Dependency identification

Dependencies are sprint killers when discovered late. They block progress and frustrate teams. Proactive identification turns potential disasters into manageable coordination efforts. Map dependencies during planning, not development. Check for external team needs, API requirements, design approvals, and data migrations. Create visual dependency maps showing what blocks what.

ChatGPT excels at uncovering hidden dependencies. Describe your planned features and technical architecture. Ask it to identify potential blockers across different dimensions. Use this approach: "We're building a payment integration feature using Stripe. What technical, organizational, and external dependencies should we consider? Include edge cases and compliance requirements."

Document dependencies with owners and timelines. Communicate early with dependent teams. Build contingency plans for critical dependencies. Sometimes the best choice is sequencing work to minimize dependency impact.