In construction scheduling, circular dependencies—also known as cycles—can disrupt workflows, cause costly delays, and require hours of manual troubleshooting. Identifying and resolving these issues has long been a tedious, time-consuming process, particularly for complex projects with thousands of interdependent tasks.
With Cycle Detection, ALICE Technologies is transforming the way construction teams approach scheduling by automating cycle identification and resolution. This powerful new feature empowers schedulers, planners, and project managers to detect and resolve cycles instantly—saving time, preventing errors, and improving project efficiency.
Managing task dependencies is a critical aspect of construction scheduling. However, the complexity of modern projects often leads to the inadvertent creation of circular dependencies, or cycles, where a sequence of tasks loops back onto itself. These cycles can cause significant disruptions, leading to teams wasting valuable time diagnosing dependencies manually instead of focusing on execution, unavoidably contributing to delays.
Given these challenges, the industry needs solutions that go beyond static project timelines to offer intelligent analysis, real-time alerts, and automated problem-solving.
The Cycle Detection feature in ALICE automatically identifies circular dependencies in construction schedules, preventing scheduling errors before they happen.
Key benefits include:
Automated process.
Manually identifying and fixing cycles in traditional scheduling tools can take hours or even days. ALICE’s Cycle Detection automates the process, allowing teams to resolve cycles instantly and keep projects on track.
Prevent Errors Before They Happen.
Instead of reacting to cycle-related delays, ALICE proactively flags circular dependencies in real-time, preventing costly rework and ensuring that schedules remain logical and optimized.
Improve Schedule Transparency.
The visual grouping of cycles makes it easy to understand task dependencies, spot issues, and communicate changes across project teams. No more searching through thousands of interdependent tasks to diagnose scheduling errors.
Enhance Collaboration Across Teams.
By eliminating cycle-related roadblocks and manual processing, project teams can focus on high-value tasks, reducing delays and improving collaboration between departments.
"The fact that ALICE groups detected cycles makes the problem solvable instantly, whereas before, it required hours of searching."
The image below illustrates a straightforward dependency between activities: each task can only begin after the preceding task has finished. However, the initial and final activities are also connected, meaning the first activity cannot start until the last activity is complete. This creates a cyclical dependency.
"Finding cycles in MS Project can take hours because it doesn't tell you where the problem is. ALICE groups them instantly, making resolution so much easier."
Whether creating a schedule from scratch or re-sequencing a project, ALICE ensures that circular dependencies no longer go unnoticed.
"If you have this issue, you don’t want to waste time trying to find where the cycle is. This function allows you to deal with it straight away."
Nathan Russell
The development of Cycle Detection was informed by real-world industry insights, including those from Plan Academy.
By incorporating best practices and user feedback, ALICE ensures that scheduling tools evolve to meet the practical needs of construction professionals.