Managing dependencies between work items tracked by a host service of a project management system

1 . A method for modifying a graphical user interface of a client device communicably coupled to a project management host service, the method comprising:

displaying, at a user interface of the client device defined at least in part by a client application communicably coupled to the project management host service, a scheduling interface comprising:

a first user interface element corresponding to a first issue, having a first start time, and having a first end time; and

a second user interface element corresponding to a second issue, having a second start time, and having a second end time;

defining, using the graphical user interface, a dependency relationship between the first issue and the second issue;

detecting a user interaction causing a change to the first issue or the second issue;

in response to detecting the user interaction, determining an update to the dependency relationship based on whether the dependency relationship is broken by the user interaction, including:

in response to a determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is broken:

causing display of an overlay pane comprising:

a description of a cause of the dependency relationship being broken; and

a delete dependency control configured to cause deletion of the dependency relationship in response to a user selection input; and

updating a visual appearance of a dependency path for the dependency relationship in the graphical user interface; and

in response to a determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is not broken, saving to the project management host service.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual appearance is a first visual appearance, the method further comprising:

in response to defining the dependency relationship between the first issue and the second issue, displaying, in the scheduling interface, the dependency path having the first visual appearance; and

in response to the determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is broken, updating the first visual appearance of the dependency path to be a second visual appearance.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the first visual appearance comprises at least one first color; and

the second visual appearance comprises a second color that is associated with broken dependencies.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the first visual appearance comprises a first line weight; and

the second visual appearance comprises a second line weight different from the first line weight.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second visual appearance comprises a visual feature on the dependency path.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first visual appearance comprises a gradient appearance that comprises:

a first portion of the dependency path extending from the first user interface element, the first portion having a first visual property based on the first user interface element;

a second portion of the dependency path extending from the second user interface element, the second portion having a second visual property based on the second user interface element; and

a third portion between the first portion and the second portion that transitions from the first visual property to the second visual property.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the dependency relationship is broken comprises:

determining whether the second start time of the second issue is earlier than the first end time of the first issue.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is broken is based on the second start time of the second issue being earlier than the first end time of the first issue.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is broken is based on the second start time of the second issue being equal to or earlier than the first end time of the first issue.

10 . A client device communicably coupled to a host service of a project management system, the client device comprising:

a processor;

a communication interface;

an input device;

a display device; and

a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to instantiate an instance of a project management client application configured to:

communicably couple, to the host service, via the communication interface;

display, on the display device, a scheduling interface comprising:

a first user interface element corresponding to a first issue, having a first start time, and having a first end time; and

a second user interface element corresponding to a second issue, having a second start time, and having a second end time;

in response to detecting a create dependency user interaction at the communication interface, define a dependency relationship between the first issue and the second issue;

in response to detecting a user interaction causing a change to the first issue or the second issue, determine an update to the dependency relationship based on whether the dependency relationship is broken by the user interaction, including:

in response to a determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is broken:

cause display of an overlay pane comprising:

 a description of a cause of the dependency relationship being broken; and

 a dependency control configured to cause modification of the dependency relationship in response to a user selection input; and

update, on the display device, a first visual appearance of a dependency path for the dependency relationship to be a second visual appearance; and

in response to a determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is not broken, save to the host service via the communication interface.

11 . The client device of claim 10 , wherein the instance of the project management client application is configured to:

in response to defining the dependency relationship between the first issue and the second issue, display, in the scheduling interface, the dependency path having the first visual appearance; and

in response to the determination that the dependency relationship is broken, update the first visual appearance of the dependency path to be the second visual appearance.

12 . The client device of claim 10 , wherein:

the first visual appearance comprises at least one first color or a first line weight; and

the second visual appearance, which is associated with broken dependencies, comprises a second color, a second line weight, or a visual feature on the dependency path.

13 . The client device of claim 10 , wherein the determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is broken is based on the second start time of the second issue being earlier than the first end time of the first issue.

14 . A method for modifying a graphical user interface of a client device communicably coupled to a project management host service, the method comprising:

displaying, at a user interface of the client device defined at least in part by a client application communicably coupled to the project management host service, a scheduling interface comprising:

a first issue user interface element corresponding to a first issue and having a first dependency control disposed at or near a right end thereof; and

a second issue user interface element corresponding to a second issue and having a second dependency control disposed at or near a left end thereof;

receiving, by the graphical user interface, a first user input selecting the first dependency control of the first issue user interface element;

receiving, by the graphical user interface after the first user input, a second user input tracing a path from the first issue user interface element or the first dependency control to a position at or near the second issue user interface element or the second dependency control of the second issue user interface element;

in response to a termination of the second user input,

sending a signal from the client device to the project management host service to cause the project management host service to create a dependency relationship between the first issue and the second issue; and

in response to a user input provided with respect to at least one of the first issue user interface element or the second issue user interface element,

in response to a determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is broken:

causing display of an overlay pane comprising:

 a description of a cause of the dependency relationship being broken; and

 a dependency control configured to cause modification of the dependency relationship in response to a user selection input; and

updating a visual appearance of a dependency path for the dependency relationship in the graphical user interface; and

in response to a determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is not broken, saving to the project management host service.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the visual appearance is a first visual appearance, the method further comprising:

in response to creating the dependency relationship between the first issue and the second issue, displaying, in the scheduling interface, the dependency path having the first visual appearance; and

in response to determining that the dependency relationship is broken, updating the first visual appearance of the dependency path to be a second visual appearance.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the first visual appearance comprises at least one first color or a first line weight; and

the second visual appearance comprises a second color different from the at least one first color, a second line weight different from the first line weight, or a visual feature on the dependency path that is associated with broken dependencies.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is broken is based on whether a start time indicated by the second issue user interface element for the second issue is earlier than an end time indicated by the first issue user interface element for the first issue.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is not broken is based on whether a start time indicated by the second issue user interface element for the second issue is later than an end time indicated by the first issue user interface element for the first issue.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is broken is based on whether a start date indicated by the second issue user interface element for the second issue is earlier than an end date indicated by the first issue user interface element for the first issue.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the determination that the update to the dependency relationship indicates that the dependency relationship is not broken is based on whether a start date indicated by the second issue user interface element for the second issue is later than an end date indicated by the first issue user interface element for the first issue.