Project Dependency Agreement
The Project Dependency Agreement is a one-page working agreement for a cross-team handoff. Use its fictional completed example to define the deliverable, acceptance conditions, owners, review cadence, and escalation triggers before work is blocked.
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Overview
The Project Dependency Agreement is a one-page working agreement for one handoff between a team that needs something and a team that supplies it. Its fictional Northstar Analytics example shows a reporting prototype dependent on a validated sample dataset from Data Platform. The page explains what makes a request testable, then shows a completed agreement with the deliverable, delivery conditions, delivery point, acceptance check, change record, review cadence, and owner role for each commitment.
Use the template before dependent work begins, especially when a vague request could lead to rework, a missed handoff, or different assumptions about what “done” means. The example sets a weekly review until acceptance and names practical escalation triggers: an unmet delivery condition, a change in required scope, or a risk to the delivery point. It also shows who raises an issue, who records the decision, and when the matter may need the project sponsor’s authority.
Adapt the sample to one real dependency at a time. Confirm the deliverable and its location with the supplying team, make acceptance verifiable by the requesting team, assign owners by role, and agree how changes will be recorded. The fictional field count, team names, and workspace are examples, not defaults. This page is not a project timeline, automated workflow, formal sign-off, or substitute for governance, contractual terms, or policies required for sensitive or regulated work. Do not use it as the only plan for coordinating a multi-team project with many dependencies.
Standards & compliance context
- Treat this page as a working coordination aid, not as evidence of legal, regulatory, contractual, or security compliance.
- If the handoff includes personal, confidential, or regulated data, confirm applicable handling, access, retention, and review requirements with the appropriate organizational owner before documenting or transferring it.
- Keep the agreement accessible to its intended readers and use clear headings and descriptive language; follow WCAG 2.1 AA when publishing it in a restricted or employee-facing intranet.
- Preserve the organization’s authoritative governance and escalation routes; the fictional sponsor handoff is not a substitute for a confirmed project-specific process.
General regulatory context for orientation only — verify current requirements with counsel or the relevant agency before relying on this template for compliance.
What's inside this template
Make a dependency explicit before it becomes a surprise
This introduction establishes the agreement’s purpose and distinguishes one handoff from a project timeline.
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A working agreement between a team that needs something and the team that provides it A dependency agreement is a short, shared record of one handoff between two teams. It is not a project timeline . It answers four questions: what is needed, what must be true for it to count as delivered, who owns each commitment, and when to raise it with both team leads. The example on this page is fictional. Northstar Analytics is building a reporting prototype and depends on the Data Platform team for a validated sample dataset. Every section below shows how that one agreement is written.
What a complete agreement contains
These reference points identify the deliverable, acceptance conditions, role ownership, and escalation trigger a usable agreement should make clear.
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A static summary of the essentials. These are reference points for writing the agreement, not checkboxes, a certification or a sign-off. A defined deliverable: what is handed over, in what form, and where it will be found Acceptance conditions the requesting team can verify when it receives the deliverable Role-based ownership: who requests, who supplies, and who records changes An agreed escalation trigger that names the point at which both team leads are brought in
What is needed, and the conditions for delivery
The paired examples show how to turn an ambiguous request into a handoff that teams can locate and verify.
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A request is testable when someone other than the author can say whether it has been met. Vague request "Send the data when it's ready." Neither team can tell when the handoff has happened or whether it is usable. No named fields, so the supplier guesses what is meant No delivery location, so the requester has to chase No acceptance test, so problems appear after the prototype is built Testable handoff "Data Platform provides a sample dataset with the agreed fields, in the shared project workspace, after both teams confirm the field definitions." Fields are listed by name and meaning before work starts The delivery location is the shared project workspace Northstar Analytics checks that the agreed fields are present and that the field definitions match before accepting
Worked example: the completed agreement
The table demonstrates how to assign an owner role to each commitment in a fictional dataset handoff.
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Fictional sample for the Northstar Analytics reporting prototype. Dates are left relative so the sample does not imply a real schedule. Commitment What it says Owner role Deliverable Validated sample dataset with the 12 agreed fields, delivered as one file Supplying-team lead Delivery condition Both teams have confirmed the field definitions in writing before extraction starts Both team leads Delivery point Shared project workspace, in the folder named for the prototype Acceptance Requesting team checks fields and definitions against the agreed list and replies accepted or not accepted Requesting-team lead Change record Any change to fields, format or delivery point is written into the agreement with its impact Project coordinator Review Both leads look at the agreement at each weekly project sync until delivery is accepted
Find the people in each role
This section is intended to help readers connect agreement roles to the people responsible in their own context.
Escalation triggers and the next handoff
The example explains when to raise a dependency, who records the decision, and how the next action is agreed.
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Raise it with both team leads together, early, and in writing An escalation is a prompt to decide, not an accusation. Agree the triggers when the agreement is written, so nobody has to decide in the moment whether a problem is big enough to mention. Raise the dependency when any of these happens The delivery condition cannot be met, for example the field definitions are still unconfirmed on the day extraction was due to start. The required scope changes, for example the requesting team adds fields that were not in the agreement. The delivery point is at risk, for example the shared workspace folder is moved or access is withdrawn. Example Midway through the work, Data Platform finds that the "customer segment" field is defined differently in two source systems. That is a field definition changing after agreement . The supplying-team lead tells both leads the same day, work on that field pauses, and the project coordinator records the options and their impact on the prototype. The requesting team decides whether to accept the revised definition, change the request or move the delivery point. The request is never changed silently. Who does what Whoever notices the trigger posts it to both team leads in the project channel. The project coordinator convenes the discussion and records the decision in the agreement. The team leads decide the change and update their own plans. If a decision needs more authority than the two leads hold, the project coordinator takes it to whoever sponsors the project, as set out in your project's governance.
How to use this template
- Copy the page and replace the fictional teams, deliverable, field details, and workspace location with facts both teams have confirmed.
- Write the delivery conditions and acceptance check so another person can verify whether the handoff is ready and usable.
- Assign an owner role to each commitment, name the project coordinator responsible for recording changes, and agree how often both leads will review the agreement.
- Share the agreement with the requesting and supplying teams before dependent work starts, and ask both leads to confirm the conditions and escalation triggers.
- At each agreed review, check delivery status and record any change to scope, format, definitions, or delivery point with its impact.
- When a trigger occurs, notify both leads, pause or adjust affected work as needed, record the decision, and have the requesting lead document acceptance or non-acceptance.
Best practices
- Describe the deliverable by its contents, format, and destination rather than using phrases such as “send it when ready.”
- Write acceptance conditions as checks the requesting team can perform against the agreed deliverable.
- Confirm prerequisites, such as written field definitions, before the supplying team starts work that depends on them.
- Assign owners by role so the agreement remains usable when individual team members change.
- Agree escalation triggers in advance and state that the person who notices one informs both team leads.
- Record every change to scope, format, definitions, or delivery point alongside its impact on the dependent work.
- Review the agreement at the stated cadence until the requester records acceptance, then close or archive it according to project practice.
What this template typically catches
Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:
Common use cases
Frequently asked questions
What kind of dependency should this agreement cover?
Use it for one specific handoff between a requesting team and a supplying team, such as a dataset needed for a prototype. It is designed to clarify what is being delivered, where it will be delivered, how the requester will check it, and who owns each commitment. It is not a project timeline or a replacement for a broader project plan.
How often should the teams review the agreement?
The fictional example reviews the agreement at each weekly project sync until the deliverable is accepted. Set a cadence that matches the dependency’s pace and risk, and revisit it sooner if scope, delivery conditions, or the delivery point changes. Stop the recurring review once acceptance is recorded, unless your project needs a follow-up.
Who should own and maintain the agreement?
Assign the supplying-team lead to the deliverable and delivery point, the requesting-team lead to acceptance, both leads to shared delivery conditions, and a project coordinator to the change record and review. The person who notices an escalation trigger raises it with both leads. Use role names rather than relying on one person’s memory or availability.
Does using this template meet a regulatory or contractual requirement?
The page is a practical working agreement, not a certification, legal instrument, or claim of regulatory compliance. It can help teams document responsibilities and acceptance conditions, but applicable obligations depend on your organization, data, contracts, and jurisdiction. Have the appropriate governance or legal owner review it when the dependency carries regulated, sensitive, or contractual requirements.
What is a common mistake when writing the agreement?
A vague request such as “send the data when it’s ready” gives neither team a test for completion. Name the deliverable, its format and location, the conditions that must be true before work begins, and the requester’s acceptance check. Record any agreed change instead of allowing scope or definitions to shift silently.
What should we customize in the fictional Northstar example?
Replace the sample teams, deliverable, fields, workspace location, and owner roles with facts confirmed by the teams involved. Define acceptance in observable terms and set a real review cadence and escalation route. The sample’s 12 fields and shared project workspace are illustrative, not recommended defaults.
Does the template connect to project tools or create approvals?
No connected project system, automated workflow, or approval mechanism is shown in the supplied page. The agreement is a static reference example that teams can adapt to their own project workspace and record-keeping practices. If you need a live integration or formal approval, confirm that capability and configure it separately.
How does this improve on handling a dependency informally?
An informal message may leave the delivery conditions, acceptance test, owner, or change history unclear. This template puts those commitments in one shared record and makes escalation triggers explicit before a problem occurs. It works best when both teams review and update the same authoritative agreement rather than keeping competing copies.
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Rolled out to every employee at AutoZone (125,000), PetSmart (50,000+), A.S. Watson and Raley's (20,000) — and at larger retailers we are not permitted to name.
