Signal reviewers who have commented on the MR
Problem to solve
As part of Problem validation for blocking approval we identified this problem:
Clearly inform other stakeholders about my stance towards the changes. The “absence of approval” is not necessarily a rejection, it could be that I haven't reviewed it yet, I'm in the process of reviewing, I need to consult with someone else before reviewing, I don't know how to reproduce the changes, etc. “Absence of approval” is ambiguous because it can mean many different things. One way to disambiguate is to go through the conversation, looking for reviewer's X last comments. A clear signal about my stance makes communication clearer, thereby more effective and efficient.
Currently the only clear signal about a reviewer's stance is through their approval, although a reviewer may have just commented but not approved yet.
Proposal
From 13.3, we already list eligible approvers who have commented, but not approved, in the approvals widget (issue):
Similar to Signal reviewers who have approved the Merge Request on the Reviewers list, we would indicate which reviewers have commented, but not approved, with an icon next to their name in the MR sidebar.
Open questions
- What's the most appropriate icon?
- Does this signal ever disappear? For example, if a reviewer's attention is requested? Or only when the reviewer finally approves?
Intended users
Metrics
This page may contain information related to upcoming products, features and functionality. It is important to note that the information presented is for informational purposes only, so please do not rely on the information for purchasing or planning purposes. Just like with all projects, the items mentioned on the page are subject to change or delay, and the development, release, and timing of any products, features, or functionality remain at the sole discretion of GitLab Inc.