completed work separately
A PR has merged, but the task board still shows it under review. With the code integrated, moving it to done might seem reasonable. Yet the merge record alone cannot tell us whether everything requested is finished.
Marblo separates code integration from task completion. A merge records that code was combined. Deciding whether the requirements are satisfied also takes evidence from verifying the combined result and a check for remaining work.
Before marking a task complete, we verify the result after merging and keep a signed record. Tickets with follow-up work remain under review even after their code has merged. This gate can also stop conservatively: we have had cases where no work remained, yet someone still had to check again.
Verify the combined result again
Even when individual changes pass verification, the combined result needs another check against the requirements. Verification before a merge and confirmation afterward assess the work at different points.
Part 6 on Merge Train described grouping verified PRs, running CI, and integrating them. After integration, verification of the combined result and the completion decision still follow.
Marblo places a gate before completion that requires a signed record of this verification. The principle is to consider both the record of code integration and the evidence that the result was verified.
Keep tickets under review when follow-up work remains
If a ticket still requires confirmation or follow-up work after its code is integrated, it stays in REVIEW. Moving it to DONE requires checking the remaining requirements too.
| What has been confirmed | What it means for completion |
|---|---|
| The PR has merged | Code is integrated. Requirement fulfillment still needs confirmation. |
| The combined result was verified and a signed record kept | Verification evidence is available for the integrated result. Remaining work also needs a check. |
| Follow-up work remains | The ticket stays under review regardless of merge status. |
As Part 8 on risk-based independent testers described, important changes receive a separate verifier. Even when verification follows different paths according to risk, the completion decision must consider the requirements and the result.
Limitation: completion can stay blocked when no work remains
This gate is conservative. We have encountered cases where an earlier status remained and prevented completion even though there was nothing left to do. We are still fixing this problem. A ticket remaining under review does not, by itself, establish that implementation is unfinished.
Stopping on the safe side has a cost. Someone must check whether work actually remains or whether the status has failed to catch up with work already finished. Holding back the completion marker also adds effort to keeping the board accurate and deciding what needs attention.
The remaining task is to reduce unnecessary stops caused by stale status while preserving the distinction between integration and completion. The current gate does not always make that distinction correctly.
What to look for on the board
When a merged ticket remains under review, look at whether verification of the combined result is finished and whether any requirements remain open. Distinguishing pending verification or follow-up work from a stale status helps determine the next action.
The closed loop in Part 1 connected assignment, verification, review, and merging. At the end of that flow, a completion marker should mean the result has been confirmed. As we balance clearing the board with confirming that the requested work is finished, we are also examining the cost of that confirmation.
In this series
- Marblo Build Notes 1: The Closed Loop Release
- Marblo Build Notes 6: Merge Train
- Marblo Build Notes 8: Risk-Based Independent Testers
Wrapping up
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