lerianstudio/ring:dependency-mapping

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

---

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 |

---

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 |

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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 |

---

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." |

---

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. |

Cannot Be Overridden

The following requirements are NON-NEGOTIABLE:

| Requirement | Cannot Override Because | |-------------|------------------------| | Complete dependency inventory | Hidden dependencies cause surprise delays | | Owner assignment | Unowned dependencies are unmanaged | | External verification | Vendor assurance without evidence is unreliable | | Critical path protection | Critical path delays affect entire portfolio | | Cascade impact documentation | Unknown cascades become crisis |

If user insists on violating these:

1. Escalate to orchestrator
2. Do NOT proceed with incomplete mapping
3. Document the request and your refusal

---

Severity Calibration

When assessing dependency risks:

| Severity | Criteria | Examples | |----------|----------|----------| | CRITICAL | On critical path, no slack, high impact | Core API dependency blocking 3+ projects, vendor at risk of bankruptcy | | HIGH | < 1 week slack, significant impact | Integration dependency with tight timeline, key resource dependency | | MEDIUM | 1-4 weeks slack, moderate impact | Supporting service dependency, documentation dependency | | LOW | > 4 weeks slack, minor impact | Nice-to-have integration, optional feature dependency |

Track all severities. Actively manage CRITICAL and HIGH.

---

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]

---

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 |

---

When Dependency Mapping Is Not Needed

<MANDATORY> MUST: Dependency mapping is minimal only when all conditions are met: </MANDATORY>

| Condition | Verification | |-----------|-------------| | Single isolated project | Verify no cross-project dependencies | | No external dependencies | Confirm all resources internal | | No shared resources | Verify team is dedicated | | Previous mapping is current (<30 days) | Reference existing map |

MUST: Full dependency mapping REQUIRED for the following conditions:

| Condition | Why Required | |-----------|-------------| | Multiple projects share resources | Resource conflicts cause delays | | External vendor dependencies exist | Vendor delays cascade to projects | | Integration points between projects | Technical dependencies create coupling | | New project added to portfolio | Impact on existing dependencies unknown | | Critical milestone approaching | Risk assessment needs current dependencies |

MUST: When in doubt, update the dependency map. Stale dependency information causes crisis.