What is dependency?

A dependency outlines the relationship between actions and specifies the specific order they must be carried out to be successful.

Dependencies exist in every decision-making, planning, and development process, and in an ideal world, they are predetermined in advance of time. Tasks can be successors and predecessors to other tasks, allowing the time of each execution to be coordinated with the time of the previous performance.

Project dependencies are the relationships between tasks that determine the sequence in which you must complete activities from a given project. For example, you’ll need to employ a translator first to translate your app.

The Importance of Dependency

The ability to clearly define the project’s dependencies is critical to its overall success.

Furthermore, In cross-functional product teams, dependencies directly impact product development progress. Therefore, dependencies must be identified appropriately and prepared to avoid delays in the overall product development process.

Visualizing dependencies ensures that any project schedule’s job management and timeline are adhered to. It is critical, especially when managing a cross-functional team, to demonstrate the amount of awareness by adding dependencies and status reports into, for example, the product’s roadmap to confirm the level of understanding.

However, there are various ways that you can use to accomplish this. Whether dependencies are shown in a Gantt Chart, diagram, table, or another manner, it will allow the team to reevaluate their commitment and, if required, oppose unfeasible approaches.

The Challenges of Dependency

Several difficulties arise when dependencies are linked to external contributors. For example, when software from a third party serves as a critical component of your product or when a task dependency has a constraint, and you cannot predict its completion process, these so-called dangerous dependencies may arise and need to be addressed.

Another challenge may be determining the existence of dependencies in the first place. Maintaining control over them becomes increasingly crucial when a project develops traction and becomes more complex.

What to do when you have a dependency

Although dependencies are not necessarily harmful, they do necessitate a more robust approach to product design to limit the likelihood of any issues occurring.

As products evolve in terms of features and functions, they inevitably get more complicated. Because of this increasing complexity, recognizing where dependencies exist well in advance of time is crucial to successful product development – whether a development team works in a startup environment or within an existing business.

Who is in charge of the company’s Dependency?

In most cases, decency will be in the hand of the project manager. to to that, the project manager must be able to:

●     Lay down the task sequences in the project plan.

●     Calculate the critical pathways of the tasks or how long each one will take.

●     Determine the resources required to perform the activities and any potential scheduling conflicts.

●     As part of the overall project plan, keep track of and manage tasks.

●     Identify and take advantage of any opportunity to move the project’s job schedule forward.

Model of dependencies

One of the following relationship models can be used to specify better the sort of reliance that exists between a pair when configuring a dependency:

Finish-to-start

The finish-to-start Dependency between two tasks is the most prevalent relationship between them. Before another job, the successor, begins, you must complete the predecessor task thoroughly.

Start-to-start

Before the dependent task can begin, the predecessor task must have begun. The completion of either task is independent of the other.

Finish-to-finish

The successor can only do the task after the predecessor has completed it. The commencement of the successor is not dependent on the predecessor and might occur before, after, or at the same time as the predecessor.

Start-to-finish

The start-to-finish relationship between two tasks is the least prevalent type of relationship. The successor has already begun and will not be able to complete the task until the predecessor has begun.

Dependencies can exist across teams, initiatives, and deliverables, among other things.

One widespread example of an internal dependency in software development would require another team to complete a task within their role before developers can release a new feature. This could be because your design team needs to finish developing Sketch files before your engineering team can begin implementing them.

Conclusion

When it comes to reducing any potential hazards associated with dependencies, proper roadmapping is one of the most effective tools available.

As an illustration: Consider the following scenario: your design team has an unforeseen setback and requires an additional few days to complete some prototypes. Development, quality assurance, marketing, and sales will all need to be aware of it well in advance to minimize disruption.

Using a specialized product management solution, you will be able to effectively convey the progress of all dependencies across all critical stakeholders in real-time.