Dependency Mapping Skill

Systematic identification and management of cross-project dependencies.

Purpose

This skill provides a framework for:

• Dependency identification
• Dependency classification
• Impact analysis
• Critical path identification
• Dependency tracking and management

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Prerequisites

Before dependency mapping, ensure:

Prerequisite	Required For	Source
Project schedules	Timeline analysis	Project managers
Project deliverables	Dependency identification	Project plans
External contracts	Vendor dependencies	Procurement
Integration points	Technical dependencies	Architecture

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Dependency Types

Internal Dependencies

Type	Definition	Example
Finish-to-Start (FS)	B starts when A finishes	Development → Testing
Start-to-Start (SS)	B starts when A starts	Parallel workstreams
Finish-to-Finish (FF)	B finishes when A finishes	Code freeze → Doc freeze
Start-to-Finish (SF)	B finishes when A starts	Rare, shift handoff

External Dependencies

Type	Definition	Risk Level
Vendor	Third-party delivery	Medium-High
Regulatory	Approval or certification	High
Infrastructure	Environment availability	Medium
Integration	API or system availability	Medium-High
Resource	Shared resource availability	Medium

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Dependency Mapping Gates

Gate 1: Dependency Identification

Objective: Identify all dependencies across portfolio

Actions:

1. Review project schedules for cross-project links
2. Interview project managers
3. Document deliverable handoffs
4. Identify external dependencies

Identification Questions:

• What does this project need from other projects?
• What does this project provide to other projects?
• What external inputs are needed?
• What must be complete before this can start?

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/dependency-inventory.md

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Gate 2: Dependency Classification

Objective: Classify dependencies by type and criticality

Actions:

1. Classify by dependency type (FS, SS, FF, SF)
2. Classify by source (internal/external)
3. Assess criticality (critical path/slack)
4. Document constraints and assumptions

Criticality Assessment:

Level	Criteria	Management
Critical	On critical path, no slack	Daily monitoring
High	< 1 week slack	Weekly monitoring
Medium	1-4 weeks slack	Bi-weekly monitoring
Low	> 4 weeks slack	Monthly monitoring

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/dependency-classification.md

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Gate 3: Impact Analysis

Objective: Understand impact of dependency failure

Actions:

1. Analyze schedule impact
2. Analyze cost impact
3. Identify cascade effects
4. Document mitigation options

Impact Assessment Template:

Dependency	If Delayed By	Schedule Impact	Cost Impact	Cascade To
[Dep]	1 week	[Impact]	[Impact]	[Projects]
[Dep]	2 weeks	[Impact]	[Impact]	[Projects]
[Dep]	1 month	[Impact]	[Impact]	[Projects]

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/dependency-impact.md

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Gate 4: Critical Path Analysis

Objective: Identify and protect the critical path

Actions:

1. Map critical path across projects
2. Identify dependencies on critical path
3. Analyze buffer/slack
4. Recommend protection measures

Critical Path Visualization:

Project A: [Task A1] → [Task A2] → [Deliverable A]
                                          ↓
Project B:                        [Task B1] → [Task B2] → [Deliverable B]
                                                                  ↓
Project C:                                               [Task C1] → [Task C2] → [Final]

Protection Measures:

• Buffer allocation
• Parallel path development
• Early warning triggers
• Contingency plans

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/critical-path-analysis.md

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Gate 5: Dependency Tracking Plan

Objective: Create ongoing tracking and management plan

Actions:

1. Define tracking frequency per criticality
2. Assign dependency owners
3. Create communication plan
4. Define escalation triggers

Tracking Template:

Dependency	Owner	Update Freq	Status	Next Milestone	Risk
[Dep]	[Owner]	[Freq]	[Status]	[Date: Milestone]	[Risk]

Escalation Triggers:

• Critical dependency at risk
• External dependency delayed
• Cascade impact identified
• Owner not responding

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/dependency-tracking-plan.md

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Anti-Rationalization Table

See shared-patterns/anti-rationalization.md for universal anti-rationalizations.

Dependency-Specific Anti-Rationalizations

Rationalization	Why It's WRONG	Required Action
"We've documented the main dependencies"	Undocumented dependencies cause surprise delays.	Document ALL dependencies
"That's a soft dependency, not critical"	Soft dependencies become hard when they fail.	Classify and track all
"External vendor always delivers"	Past performance ≠ future guarantee.	Track and verify externals
"Projects will coordinate directly"	Ad-hoc coordination fails under pressure.	Formal tracking required

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Pressure Resistance

See shared-patterns/pressure-resistance.md for universal pressure scenarios.

Dependency-Specific Pressures

Pressure Type	Request	Agent Response
"We trust the other team, don't track"	"Trust doesn't prevent delays. Tracking enables early action."
"Too many dependencies to track"	"Complexity requires MORE tracking, not less. Will prioritize by criticality."
"Vendor said it's on track"	"Vendor assurance needs verification. Confirming with evidence."

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Blocker Criteria - STOP and Report

ALWAYS pause and report blocker for:

Situation	Required Action
Critical dependency at risk	STOP. Immediate escalation. Cascade impact pending.
Circular dependency identified	STOP. Architectural issue requires resolution.
External dependency failed	STOP. Contingency activation required.
Dependency owner unresponsive	STOP. Escalate for owner assignment.

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Output Format

Dependency Map Summary

# Cross-Project Dependency Map - [Date]

## Dependency Overview

| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| Total Dependencies | N |
| Internal | N |
| External | N |
| On Critical Path | N |
| At Risk | N |

## Dependency Matrix

| From Project | To Project | Dependency | Type | Criticality | Status |
|--------------|------------|------------|------|-------------|--------|
| [Project] | [Project] | [Description] | [FS/SS/FF/SF] | [Crit/High/Med/Low] | [On Track/At Risk/Blocked] |

## Critical Path Dependencies

[Visual representation of critical path]

## External Dependencies

| Vendor/Source | Dependency | Due Date | Status | Contingency |
|---------------|------------|----------|--------|-------------|
| [Vendor] | [Dependency] | [Date] | [Status] | [Plan] |

## At-Risk Dependencies

| Dependency | Risk | Impact | Mitigation |
|------------|------|--------|------------|
| [Dep] | [Risk description] | [Impact] | [Mitigation] |

## Recommendations

1. [Recommendation with rationale]
2. [Recommendation with rationale]

## Decisions Required

1. [Decision needed with options]

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Execution Report

Base metrics per shared-patterns/execution-report.md:

Metric	Value
Analysis Date	YYYY-MM-DD
Scope	[Portfolio/Projects]
Duration	Xh Ym
Result	COMPLETE/PARTIAL/BLOCKED

Dependency-Specific Details

Metric	Value
dependencies_total	N
critical_path_deps	N
external_deps	N
at_risk_deps	N