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Every software project has its own vision, which demands resources with diverse skill sets to work on different tasks to deliver the software product with desired features & functionalities. As the agile methodology flourishes, the tasks are executed parallelly, unlike the waterfall approach. And tasks assigned to these resources are primarily interdependent, which means one has to depend directly or indirectly on others to get their job done. Project leaders & managers have the important chore of handling these project dependencies across the product development lifecycle to utilise the resources optimally and navigate the project towards successful completion.

Let’s learn more about project dependencies, their types, variations and ultimately, the means to handle them better.

What are Project Dependencies?

In Project Management, project dependencies refer to the interlink between two or more tasks that influences the execution of each other. The relationship between the tasks is usually based on various reasons like resource availability, technological constraints, and sequence necessitated per the product development roadmap & much more.

These dependencies are dynamic, as software projects have varying scopes and requirements since the product evolves and matures concerning shifting business needs & market demands. Though dependencies in project management are inevitable, they could potentially set back the project’s progress & deliverables in case of ineffective project planning and scheduling.

Types of Task Dependencies:

Task dependencies in project management can be classified into four major types based on the relationships between the tasks inside a project.

Task Dependecies Relation

Finish-to-Start Dependency(FS):

This is the most common type of dependency, where the start of Task B depends on the completion of Task A. Without completing the first task, the second cannot be initiated.

Example for Finish–to-Start Dependency: Only when the UI Designer shares the design prototype and gets it approved, the Developers could initiate the front-end development.

Start-to-Start Dependency (SS):

Task B can be started if only Task A has already begun. This type of dependency is common amongst projects with parallel execution of tasks.

Example for Start–to-Start Dependency: The Application Performance Monitoring Team can start their activity & share insights only after the Deployment teams start hosting the modules.

Finish-to-Finish Dependency (FF):

This dependency usually prevails in projects with relatively vast scopes. The completion of Task B is only possible after the completion of Task A. Though these tasks could run in parallel, the preceding task must be completed first to complete the descendant task.

Example for Finish–to-Finish Dependency: DevOps engineers can deploy the products module-wise. But only if the dev teams finish & share all the modules, the DevOps team could fulfil the complete product deployment.

Start-to-Finish Dependency (SF):

A least occurring dependency in project management compared to others. Here, Task A can only be finished once Task B begins.

Example for Start–to-Finish Dependency: Let’s say a new project requirement is coming in; the Business Analyst’s job is not over until the Design & Dev teams understand the requirement and initiate their activities.

Types of Project Dependencies:

Resource Dependencies:

Resource dependencies occur when multiple tasks or activities within a project require the same resources or individuals to complete them. If one task is delayed or disrupted due to resource unavailability, the dependent tasks and overall project deliverables can be impacted. This would be highly prevailing in projects with constraints like limited resource bandwidth & project budget.

Logical Dependencies:

As mentioned, every project has its own set of tasks that must be done in a logical sequence. This sequence comes along with its own dependencies, which are intrinsically unavoidable. Proper project planning & scheduling would help to minimise the impact of these dependencies and streamline the deliverables.

Preferential Dependencies:

The dependencies arise due to the preference for pursuing best practices & convenience. In software projects, maintaining code quality is one of the preferential dependencies. The higher the code quality scores project teams pursue, the more time and resources will be consumed to meet the targets.

External Dependencies:

External factors from different sources can also influence projects. And the project leaders will mostly have little to no control over handling or streamlining them. Most common external dependencies can be attributed to outsourcing partners, third-party tools, business vendors & even regulatory compliances.

Internal Dependencies:

The dependency arises within the project and company environment. And the project teams always tend to have the control to remove or minimise these dependencies with a set of predefined processes & protocols. Resource mapping, asset allocation, and skill development are a few of the most common internal dependencies.

Technology Dependencies:

These dependencies are related to technological constraints like niche tech stack, domain-specific and system integration challenges, which could be translated into extensive resource vetting for unique skills & unforeseeable delays in project deliverables.

Stakeholder Dependencies:

Stakeholder involvement is crucial in driving the project forward; simultaneously, they can be the source of inevitable dependencies. The stakeholders can be clients, project sponsors, management and potential software product users. A series of feedback, inputs, and workarounds will be consistently railed towards the project teams to handle. Availability of the stakeholders is one of the most prevalent problems that affect project deliverability & timeline.

How to manage Project Dependencies?

To mitigate risks in project execution and successfully manage dependencies, these critical steps must be followed before deploying the recommended best practices.

– Identify and map all dependencies in the project plan

– Have clear understanding of the deliverables, resources, processes, time and budget involved.

– Brainstorm potential risks and challenges that may arise

– Communicate to all stakeholders, control and monitor with necessary efforts and plans in place.

Communicating Dependencies

Effective Project Planning & Scheduling

This may sound basic, but nailing this fundamental activity would help significantly deliver the project deliverables within stipulated timelines. Leverage active brainstorming in the early stages of project planning & scheduling to identify the possible tasks associated with constraints. With the dependency considerations from the above step, create an optimal workflow sequence, map the resources meticulously to the respective tasks and schedule them with appropriate timelines for deliverables.

Risk Management & Contingency Planning

After thoughtful consideration of dependencies and their potential impact on project deliverables, the project charter has to include actionable risk management planning to keep the impact as minimal as possible. Even after all these preparations, there are still chances for unanticipated constraints and roadblocks that could hinder project progress. Hence, it is always advised to have contingency plans in terms of resources, budget & assets to bring those dependencies under control and keep the project progress on track.

Leveraging Project Management Software Tools

It has been proven that using project management software tools has helped project teams effectively track and manage task dependencies. These project collaboration tools provide much-needed visibility over the tasks and enable them to visualise & understand the dependencies with inbuilt options for Kanban Boards, Gantt Chart, Flow Chart, Critical Path Diagram (CPM) & much more. There is couple dozen of such software tools available, and project teams are advised to assess the options and go with appropriate tools that best fit their project goals, usability & budget.

Improving Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

Besides streamlining the process, building stakeholder engagement plays an essential role in managing dependencies in the project. Ensure effective stakeholder engagement across all project phases so that they can be well-informed about the dependencies and share their concerns which will help develop win-win solutions. Foster consistent communication flows between the team members, leverage appropriate communication tools and help them track the project status and make the necessary workarounds to achieve project deliverables.

Fostering Agile Mindset

Beyond process and tools, how the team members approach the challenges is essential to drive the project successfully. It is a greater responsibility of project leaders to instil an agile mindset among the team members, encouraging and enabling them to see these dependency challenges as opportunities for experimenting with new strategies and gaining new learning along the way.

Dependencies have always been part of project management and tend to prolong the road to successful project completion. Quoting the famous Benjamin Franklin – one of the most multi-faceted skill personalities this world has ever seen, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”. By reflecting on the above saying, we must focus on how we eliminate the constraints to the maximum extent and how prepared we are to manage the dependencies with our thoughtful & collaborative efforts and navigate the projects successfully.

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