6.3 Sequence Activities

Work out which activities must happen before others can start.

Planning / Schedule · ← PMBOK reference · See it on the map

Why it matters

Without a defined order, the schedule cannot say what happens next or which delay ripples into which later task.

What done looks like

Every activity's dependencies are recorded and the sequence forms a valid network.

First time tip

Ask 'what would stop this from starting' for every activity, not just what comes before it logically. Real-world blockers are easy to miss on paper.

What you need (Inputs)

• Schedule Management Plan
• Activity List
• Activity Attributes
• Milestone List
• Project Scope Statement
• Enterprise Environmental Factors
• Organizational Process Assets

How you do it (Tools & Techniques)

• Precedence Diagramming Method
• Dependency Determination
• Leads and Lags
• Project Management Information System

What you get (Outputs)

• Project Schedule Network Diagram
• Activity Attributes

Worked example

Painting cannot start until the wall is closed up, and the shelving cannot go in until the paint is dry, so the three run end to start. The teen room's wiring depends on none of them and can happen any week the electrician is free.

Common pitfalls

• Linking every activity in a single chain when some could run side by side.
• Recording the obvious order and missing a dependency on someone outside the team.
• Treating a delivery date as a dependency without saying which activity it blocks.

How driftless helps

• Precedence Diagramming Method can be run here.
• Leads and Lags can be run here.