Definition
A composite indicator of how much structural risk a dependence carries, defined as dependency depth multiplied by substitution cost multiplied by correction latency. Depth is counted in dependent workflows, substitution cost in staff-weeks to stand up an alternative, and correction latency in hours from a decision to intervene to the intervention taking effect, so the product is expressed in workflow staff-week hours and read as a trend.
It matters because the three factors are usually owned by different teams and never multiplied. A system can look acceptable on each factor alone and still leave the institution unable to act, which is exactly what dependency state tracking exists to surface.
Scale: Organizational · Phases: Deployment, Audit · Measurability: Fully measurable · Maturity: Active research
Adjacent terms
References