Understanding Wait Time

Wait time measures how long tasks spend idle — not being actively worked on. Stride tracks two types:

• Backlog Wait: Time from task creation until an agent claims it
• Review Wait: Time from task completion until a reviewer approves it

Wait time reveals bottlenecks in your workflow that slow down delivery.

From the metrics dashboard, click Wait Time to see the detailed view. You can also navigate directly from the board by going to Metrics → Wait Time.

The wait time tables show both backlog wait and review wait. Look for:

• High backlog wait: Tasks are created but not being picked up — you may need more agents or better prioritization
• High review wait: Completed work is stuck waiting for approval — reviewers may be a bottleneck
• Trends: Are wait times improving or getting worse over time?

To reduce backlog wait:

• Keep the backlog prioritized so agents always have clear next tasks
• Ensure tasks have complete descriptions so agents can start immediately
• Match task capabilities to available agents

To reduce review wait:

• Set aside regular time for reviewing completed work
• Consider setting needs_review: false for low-risk tasks
• Use notifications to stay informed when tasks enter review