Map project dependencies before setting a start date

A project dependency is something that must be resolved before another task can proceed. A delivery may depend on access being confirmed; staff training may depend on equipment being ready for use. A dependency map makes those relationships visible. It is most useful before the team repeats a start date that nobody has checked against the actual work.

Start with the outcome and work backward

Describe the practical outcome in a sentence. Then ask what must be true immediately before that outcome is possible. Continue backward until you reach tasks the business can begin now. Use short statements that can be checked, such as “receiving area confirmed” or “current supplier scope available.” Avoid labels such as “everything ready,” which leave each reader to supply a different meaning.

Keep the map at a manageable level. It does not need every phone call or message. It should show the relationships that could change the sequence, the people involved or the description of the project.

Distinguish a dependency from a preference

“We would like training on Tuesday” is a preference. “Training uses the installed equipment” is a dependency. Both may matter, but they belong in different places. Record requested dates as requested until the relevant people confirm them. A calendar invitation alone does not establish that the preceding work is complete.

Some work can happen independently. The team may be able to prepare an operating checklist while it waits for a supplier clarification. Mark that work as available to start instead of treating the entire project as one blocked item. This can make the next useful action clearer without pretending that the final sequence has been confirmed.

Give each link a completion check

For each dependency, name what evidence will show it has been resolved and which business role will check that evidence. “Access discussed” is weaker than “operations reviewed the delivery route with the current site information.” The evidence must fit the task. A receipt shows that a message arrived; it does not establish that the question in the message has been answered.

Use a plain-text chain when that is enough: confirm included items → resolve site questions → arrange delivery → complete handover review. If one step needs several preceding items, list each one separately. Do not hide a missing requirement inside a broad “site questions” box when the team already knows the specific issue.

Keep unresolved links visible

Use three statuses: not checked, waiting for information and confirmed for the current plan. Add the source and review date to confirmed items. If the supplier changes a model or a property contact changes access arrangements, review the affected links. A previously sensible sequence can become outdated without anybody making a mistake.

Do not convert “waiting for information” into an assumed answer merely to fill a schedule. Give the unresolved question a responsible role and a next action. The map can remain useful while dates are uncertain.

Illustrative example: an equipment delivery has two prerequisites

A fictional repair shop wants a replacement machine delivered. The supplier needs a confirmed receiving route, while the shop needs to establish who will receive and inspect the shipment. Those are separate prerequisites. The shop can assign its receiving role while the route question remains open. It should not describe delivery arrangements as complete just because someone is available to sign for a shipment.

After the route is confirmed, the team reviews the downstream installation and training steps. The map records who must confirm each step; it does not certify safety, installation quality or readiness for use.

Turn the map into a useful review note

For the next internal review, bring the intended outcome, the unresolved links and the tasks available to start. Keep any proposed dates beside their assumptions. A reviewer should be able to identify what changed and what requires a decision without reading every message exchanged during the project.

Use the Business Planner to produce a category-based starting checklist, then check the sequence against your own records. The planner does not verify that a dependency has been resolved. This dependency-map method is an original preparation framework, with the SBA's business planning guidance provided as broader context.