redundant or nested predecessor links.

[carl]

let's say "TASK 1" listed as a predecessor of both "TASK
2" and "TASK 3". "TASK 2" is listed as a predecessor
of "TASK 3". Is there a way to automatically eliminate
the "TASK 3" to "TASK 1" link?
TASK 1 ---|
| |
TASK 2 X how do I automatically eliminate this link?
| |
TASK 3----|

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Carl,

To my knowledge there is not automatic way.

 

[Mark Durrenberger]

You are right in wanting to eliminate it. It is redundant.
However, I know of no way to automatically remove the redundant link.
Though, it should not be affecting the project other than to make the
network logic (or Gantt chart with links turned on) a bit cluttered.

It could be done with a VBA program but even then it would take a bit of
work. :-(


Mark


--
_________________________________________________________
Mark Durrenberger, PMP
Principal, Oak Associates, Inc, www.oakinc.com
"Advancing the Theory and Practice of Project Management"
________________________________________________________

The nicest thing about NOT planning is that failure
comes as a complete surprise and is not preceded by
a period of worry and depression.

- Sir John Harvey-Jones

 

[John Beamish]

Not automatically ... and that's a good thing. Remember that
predecessor/successor relationships reflect the interaction between
tasks/deliverables. It is quite possible that you originally scheduled a
task with two resources working fulltime for a week. If one resource is
pulled off the task then that task will now take two weeks. By keeping
the linkages, you keep the integrity of the plan.

So ... yes, you can delete _seemingly_ unnecessary relationships manually.

And ... no, you don't want this done automatically.

let's say "TASK 1" listed as a predecessor of both "TASK
2" and "TASK 3". "TASK 2" is listed as a predecessor
of "TASK 3". Is there a way to automatically eliminate
the "TASK 3" to "TASK 1" link?
TASK 1 ---|
| |
TASK 2 X how do I automatically eliminate this link?
| |
TASK 3----|

--

 

[Mark Durrenberger]

A network logic diagram is for showing dependencies between activities due
to the work, not the resources.
If you have two tasks say "Brew Coffee" and "Pour Coffee" naturally there is
a dependency between them because you can pour until the brew is complete.

If you add a third activity "Drink Juice" which does not depend on coffee in
any way then naturally there is no dependency.

Now what if "Dad" is the only resource available to "enjoy breakfast?"
(Let's assume out of habit he drinks his juice before coffee) does that mean
there is a dependency between "Drink Juice" and "Drink Coffee" - From a
network logic standpoint, no there is none. The network reflects the logic
of the work not the effects of resources (or in other words, a key
assumption when making a network logic is "Unlimited resources") so when
doing a network logic, of our little breakfast we'd assume a minimum of two
people to do the work - one to drink juice and one to drink coffee...

Now to make it fuzzy -

what if your tasks are "Dad drinks juice" and "Dad drinks coffee" - these
task descriptions change the network ... and yes they would be dependent on
each other (unless Dad is really talented in a strange way

Summary:

When building a network logic, assume unlimited resources
How you describe (or understand) the work affects how it will be sequenced

Mark
_________________________________________________________
Mark Durrenberger, PMP
Principal, Oak Associates, Inc, www.oakinc.com
"Advancing the Theory and Practice of Project Management"
________________________________________________________

The nicest thing about NOT planning is that failure
comes as a complete surprise and is not preceded by
a period of worry and depression.

- Sir John Harvey-Jones

 

[John Beamish]

Which fully supports my position (as shown in the second sentence of my
answer).

 

[Steve House]

Excellent example! That's exactly why I suggest to my students to always
try to start the task name with an action verb - dig hole, paint wall, etc -
it keeps them focussed on the idea that a task is not an event description
like "Dad drinks the juice", it is the actual physical process that produces
the deliverables.