Which of the following describes an activity that must be performed immediately before another?

The correct choice is referred to as an immediate predecessor, which specifically describes a task or activity that must be completed directly before another task can commence. In project management, understanding the relationship between tasks is crucial for effective scheduling and resource allocation. The immediate predecessor relationship establishes a clear sequence, indicating that the subsequent task cannot start until the predecessor concludes.

The term emphasizes the necessity of completing one specific task before moving on to the next, ensuring proper workflow and adherence to project timelines. This clarity helps project managers identify dependencies, manage risks, and optimize task execution.

In this context, other terms might denote relationships between tasks but do not convey the same immediacy. A preceding task could imply an earlier task in the overall project but does not necessarily indicate a direct sequence. A successor represents tasks that follow, and sequential tasks refer to tasks that occur in a sequence but don’t imply immediacy. Thus, the definition of an immediate predecessor aligns perfectly with the requirement that one activity must occur directly before another in the project timeline.