Research question

A method for measuring dependency age, ownership, and blocks.

Population and evidence

Define the population from a fixed export and record the query date, filters, source, and exclusions. Sample across teams, owners, and exception states.

Method

Apply a short checklist and test it on a calibration sample. Record reviewer disagreement and revise definitions. Separate preparation from judgment: the reviewer classifies and routes; the authorized owner decides.

Limitations

The review describes the sampled records, not the whole population. A closed status is not proof of resolution. Report denominators and assign corrective actions an owner and retest date.

Practical use

Use one bounded review to improve a workflow, then retest. Dependency aging is interpretable only when the start event, ownership, waiting states, and exclusions are defined.