Dependency wait
Also known as Dependency waiting time, Cross-team wait
Definition
Dependency wait is the elapsed period caused by a required input or action outside the item's current processing step. It is a specific form of queue or blocked time.
Waiting on another capability
Dependency wait begins when work cannot make its next transition without an external input. The dependency may be another team, an API contract, test data, an approval, or a production environment. The item can remain active in a broad sense while making no progress in its current step.
A concrete example
An illustrative team has completed its code but needs a platform team to provision a queue. The request waits five business days before testing can start. Measuring that interval separately helps distinguish implementation time from coordination delay.
Reduce repeated waits
Classify dependencies and inspect their age. A recurring wait may justify clearer ownership, an interface change, a self-service capability, or a service-level expectation. Do not solve every dependency by adding a meeting; first identify the handoff that creates the queue.
Limitations
Dependency boundaries are often implicit. Timestamps may show a pause without showing its cause, and a single item may wait on several inputs. Validate the event history before assigning responsibility.
How this relates to Weave
Weave can help teams inspect delivery timelines and change relationships that suggest where dependency wait occurs. It does not know every non-repository dependency, so teams should confirm the cause and ownership in their planning or incident records.
Explore Engineering intelligence