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What tools are there for managing and visualizing task dependencies?

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Anonymous
I often have the need to achieve a specified goal (e.g. deliver a piece of software functionality). At the start of the work I identify the goal and can list some tasks needed to bring about the desired outcome. For each of the identified tasks, I may be able to break these down into sub tasks. Usually though, tasks (at different levels of detail) needed to be undertaken to achieve the goal are discovered as work progresses. So for example, some research (a task in itself) may be needed to determine the best approach for a particular part of the work before the actual work tasks can be identified.

In the most basic form, I can represent the hierarchy of composed tasks using, say, an indented list, though there are difficulties in also representing arbitrary ordering constraints. Alternatively, I can use Microsoft Project to show the task hierarchy and the ordering of tasks.

However, both of these approaches are quite 'listy'. I was wondering what tools exist that would allow me to represent the tasks and their relationships on a diagram, perhaps with nodes shown as tasks, and relationships (e.g. composition, ordering) shown as lines. Even better if the tool was interactive rather than display only.

Do you find the need to visualize task dependencies? Can you advise on which tools exist that support this?
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Drew Craig Sr. Agile & Product Coach| Vanguard Philadelphia, Pa, United States
Hi Alan, I use Mindjet, which has a 'Send to MindManager' option from MS Project to a Mindmap.

Mindjet has a 30 day trial I believe,

https://www.mindjet.com/en-mind-mapping/?g...CFVOBswodVLAOqg
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Mark Eckman Senior Project Manager, PMP| Veolia Emporia, Va, United States
The basic answer if you are already using MS Project is that you have a Network Diagram feature already in play. To access it you will need click on your view tab and select Network Diagram view or Descriptive Network Diagram view. Your dependencies will be shown with lines/arrows. As far as being interactive, you can double click on any of the tasks in the Network Diagram view and it will pull up the Summary Task Information where you can view all pertinent data for that task and make changes to constraints, dependencies, start/finish dates, etc.

I don't know if that is exactly what you are looking for but hope the info helps.
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S Rajasekar Senior Project Manager| Allscripts Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Network diagram and Gant chart
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Anonymous
Apr 03, 2017 1:12 PM
Replying to Mark Eckman
...
The basic answer if you are already using MS Project is that you have a Network Diagram feature already in play. To access it you will need click on your view tab and select Network Diagram view or Descriptive Network Diagram view. Your dependencies will be shown with lines/arrows. As far as being interactive, you can double click on any of the tasks in the Network Diagram view and it will pull up the Summary Task Information where you can view all pertinent data for that task and make changes to constraints, dependencies, start/finish dates, etc.

I don't know if that is exactly what you are looking for but hope the info helps.
Yes, I see, thanks. I'm particularly interested in viewing and easily modifying precedence dependencies between tasks at any level of composition (e.g. tasks and rolled up tasks). Also being able to explore the composition of rolled up tasks to an arbitrary depth, ideally all on the same diagram. I think the MS Project network diagram supports some of this but probably not with the ease of interaction that I would like. I'll look into this further. Thank you.
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Anonymous
Apr 03, 2017 12:10 PM
Replying to Drew Craig
...
Hi Alan, I use Mindjet, which has a 'Send to MindManager' option from MS Project to a Mindmap.

Mindjet has a 30 day trial I believe,

https://www.mindjet.com/en-mind-mapping/?g...CFVOBswodVLAOqg
I'll look into this, thank you.

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