Dependencies, Critical Path, Float... who needs em?

* Dependencies?
* Critical Path?
* Float?

In the game/consumer product development world those things are laughable.

Dependencies? Of course there are dependencies probably hundreds am I going to track them all in some sort of master map of a schedule and plan when they change daily as we innovate or find new ways to do things or move in a different direction. That in and of itself would be a full time job. How much value add do I provide saying oh yeah based on dependencies we have lost 4 days of work

Critical Path?
When everything has to happen doesn't that mean everything is on the critical path? There's an equation to Critical Path the "sequential tasks with the longest duration" Oh yeah but you throw that into mix with the maze of Dependencies how do you make the critical path worth tracking?

Float?
Time you can leverage to move resources and effort to other parts of the project in hopes to get it back on schedule? Is there such thing as spare time in a product development environment. Shouldn't we be working full tilt from inception to launch?

Everything has its place and so do these concepts. The important thing to remember is that the context changes depending on the environment. There are dependencies in Product Development environments as well as float and a critical path. However they are all treated differently and "managed" differently.

In a Product Development organization dependencies are acknowledged and worked through on a tactical level, so that the schedule concentrates on what going to be delivered next, not how the past is affected it. If dependencies are not being met they are raised as an issue(s) and resolved by the appropriate management level.

Critical Path is the entire project, every task, every item. How do you manage it? Issue Management. When things like dependencies put the delivery of the product at risk it immediately becomes the most important item on the critical path. Every item that stops the forward motion of the project is the "Critical Path" and needs scrutiny and resolution.

Float? there is no float, float is an illusion, a luxury of those who do not realize that at any given moment if we don't judiciously apply our efforts and resources we end up slipping. Its the job of every Product Development group to be fully leveraged at all times on delivering the product or game since I happen to be in the game business.

- Optimal Optimus