According to the PMBOK® Guide, specifically within the Sequence Activities process, dependencies are categorized to define the logical relationship between project tasks. There are four primary types of dependency determination: Mandatory, Discretionary, External, and Internal.
Discretionary dependencies (also known as " preferred logic, " " preferential logic, " or " soft logic " ) are established based on knowledge of best practices within a particular application area or a specific aspect of the project where a specific sequence is desired, even though there are other acceptable sequences.
Expert Choice: These dependencies are defined by the project team based on experience. For example, a team might decide to complete the internal electrical wiring before installing the drywall because it is a " best practice, " even though it is technically possible to do parts of them simultaneously.
Scheduling Flexibility: During schedule compression (like Fast Tracking), discretionary dependencies are the first to be reviewed and potentially removed or overlapped to shorten the project duration.
Risk: While they reflect the preferred way of working, they can sometimes limit scheduling options if not clearly documented as " discretionary. "
A. Legal: While legal requirements (like obtaining a permit before building) create dependencies, they are classified under Mandatory Dependencies (Hard Logic). " Legal " is a reason for the dependency, not the PMI-defined category name for the determination type.
C. Internal: Internal dependencies involve a precedence relationship between project activities and are generally within the project team’s control. While this is a valid type of dependency, the question asks which is used to " define the sequence " based on choice or best practice, which points specifically to the logic type (Discretionary) rather than the project boundary (Internal).
D. Resource: Resource constraints can influence a schedule (Resource Leveling), but they are not one of the four formal types of Dependency Determination used in the Sequence Activities process.
In the PMI framework, every dependency has two attributes. It is either:
Mandatory (Required by law or physical limitations) OR Discretionary (Based on best practices).
External (Involves parties outside the team) OR Internal (Under the team ' s control).
