Keel
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  1. Keel
  2. Features
  3. Dependency graph

The dependency graph shows what a delay really costs

A board tells you where each card sits. The graph tells you what each task waits on, so one late task shows every downstream date it moves before your next standup.

Join the waitlistHow it works
On track, 4 days of slack
BackendNov 3Nov 7Auth service DesignOct 28Design system BackendNov 7Nov 11Payments API DesignNov 5Pricing screens WebNov 12Nov 16App integration BackendNov 10Nov 14Receipts email MobileNov 14Nov 18Mobile release Milestone4d slack0d slackLaunch Nov 18
Critical path: any slip here moves the launch Other dependency
Show the graph as a list
  1. Auth service, Backend, due Nov 3. Blocks Payments API.
  2. Payments API, Backend, due Nov 7. Blocks App integration and Receipts email.
  3. Design system, Design, due Oct 28. Blocks Pricing screens.
  4. Pricing screens, Design, due Nov 5. Blocks App integration.
  5. App integration, Web, due Nov 12. Blocks Mobile release.
  6. Receipts email, Backend, due Nov 10. Blocks Launch.
  7. Mobile release, Mobile, due Nov 14. Blocks Launch.
  8. Launch, Nov 18, with 4 days of slack. With Auth service 4 days late: five tasks move and slack drops to 0 days.

What it does

  • Critical path, worked outA forward and backward pass over the graph gives each task its earliest and latest dates and its slack. The longest chain is the critical path.
  • Slip propagationWhen one date moves, Keel recomputes only the tasks downstream of it and lists their new projected dates and lost slack.
  • What-if simulatorTry a delay and see the result. Nothing is saved until you turn it into a proposal.
  • Typed dependenciesBlocks, relates to, and duplicates. A loop in blocking dependencies is rejected with an explanation.
  • Team filter and risk overlayFilter by team, follow the critical path, and see which tasks are at risk and why.
  • Readable without the pictureThe same graph is available as a list for keyboard and screen reader users.

How it works

Every flow in Keel follows one loop: a signal becomes a risk, a risk becomes a proposal, and only an approval changes the plan.

See the full loop

  1. Link tasks by what blocks what.
  2. Keel computes dates, slack, and the critical path.
  3. A delay arrives from chat, a commit, or by hand.
  4. Every downstream task is recomputed and marked at risk.
  5. A grouped proposal shifts the dates once you approve it.

Dependency graph questions

What is a critical path in project management?

It is the longest chain of dependent tasks in a plan. Any slip on it moves the launch date; tasks off the path have slack and can slip a little without moving it.

Does the AI set the dates?

No. Dates, slack, and the critical path come from graph algorithms, so the same plan always gives the same answer. The AI only explains and proposes.

Can I test a delay without changing the plan?

Yes. The what-if simulator previews the effect of a delay and writes nothing until you make it a proposal.

Related features

Launch health and driftKnow a launch is slipping before anyone asks, with the reason. Proposals and approvalsEvery change arrives as a proposal with evidence; people approve. Tasks and boardProjects, tasks, a board, and a list, kept current for you.

Try it on your own launch

Keel is in early access. Join the waitlist and we will write once, when your workspace is ready.

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