Learn to sequence tasks

- [Voiceover] A key part of building a schedule is getting tasks in the right order. When tasks start or finish is often controlled by the start or finish of other tasks. For example, you have to place equipment in rooms before you can connect them to the network. By linking tasks, you turn a list of tasks into a sequence that defines when your project work will occur. A task dependency is when one task controls the timing of another.

Because each task has a start and finish, there are four types of task dependencies. Finish-to-Start dependencies are the most common. The finish of one task controls when the other task starts. For example, you have to finish setting up equipment racks before you can put equipment on them. With a Start-to-Start dependency, the start of one task triggers the start of the other. When the vendor starts specifying equipment for the conference center, they also start specifying equipment for hotel rooms.

A Finish-to-Finish dependency means the finish of one task controls the finish of the other. When the IT team finishes connecting equipment to the network, they also finish their testing of the connections. Start-to-Finish dependencies don't occur very often. That's a good thing, because they can be confusing. The start of one task triggers the finish of another. So, in this case, the task in control occurs after the one it controls.

For example, the start of a conference determines when equipment testing ends, no matter how well or badly the testing is going. You can figure out which type of dependency to use by asking a few questions. Which task controls the other? That tells you which task is the first one in the dependency. Does the start or finish date of the first task control the second task? That identifies whether the dependency begins with start or finish.

Does the first task control the start or finish of the second task? That identifies whether the second half of the dependency is start or finish. Task dependencies put tasks into sequence. Now that you're aware of the different types, try to identify all the task dependencies in one of your projects.