Dependents Day
What Is a Project Dependency?
❓Ever heard someone tell you that they “can’t start until <insert name here> finishes”?
Then you have experienced A Project Dependency! The topic of today’s musings.
If you’ve read our previous thoughts about RAIDs, Risks or Issues then you already know; if you’re not actively tracking them, you’re not really managing your project. You’re just hoping the stars align.
What is a dependency?
A dependency is a relationship between two tasks -
where one can’t start or finish until another task is completed.
They create the domino effect in your project.
Back to our house example:
Dependency: You can’t start plastering until the insulation and wiring are done.
Dependency: You can’t tile the roof until the rafters are installed.
Dependency: You can’t paint the walls until the plaster dries.
They're everywhere. And often, they're the reason a seemingly simple project timeline, especially where you haven’t done enough planning up front, can go wrong (see Critical Path below).
Dependencies aren't just technical — they’re human
You’re waiting on feedback from the client.
The designer can’t start until the brand guidelines arrive.
Testing’s on hold because the staging site isn’t set up.
It’s not just about tasks. It’s about who’s doing what, when & whether they can do it at all. By the deadline.
And then there’s the Critical Path
The critical path is the longest chain of dependent tasks in your project. If any of these tasks are delayed, the whole project is delayed.
Think of it like the spine of your timeline.
Not all dependencies are on the critical path — but the ones that are? They need to be watched like a hawk.
If you’re using a project management tool with a timeline view (like Asana’s Timeline, ClickUp’s Gantt, or Monday), you can often see your critical path. If not, you can still map it manually —however you do it, it is 100% worth doing. You could say… it’s critical <ahem> 😁.
The problem with untracked dependencies
Dependencies that live only in someone’s head (or inbox) (⬅️ “hello Risks!) become:
Blockers that no one saw coming (⬅️ “hello Issues!).
Excuses for delays (“Oh, I didn’t realise you were waiting on me!”)
Frustrations that slow everything down.
When you track dependencies in your RAID log or task management system, you can:
✅ Spot blockers early
✅ Communicate timelines better
✅ Adjust plans proactively
How should you capture a Dependency?
This is the minimum you should capture. Adjust for your needs if you want to.
Dependency: Roof tiling depends on rafter installation
Status: Rafter delivery delayed by 2 days
Impact: Roof tiling start date pushed back
Owner: Construction lead
Mitigation: Re-sequencing non-dependent tasks to stay on schedule
TL;DR:
Dependencies are everywhere — but invisible unless you track them.
They’re what turn “I thought it was on track” into “Oh. We’re behind again.”
Tomorrow, we’ll wrap up the series with a closer look at Assumptions — the sneakiest (and most ignored) part of the RAID log.