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Managing Dependencies Between Scrum Teams

dependencies scrum-at-scale management

“We can’t start this task because the API team hasn’t delivered the endpoint yet.” If this is a frequent conversation on your team, dependencies are blocking your agility.

Types of Dependencies

Team Dependency

“We need Squad B to build the checkout frontend.”

Technical Dependency

“This feature depends on the database migration.”

Knowledge Dependency

“Only Ana knows how the fraud module works.”

External Dependency

“Waiting for the partner’s API to become available.”

Strategy 1: Eliminate Dependencies

The best way to manage dependencies is to not have them.

Before: “Squad A builds the frontend, Squad B builds the API.” After: “Squad A owns checkout end-to-end (frontend + API).”

Cross-functional teams naturally reduce dependencies.

Strategy 2: Align Proactively

Don’t wait for the sprint to start to discover dependencies:

During refinement

  • “Does this task depend on something from another team?”
  • “If so, have we already talked to them?”
  • “Do they have capacity in the same sprint?”

During sprint planning

  • Make dependencies explicit on the board: “Depends on: Squad B — /payments endpoint”
  • Assign a point of contact on the dependent team

Strategy 3: API Contracts First

If Squad A needs an API from Squad B:

  1. Define the contract together — schema, endpoints, response types
  2. Mock the contract — Squad A develops against a mock
  3. Develop in parallel — both squads work simultaneously
  4. Integrate when ready — swap the mock for the real API

This eliminates the “waiting on the other team” problem.

Strategy 4: Feature Teams vs. Component Teams

Component teams (creates dependencies)

  • Squad A: Frontend
  • Squad B: Backend
  • Squad C: Database

A feature needs all 3 squads → guaranteed dependency.

Feature teams (reduces dependencies)

  • Squad 1: Checkout end-to-end
  • Squad 2: Catalog end-to-end
  • Squad 3: Users end-to-end

Each squad delivers end-to-end → dependencies minimized.

Visual Tools

Dependencies: Squads and Dependencies

Dependency Metrics

  • Block time — hours/days that items were stuck waiting for another team
  • % of blocked deliveries — how many sprint items experienced dependencies
  • Dependency SLA — agreements between teams: “if we request by Monday, delivery by Wednesday”

When Dependency Is Unavoidable

  1. Document it — write the dependency on the board
  2. Notify early — don’t wait until the day you need it
  3. Have a plan B — “if Squad B doesn’t deliver, we can do X”
  4. Escalate if necessary — Scrum Masters negotiate across teams

Conclusion

Dependencies between teams are agility’s greatest enemy at scale. Eliminate them with cross-functional teams, align them proactively, and mitigate them with mocks and contracts. Every dependency removed is speed recovered.