# Identify Bottlenecks ## Identify Bottlenecks with Haystack {% embed url="" %} Engineering teams often find themselves running in circles instead of shipping features. Haystack helps pinpoint exactly where work gets stuck, whether it's lengthy code reviews or complex handoffs. Instead of waiting for retrospectives to discover bottlenecks, teams can access real-time insights to maintain smooth workflows and consistent shipping - preventing small delays from turning into missed deadlines. #### Understanding Historical Patterns Every engineering team has its unique story, workflows, and challenges. Before drawing conclusions, it's essential to examine what your specific data reveals about your team's patterns. Start with three [fundamental metrics](https://help.usehaystack.io/features/list-of-all-metrics): * Issue cycle time * Bug resolution time * Issue time in status #### Setting Up Early Warning Systems Once you understand your team's baseline Once you understand your teams benchmarks on these metrics, you can: * [Configure SLAs](https://help.usehaystack.io/setup/teams/slas) for bugs and time-bound issues * [Configure Issue risks](https://help.usehaystack.io/setup/teams/risks) for all types of work * [Configure PR risks](https://help.usehaystack.io/features/pull-requests) including review time and activity metrics #### Taking Action on Insights Haystack provides real-time visibility into tasks that need attention through: * Visual alert indicators for issues exceeding thresholds * Detailed context for each flagged item * Easy filtering options to focus on at-risk issues #### Best Practices for Success * Configure meaningful alerts that balance urgency with team capacity * Use data to drive discussions, not assign blame * Focus on steady, continuous improvement With these tools and practices in place, you'll be better equipped to keep your engineering team moving smoothly and shipping features on time.