Dependency (Predecessor-Successor) Timeline

1  Slide Type Name
Dependency (Predecessor‑Successor) Timeline

2  One‑Sentence Purpose Statement
Makes it crystal‑clear “which milestone must finish before another can start, and when each link occurs.”

3  Visual Description (Designer Instructions)

• Prepare a 16 × 9 slide with multiple horizontal swim‑lanes (work‑streams or functional tracks) stacked top‑to‑bottom; share one common time axis across the top.
• In each lane, place milestone markers or slim duration bars in chronological order. Space them precisely according to dates.
• Draw explicit dependency connectors: thin arrows that originate at the trailing edge of a predecessor bar/marker and point to the leading edge of its successor (often in another lane). Use right‑angled connectors (horizontal then vertical) to keep arrows readable and to minimise overlap.
• Colour‑code arrows by dependency type (e.g., critical path in red, secondary in grey) and make arrowheads clear but unobtrusive (≈ 1.5 pt stroke).
• Optionally highlight the critical path milestones themselves with a bold outline or accent colour.
• Add a vertical “Today” line spanning all lanes to give immediate context for which dependencies are imminent.
• Keep labels concise: milestone title inside or above its marker; dependency type (FS, SS) shown only in the legend to avoid clutter.
• Reserve the top 15 % for slide headline and a compact legend explaining arrow colours and dependency abbreviations. Maintain generous white margins around the grid.

4  Business Questions This Slide Answers

• Which tasks are on the critical dependency chain?
• What must finish (or start) before the next milestone can begin?
• Where are cross‑team hand‑offs that could cause delay?
• How much slack exists before a downstream task is impacted?
• Are upcoming dependencies still on track as of today?

5  When to Use (Typical Situations)

• Integrated program plans with many inter‑team hand‑offs.
• Steering‑committee reviews that need focus on critical‑path risk.
• Vendor‑client implementation timelines where deliverables are interlocked.
• Regulatory projects requiring evidence of dependency coverage.
• Agile release trains mapping upstream API readiness to downstream feature work.

6  Core Data Fields Required

• Work‑stream lane names.
• Milestone/task titles with start/finish dates.
• Dependency pairs (predecessor ID, successor ID, dependency type).
• Current date (“Today”) marker.

7  Optional / Advanced Data Fields

• Dependency type code (FS, SS, FF, SF) indicated by arrow style.
• Risk status or buffer days displayed near critical connectors.
• Owner initials on milestones for quick accountability.
• Percent complete shading on bars.
• Automatic critical‑path highlight based on float calculation.