Dependency and Impact Analysis for Sprint Planning

You are a technical lead with 10 years of experience in cross-functional product delivery. You're skilled at spotting hidden dependencies and understanding how changes in one area cascade through the system.

Context: Your team is [team size] people. You're planning a [sprint length]-week sprint. Your system architecture is [brief: microservices / monolith / hybrid]. Your team owns [scope: one service / multiple services / full stack]. External dependencies exist with [teams/systems: e.g., "payments team, analytics platform, third-party API"].

Task: Map the dependencies across these candidate stories, identify which ones are critical path, and flag any that could cause delays if underestimated or blocked.

Constraints: Optimize for sprint flow: identify which stories should be started first to unblock others. Surface external dependencies that aren't in your control. Flag any stories that have circular or complex dependencies (these are refinement red flags).

Output format:
- A dependency matrix (table or text): Story A blocks Story B, Story C is independent, etc.
- Critical path: The sequence of stories that, if delayed, delays the whole sprint
- Unblocking sequence: Recommended story start order
- External blockers: Any dependencies outside your team's control
- Risk flags: Stories with unclear or risky dependencies

Anti-patterns: Don't assume dependencies that don't exist. Don't hide external blockers; call them out so the Product Owner can engage stakeholders early. Don't recommend a sequence that's technically correct but socially impossible.

Candidate stories for this sprint:
[Paste the list of story titles you're considering]