In short
Dependency tracking on a chip program fails at the boundaries between tools and between companies. Jira can link two tickets; it cannot link an IP vendor's email to the verification plan, or a change order in PLM to the board build. The dependencies that matter cross those boundaries, and the only way to hold them is a layer that reads every source and holds each commitment against the date.
The dependencies that break programs
They are nearly always cross-boundary:
- An IP block's delivery date and the verification runs that need it.
- A PLM change order and the board or package build it affects.
- The foundry's shuttle date and the firmware team's plan for first samples.
- A long-lead part's new lead time and the system integration date.
- A customer's test-vehicle availability and the qualification sign-off.
Holding them
Tymeline reads the tools and the mail on both sides of each dependency and holds the pair against the date. When one side moves, the other side is re-planned the same hour, and the owner is working the fix before the next dependent team starts on a wrong date. The dependency map is not drawn by a person; it is read from where the commitments live.