Setting Dependencies between Sub-projects

Sub-projects are smaller, interrelated projects that compose larger projects. If sub-projects belong to one and the same project or programme, they are dependent upon each other in some way. Dependency between sub-projects is called inter-project dependency. This kind of dependency creates logical and time-based links between structural elements of broader projects, portfolios and programmes.

Inter-project dependency determines the behavior and subordination of sub-projects within a single project framework. It identifies type of relationships between sub-projects and rules their connectedness to the root project. The process of managing inter-project dependency consists of these steps:

• Define the root or parent project that will be decomposed into smaller sub-projects
• Identify key activities that cause the life-cycle of the root project
• Allocate one or more sub-projects to each of the key activities
• Establish goals for every sub-project
• Break down every sub-project into smaller measurable activities (tasks and sub-tasks)
• Assign goals to tasks of every sub-project
• Understand how tasks of one sub-project relate to tasks of other sub-project(s) (for example, through using risk-based decomposition approach or critical path method)
• Develop a project decomposition matrix that includes sub-projects with their dependencies
• Identify controls for managing sub-projects and their dependencies
• Set milestones for sub-projects to monitor their status and performance.

CentriQS Task Dependency Solution CentriQS lets users set "Finish-to-Start" task dependency when depending task cannot begin until dependent-on task is completed. As soon as predecessor-successor relationship between the tasks is set, successor task gets state 'Blocked' with reason 'By predecessor' and only after predecessor is done, successor gets unblocked. Assigned users can get notifications both when their tasks get blocked and unblocked.