What is dependency management in a product?

Dependency management in a product is the process of managing relationships and dependencies between various components, modules, teams, or external factors that influence the development and release of the product. It helps in planning releases, minimizing risks of delays and conflicts, and effectively coordinating work.

For example, if one module of the product depends on the completion of another, the manager must consider this dependency when creating the roadmap to avoid launching tasks in parallel, which could lead to blockages. It also includes managing external dependencies — for instance, integration with third-party API services that may change their terms or interfaces.

Thus, dependency management helps ensure predictability and transparency in the development process, improves communication between teams, and reduces the risk of failures.