Backlog items that are dependent on other backlog items compromise and limit rapid decision making, fast delivery and strategic alignment by not…

Dependencies in a backlog force work to be done in a specific sequence, often creating large, interconnected batches. This prevents the delivery of small, independent increments of value. The core agile principle of learning and adapting through rapid feedback is compromised because feedback can only be gathered after the entire chain of dependent items is complete. This delay in learning hinders rapid decision-making, slows down overall delivery cadence, and risks misalignment with evolving strategic goals, as adjustments cannot be made based on timely stakeholder input.

B. Daily standups: Daily standups are a mechanism to identify and manage impediments like dependencies, not the principle being compromised by their existence.

C. Retrospectives: Retrospectives are events for process improvement where the negative impact of dependencies might be discussed, not the concept being limited by them.

D. Thinking like a customer: While crucial, dependencies are often technical or organizational constraints that can exist even when a team is focused on customer value.

1. International Institute of Business Analysis. (2017). Agile Extension to the BABOK® Guide

Version 2.

Section 4.3.3

Learn through Feedback and Retrospection: "Agile business analysis practitioners seek to enable a continuous flow of value to the customer... This is accomplished through frequent feedback loops which enable the team to deliver something of value

get feedback on that value

and then adapt their future work based on that feedback." Dependencies directly inhibit this "frequent" aspect.

Section 3.2.5

Understand What is Doable: "Dependencies between backlog items limit the ability to choose the order in which to deliver them." This limitation is what breaks the ability to create fast feedback loops by delivering small

independent items.

Section 7.4.3

Backlog Refinement

.2 Elements: "Dependencies: Business analysis practitioners identify and analyze dependencies between backlog items. Dependencies may constrain the options for sequencing work." This constraint directly impacts the ability to deliver incrementally and get feedback.