RPAX Risk Items: No Dependencies

What it is: A dependency is what it sounds like--one task whose start or completion is dependent on another. For example, Task A must be complete before Task B can begin. Your project plan currently has one or more SmartTasks without dependencies.

Why it matters: Building in dependencies allows the Critical Path to be established, which dictates how long it will take to complete the project. It ties related tasks together, helping Office capture the cascading impact of work that is running ahead or behind schedule. If the completion of one task is necessary before the next starts, Office will flag the risk to the second task if the first starts running behind, and forecast the impact to your project timeline.
SmartTasks without dependencies shown in Critical Path View.

SmartTasks without dependencies shown in Edit Dependencies mode in Power Grid View.

What's next: Evaluate these dependency-less SmartTasks to determine if they are in fact related to other tasks within the project. If they are, drag and drop them into position in Critical Path mode, or enter the appropriate predecessor/successor in Power Grid mode. Learn more about this process here.