How to Master Task Dependencies During Project Planning

To fully grasp the twists and turns a project roadmap will take, you need to flush out all task dependencies during project planning effectively. Or at least, as many as you can foresee. Furthermore, this process requires you to figure out what happens when a dependency is completed, i.e. who gets assigned the next task, any invoices that need to be sent out, etc.

Ranging from ridiculously simple to annoyingly complex, task dependencies must be understood and accounted for to keep your project running smoothly, as well as to stay within time and budget parameters.

Check out our tips on flushing out task dependencies better during the planning stage so you can nail your task management as your project progresses with less legwork. 

What are considered task dependencies in project management?

A task dependency is any task that cannot be completed until another task is wrapped up. 

Just think of task dependencies as a simple chain of events (which they are). One link relies on the previous one, and so on, in order to complete the chain. 

In project management, tasks are often interconnected, especially for complex projects with collaborative teams that involve client feedback like web design, construction, and more.

Each new task’s completion is contingent on the completion of others that precede them in the iterative process. 

That is the nature of task dependencies: tasks don’t exist in a vacuum.

Why task dependencies matter

When tasks are dependent on one another, delays at one end can have a ripple effect that permeates the entire project. By visualizing these dependencies beforehand during planning, project managers can proactively address potential issues and keep projects on track as they progress.

It’s all about understanding how different tasks and processes relate to one another. If you can identify how these are interconnected, you can create more realistic project schedules and be more likely to avoid costly delays. 

Likewise, flushing out dependencies will help you understand how to allocate resources efficiently and mitigate potential risks. 

Clear communication about task dependencies is critical to make sure that all team members are aware of their responsibilities and timelines, as well as where their responsibilities stand in the process related to everyone else’s. 

In a nutshell, mastering task dependencies during planning unequivocally leads to improved project outcomes, reduced risks, and increased client satisfaction.

Types of task dependencies

There are four types of task dependencies in project management, and which types project managers have to deal with depends largely on their industry. Here are the various types of dependencies you can encounter and common examples of each:

Finish-to-Start (FS): This is the most common type of dependency across projects in virtually all industries. If there are two tasks, A and B, task B cannot start until Task A is completed. For example, you can't start creating a risk management report (task B) until you've finished collecting and analyzing data (task A).

Start-to-Start (SS): In this scenario, both task A and task B must start simultaneously. A perfect example is a marketing campaign where both the social media and email campaigns must start at the same time. 

Finish-to-Finish (FF): Both task A and task B must get completed at the same time. FF task dependencies are common in software development, where testing and debugging a new app often happen at the same time.

Start-to-Finish (SF): Finally, start-to-finish dependencies are the least common in the project management space. In this case, task A has to begin before task B can finish. You’ll find these kinds of dependencies in quality assurance processes where testing (task B) can't be completed until development (task A) starts.

How to identify task dependencies within a project

The relationships between tasks required to complete a project will determine the sequence in which they should be completed. 

For more complicated projects especially, relax and take your time. Project dependencies aren't always blatantly obvious and may require analysis, visualization, and/or collaboration to unpack. 

Take the time to thoroughly analyze each project task and its potential impact on the others. Here’s how to figure out where your task dependencies lie:

1. Break it down - Begin by breaking down your project into smaller, manageable tasks. This will help you visualize the big picture and identify potential dependencies from the jump. Importantly, don't underestimate the impact of small tasks; even minor dependencies can cause significant delays if not accounted for. 
2. Figure out what comes before and after - Remember, task dependencies are like a chain. For each task on the table, consider what needs to happen before it can start and what can't begin until the task is finished.
3. Use a visual - Visuals are extremely helpful in figuring out task dependencies because they can help you understand the sequence of interconnected events more holistically. In fact, it’s recommended to use one from the very beginning and keep this tool with you throughout the project lifecycle. The most popular of these visual tools is a Gantt chart, but some PMs also like to use mind maps to visualize the relationships between tasks. The benefit of the Gantt chart is that it doubles as a planning tool and status visual that will come in handy when you need to glance at the overall health of your project. 
4. Talk with your team - Who better to sign off on task dependencies than the people who will actually be doing the work? It’s a good idea to involve team members in this process because they’re more in the thick of things than managers. Ipso facto, they often have insights from their experience into specific dependencies that you might miss during your planning. Plus, you want to make sure that all team members fully understand the dependencies and how they impact the project timeline.

Tips to Mastering Project Dependencies (the Easy Way)

• Create a Detailed Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) - A detailed Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is basically documenting step #1. By breaking down your project puzzle into smaller pieces, you can better understand the relationships between them. Additionally, a WBS can help you identify potential risks and develop contingency plans to mitigate them.

• Better yet, just use a Gantt chart - In lieu of a WBS, many PMs elect to use a single Gantt chart to plan for task dependencies, document the roadmap of the project, and adjust accordingly as the project progresses. The beauty of the Gantt chart today is that it’s fed live project data, so unless you are altering something yourself, it will update automatically to reflect project status in real-time. A project management solution with a Gantt chart feature should also let you assign tasks and deadlines directly in the Gantt view.

• Embrace adaptability - Be prepared to adapt to changes and adjust your project plan as needed. As we alluded to at the beginning, sometimes you can’t anticipate all task dependencies, and that’s OK. As long as you can deal with shifting priorities and the inevitable issues that arise beyond your control, you can simply adjust your schedule and reevaluate dependencies as needed. 

• Automate task dependencies once you’ve defined them - Automation will save you a lot of time and headaches during the project lifecycle because the next task in the dependency sequence will automatically get triggered. Once you know where your dependencies are and who is impacted, you can easily automate the transition between dependencies using all-in-one project management software. For example, if we know that the editor can’t approve a piece of content until the designer has uploaded the images, we can automatically have the solution trigger the editing task once the uploaded task is complete. 

Master task dependencies to keep projects on time and within budget

By effectively identifying and managing task dependencies, you can streamline your project, mitigate risks, and increase your overall chances of project success. We recommend flushing dependencies out using a WBS and/or a Gantt chart, embracing adaptability, and automating project dependencies for true mastery.