Dependency mapping template

It's important to be as comprehensive as possible in this section to avoid blind spots and possible downfalls. List all of the internal and external factors that you can think of that will affect your work, especially those that depend on other team members or stakeholders to complete before moving on to the next task.

Each dependency falls under one of the categories below.

In team’s control – Your team has complete control over these tasks and is able to direct particular people, situations, and activities like creating a product roadmap.

Team can influence – Your team has some control over these tasks. For instance, you might need deliverables from other teams and stakeholders but can’t necessarily control when they should do it. Instead, you might give them a due date for the deliverable.

Out of team’s control – Your team has absolutely no control over these factors. A good example is government regulations that you must follow for legal reasons.

Once you've organized them all, break down each dependency by defining its owner and next step. The ‘Owner’ is the main point of contact for a particular task who would also lead each mitigation plan. The ‘Next Step’ is how the owner will respond to any problems if it actually happens.