DQ W3 Establishing task dependencies is very important in developing a project network diagram for they establish a realistic and enable

you to create order in a complex situation. Dependencies are the relationship between activities or also known as precedence relationships. The network diagram shows the logical relationships in sequence of the activities. There are three types of dependencies: mandatory, discretionary and external (Bourke, 2003, p. 132 & PMBOK, 2004, p. 133134). A mandatory dependency is inherent to the work to be done. For example let us consider four project tasks: A Wake up B Make coffee C Put on socks D Put on shoes Activity A must be done before activity B can be done and so also for activity C must be done before activity D can be done. A mandatory dependency, on the other hand, implies that it is preferred or often a best practice to do the preceding activity before the successor is started. An external dependency is a dependency between an activity on a project and another activity that does not form part of the same project. Diagramming the relationships between activities are also sometimes called the Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) or the Activity-on Node (AON) method. The PDM consists of the four task dependencies which is also explained by Wysocki (2009, p. 165-167) as follows: Finish-to-start (FS), Start-to-start (SS), Start-to-finish SF) and Finish-to-finish (FF). In the engineering and construction industry and always on my project the use of Finish-to-start (FS) method is the most commonly used (PMBOK, 2004, p. 132). As previously discussed the dependencies are the relationship between activities or also known as precedence relationships. The type of dependency is the result from constraints that exists between the tasks. There exists four type of constraints namely technical, management, inter-project and date constraints as explained by Wysocki (2009, p. 167-171). Technical constraints: as previously mentioned the most common method used in the construction industry is the Finish-to=start (FS) and this is done due the least complex dependencies. The brick wall must be build before it can be plastered. To achieve this further the constraints are being kept simple by making use of discretionary, best-practice, logical and unique constraint decisions (Wysocki, 2009, p. 167-169). Management constraints: this type of constraint is also commonly found within the engineering and construction industry. In one of my previous projects we were instructed to install new theatre equipment in the operating theatres which had never been installed in the country before so we had no experience to determine the duration of the tasks although everything was programmed on the old equipment which is

commonly used in hospitals. This instruction came from the client for they had to install this equipment before their competitors did (Wysocki, 2009, p. 169). Interproject constraints: this constraint is also experienced in the construction industry whereby only one company exists that can install and commission certain equipment but there are more than one project at that same time that requires the team to perform this task (Wysocki, 2009, p. 169-170). Date constraints: this constraint is not seldom experienced in the engineering and construction industry. Where it does happen is where equipment that needs to be delivered can only be delivered at a certain time due to transport issues and this must be installed at a different date as originally planned. Alternative arrangements must be done to store until required or it must be installed and protected while other construction work still carries on over it (Wysocki, 2009, p. 170). To effectively manage and plan a project a proper WBS is required so that a proper Gantt chart can drawn up which is derived from the network diagram. Percy Wiggill Reference List: Burke, R. (2003). Project Management: Planning and Control Techniques, 4th Edition. Cape Town, South Africa: Burke Publishing. PMI Standards Committee. A guide to the project management body of knowledge. 3rd Edition. Pennsylvania, USA. 2004. Wysocki, R.K. (2009). Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme, 5th Edition. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing