In today’s fast-paced Agile environments, multiple teams often work concurrently to build different pieces of a larger product or service. While Agile methodologies empower self-organizing teams to move swiftly, dependencies between teams can complicate the process and stall progress. The challenge is clear: how do you ensure that one team’s progress doesn’t block another’s and that cross-team collaboration flows seamlessly? In this article, we’ll explore practical strategies for identifying, planning, and resolving dependencies among Agile teams, helping you deliver value more efficiently and harmoniously.
What Are Dependencies in an Agile Context?
A dependency arises when one team requires something—be it functionality, information, or a specific resource—from another team to advance its own work. Common examples include:
- Shared Services: One team may need an API developed by another to integrate a new feature.
- Technical Constraints: A user interface team might rely on the back-end team for essential data endpoints.
- Shared Environments: Multiple teams deploying to the same staging area can create bottlenecks.
- Cross-Cutting Requirements: Legal, security, or compliance checks that are managed by one group but impact several teams.
While Agile ideally promotes autonomous teams, real-world projects often involve interdependencies that must be managed effectively.
1. Identify Dependencies Early
Continuous Backlog Refinement
- Collaborative Backlog Grooming: Regularly bring representatives from different teams together to review upcoming work. This helps surface shared tasks or potential data flow intersections early.
- Dependency Mapping: Use tools like Jira or Azure DevOps to visualize team backlogs on a single board, highlighting where tasks overlap.
- Tip: Encourage open communication—if one team anticipates needing a microservice from another, it’s best to mention it as soon as possible rather than waiting until planning day.
Product Owners in Sync
- Regular PO Sync Meetings: Product owners from different teams should meet frequently to align on roadmaps and uncover emerging dependencies.
- Shared Goals: Ensure that every product owner understands the overarching product vision, so they can spot overlaps and potential conflicts in scope.
2. Plan for Dependencies in Sprint or PI Planning
During Sprint Planning
- Cross-Team Collaboration: Invite representatives from related teams to sprint planning sessions to clarify how one team’s backlog items might impact another’s work.
- Dependency Stories: Create explicit “dependency stories” or “enabler stories” to make these cross-team tasks visible and trackable.
In Program Increment (PI) Planning
- Big-Room Planning: In a SAFe environment, bring multiple teams together for PI planning to map out the next 8–12 weeks.
- Dependency Boards: Use visual tools like dependency boards to highlight which tasks must be completed before others can proceed.
3. Establish Clear Ownership and Communication Channels
Define Clear Roles
- Technical Owners: Assign a point person for each shared component—this person becomes the go-to expert for any queries or updates.
- Business Owners: For dependencies driven by business requirements, designate a dedicated owner to clarify priorities and resolve conflicts quickly.
Communication Cadence
- Scrum of Scrums: Hold regular (weekly or bi-weekly) meetings where Scrum Masters or team leads discuss cross-team blockers and coordinate efforts.
- Dedicated Collaboration Channels: Use Slack channels or other collaboration tools to keep dependency-related communication transparent and asynchronous.
4. Use Short Feedback Loops
Frequent Integration
- Continuous Integration (CI): Encourage teams to integrate code frequently to catch compatibility issues early.
- Cross-Team Demos: Organize short demos where teams showcase new features or integrations, allowing for immediate feedback.
Automated Testing and Environments
- Shared Test Environment: Ensure that shared services have robust test environments with automated end-to-end tests.
- Feature Flags: Use feature toggles to isolate incomplete features, allowing teams to merge code without risking production instability.
5. Resolve Blockers Quickly
Prioritize Dependency-Related Work
- Swift Escalation: When a team is blocked waiting for another’s deliverable, escalate the issue to prioritize that task.
- Service-Level Agreements (SLAs): Consider internal SLAs that commit teams to specific turnaround times for dependency-related requests.
Avoid the “Dependency Spiral”
- Prevent scenarios where one team waits on another, which then waits on a third. Proactively resolve the most upstream dependency to keep the chain moving.
6. Promote Cross-Functional Teams Where Possible
Reduce Over-Specialization
- Full-Stack Teams: Build teams capable of handling both front-end and back-end tasks within the same sprint to reduce external dependencies.
- Shared Skill Sets: Encourage cross-training so team members can step in when another team’s deliverable is on the critical path.
Align Team Structures
- Vertical Slicing: Organize teams around features or domains rather than technical layers, minimizing handoffs and dependencies.
- Component vs. Feature Teams: When specialized teams are necessary, ensure dependencies remain visible and manageable through regular cross-team communication.
Real-World Example: Scaling a Banking Application
Context:
A financial institution runs multiple Agile teams on a banking application. One team manages user onboarding, another handles transaction services, and a third oversees authentication.
Challenges:
- The onboarding team depended on the authentication team for new identity-verification features.
- The transaction team waited on the onboarding team to finalize account creation flows.
Solution:
- Sprint Pre-Planning: All three teams held pre-planning sessions every two weeks to map out upcoming features using a shared digital board.
- Cross-Team Demos: Weekly demos allowed the authentication team to showcase their new verification API, enabling immediate integration by the onboarding team.
- Scrum of Scrums: Regular updates from Scrum Masters helped adjust sprint backlogs quickly if delays occurred.
Outcome:
Early identification of dependencies and open communication led to reduced blockers, maintained momentum, and smoother integration of new features.
Conclusion
Managing dependencies between Agile teams is essential for delivering a cohesive product on time. By proactively identifying where teams rely on one another, planning dependencies into sprints or program increments, and establishing clear communication channels, you can minimize delays and keep everyone aligned with the big picture. While dependencies can never be entirely eliminated, effective leadership, collaborative tools, and a culture of transparency ensure that these challenges remain manageable roadmaps to success. In today’s dynamic development environments, these strategies are key to delivering high-quality products that truly deliver value.