Feedback Ladders: How We Encode Code Reviews at Netlify

Netlify's UX team developed a shared terminology for code reviews called the Feedback Ladder, which helps establish standards and improves communication among developers. The ladder has five levels: Mountain (blocking and requires immediate action), Boulder (blocking but doesn't require immediate action), Pebble (non-blocking but requires future action), Sand (non-blocking but requires future consideration), and Dust (non-blocking, "take it or leave it"). This system helps teams convey the severity of feedback in a concise manner, reducing communication issues and increasing shipping velocity.