The best way to minimize dependencies between the Scrum Teams is to work with the Developers on how to best analyze and break apart the work. This is because:
The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment in every Sprint. They must ensure that every Product Backlog item they work on meets the Definition of Done before it is considered complete.
The Developers are self-managing professionals who organize and manage their own work. They decide how to best accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the Scrum Team.
The Developers are cross-functional, meaning they have all the skills and competencies needed to accomplish the work without depending on others who are not part of the team.
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. They are responsible for identifying and articulating the Product Goal, which is a long-term objective for the product that guides all the activities of the Scrum Team.
The Product Owner is the sole person responsible for managing the Product Backlog, which is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product. They must ensure that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible, and understood by everyone who needs to work on it.
The Product Owner and the Developers must collaborate closely throughout the Sprint to ensure that they have a shared understanding of what they are building and why. The Product Owner must provide clarifications, feedback, and guidance to the Developers as needed to help them create a valuable Increment.
When there are multiple teams working on one product, it is important to minimize dependencies between them to avoid delays, conflicts, or waste. Dependencies may arise due to technical, functional, or organizational factors that affect how the teams can deliver value independently and effectively.
To minimize dependencies, the Product Owner should work with the Developers on how to best analyze and break apart the work into smaller and more manageable pieces that can be delivered by each team without relying on others. This may involve applying techniques such as feature slicing, component splitting, or domain-driven design. The Product Owner should also communicate and coordinate with other Product Owners and stakeholders to align expectations and priorities across teams.
Other options, such as creating an independent Product Backlog per Scrum Team, dividing Product Backlog items among six Product Owners, identifying the dependencies and re-ordering the Product Backlog for the other five Product Owners, or raising this as an impediment with the Scrum Master, are not valid answers as they do not reflect how to minimize dependencies between the Scrum Teams or how to apply the Scrum values and principles.
