A research team is available next week, but recruitment depends on a client contact list whose arrival has not been confirmed. Booking the researchers does not make the input available.
Name the dependency
Identify what the first task needs, who supplies it and when it will be usable. Decide which preparation can begin without it and which part of the schedule must move if it arrives late.
Preparing interview questions may be possible before the list arrives. Booking interviews is a separate matter.
Allow for the client’s time
The client also needs time to approve questions and review findings. A project requiring ten days of staff effort can take longer than ten working days.
Confirm the start with the project lead once these dependencies are understood. Keep the assumptions with the plan so a late input leads to a specific discussion. Use the handoff worksheet for missing inputs and the hours calculation for available staff time.