Policy : Minimise Dependencies

Commitment to Flow and Autonomy
We believe that dependencies slow teams down, create handoffs, and increase the risk of misalignment. By minimising dependencies, we empower teams to move faster, learn quicker, and own outcomes end-to-end. Reducing reliance on others is not about isolation—it is about structuring work and systems so collaboration adds value rather than creating bottlenecks.

What This Means
Dependencies cannot be eliminated entirely, but they can and must be managed deliberately. We expect teams to identify and reduce unnecessary dependencies, design for autonomy, and coordinate effectively when collaboration is essential.

Our commitment to minimising dependencies is built on:

  • Team Autonomy – Structuring teams to own outcomes without constant reliance on other groups.
  • Decoupled Architecture – Designing systems and processes that reduce technical and organisational coupling.
  • End-to-End Ownership – Ensuring teams have the skills, tools, and authority to deliver independently.
  • Clear Interfaces – Defining explicit boundaries and contracts where dependencies are unavoidable.
  • Lean Collaboration – Coordinating only where it adds value, avoiding unnecessary meetings, approvals, or handoffs.

Why This Matters
When dependencies dominate, work slows, quality suffers, and accountability weakens. Teams lose momentum waiting on others, and miscommunication increases risk. By minimising dependencies, we accelerate flow, strengthen ownership, and create more resilient pathways to delivering value.

Our Expectation
All product teams must design their work and systems to minimise dependencies. Teams are expected to raise and address dependency risks early, while leaders are expected to support team autonomy and remove structural blockers.

To support this policy, practices and frameworks will be introduced that help teams map, manage, and reduce dependencies across the organisation. By minimising dependencies, we unlock Better Value Sooner Safer Happier, enabling teams to deliver outcomes faster, safer, and with greater confidence.

This policy establishes a culture of autonomy and flow while empowering teams to collaborate deliberately and effectively.

See Also

This policy is part of a cross-cutting concept. Read the full picture: → [[Dependency Management]]

Related policies in other domains:

  • [[Minimise Dependency Drag]] — Leadership
  • [[Make Work Visible and Limit WIP]] — Agile