Internal vs External Dependencies in Project Management

Quick answer

Internal dependencies are inside your control (task→task, team→team); external are outside it (vendors, permits, other orgs) — the external ones get buffers, owners and escalation.

Internal

Task sequencing, resource sharing, team handoffs — controlled by scheduling and coordination you own.

External

Vendor deliveries, regulatory approvals, client decisions, other organizations’ timelines — influence, not control.

Managing external

Bigger buffers, named counterparts, contracts/SLAs with dates, and an escalation path agreed up front.

The planning rule

Don’t schedule against an external dependency’s promise — schedule against its history.

Bottom line

Internal dependencies are inside your control (task→task, team→team); external are outside it (vendors, permits, other orgs) — the external ones get buffers, owners and escalation.

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