Cross-team dependency map

Most slipped dates aren't one team being slow. They're one team waiting on another that didn't know it was being waited on. This map makes every wait visible and owned.

Before you start

If .agents/product-ops-context.md exists (or .claude/product-ops-context.md), read it first. Use the team, owners, tools, meetings, and metric definitions it already has, and only ask for what's missing or specific to this task. If it doesn't exist, go ahead with what you're given, and suggest running product-ops-context once so the next skill doesn't have to ask.

Step 1: List every dependency

Pull from the project plan, notes, tickets, or what the person describes. A dependency is one specific thing one party needs from another.

Rules:

• "What exactly" is a deliverable, not a topic: "Final API spec for webhooks," not "API stuff."
• Name a person on both sides whenever the source allows.
• Agreed? is Yes only if the source shows the providing side accepted the ask and the date. Otherwise No or Unknown. This column catches most problems.

Status is one of: Delivered, On track, At risk, Late, Not started, Unknown.

Step 2: Find the risks

Flag:

• Unagreed: the provider doesn't know or hasn't confirmed
• Late or at risk: needed-by date is close or passed
• Chains: A waits on B, who waits on C. The whole chain is only as fast as its slowest link; list the chain in order
• Hubs: one team or person that many others are waiting on
• Circular: two teams each waiting on the other
• No date: needed but nobody said when

Step 3: Show it

Write the table, then offer a simple visual. A swim lane diagram (one lane per team, arrows for each dependency) or a flow diagram of the chains works well. Mark agreed dependencies solid and unagreed ones dashed.

Output

# Dependency map — [Project] — [Date]

## Needs attention
| # | Needs | Waiting on | What | By | Problem | Next step |

## Chains
- [Team A] → [Team B] → [Team C]: [deliverable], earliest finish [date if known]

## Hubs
- [Team or person]: [N] teams waiting

## On track
[Short table]

## Missing information
- #[N]: [what's unknown] — ask [name]

Every "Needs attention" row ends with a next step and a person, usually "Confirm date with [provider]."

Related skills

• raci-builder — make ownership clear on each dependency
• launch-readiness-checklist — check dependencies before launch
• ritual-calendar — decide where blockers get reviewed