VS-07
Transitively Blocked Node — Indirect Dependency Chain
Value Stream Graph
Default severity: medium
PrioritizationProcessOutputRisk
What it detects
A node is not directly blocked but a node upstream in its dependency chain is blocked or has an unresolved issue — the blockage will propagate downstream when the directly blocked node becomes relevant. Detected via transitive graph traversal.
Detection formula
FOR each_issue I NOT directly blocked: upstream_path = all_ancestors(I, via dependency edges) blocked_ancestors = \[N FOR N IN upstream_path IF N is VS-06 blocked\] IF COUNT(blocked_ancestors) > 0 THEN FLAG transitively_blocked Report: blocking_chain = path from I back to root blocker Severity = Critical if I.status IN active, High if plannedExamples in practice
- Dependency links or initiative graph paths are missing, cyclic, or blocked.
- Downstream work waits on unresolved upstream dependencies.
- A team shows a node is not directly blocked but a node upstream in its dependency chain is blocked or has an unresolved issue during analysis.
Suggested response
Repair dependency and initiative graph links so delivery paths and handoffs are explicit.
Coaching playbook
Symptom
A node is not directly blocked but a node upstream in its dependency chain is blocked or has an unresolved issue — the blockage will propagate downstream when the directly blocked node becomes relevant. Detected via transitive graph traversal.
Why it matters
When "Transitively Blocked Node — Indirect Dependency Chain" keeps appearing, the team is signalling a repeatable process gap. Left unexamined, the pattern hides where work really stalls and makes improvement metrics harder to trust.
What you can achieve
Repair dependency and initiative graph links so delivery paths and handoffs are explicit.
Facilitation questions
- What system change would stop "Transitively Blocked Node — Indirect Dependency Chain" from firing again?
- What do the cited issues have in common — same root cause or same workaround?
- Who owns the two-week experiment and how will we verify on the next import?
Run this rule against your own tracker data with Flow Analyzer.