What is a Dependency in Project Management?

What is a Dependency in Project Management?

A dependency in project management refers to a series of tasks that are interrelated. There are several different types of dependencies in project management:

• Finish-to-Start: Task B cannot start until task A has been completed
• Start-to-Start: Task B cannot start until task A starts
• Finish-to-Finish: Task A cannot be completed until task B is completed
• Start-to-Finish: Task B cannot be completed until task A starts

This means that tasks can have varying relationships to one another depending on the task or project phase.

Unlike tasks that are independent of one another (i.e., they are not interconnected and do not share resources), finish to start task dependencies, for example, describe a sequence of activities where one task must be completed before another begins. An example of a Finish-to-Start task dependency might be needing to let a cake cool before adding icing.

Another type of dependency is a Finish-to-Finish task dependency, where one task must be completed before another can also be completed. An example of a Finish-to-Finish task dependency is a house sale being completed once property inspections have also been completed.