Summary
Enabling tasks dependent upon a date passing, rather than another task completing, would add value for task management. This is not adding lag time; it’s depending on an upcoming fixed (or variable) date.
Example
Marketing copy about an event needs to be removed from a webpage after that event concludes. Removing the copy is dependent upon first adding the copy, but also upon the event concluding.
Two separate tasks are created at the beginning of the project for a user to add the copy and then to remove the copy. The task to remove the copy is dependent upon first adding the copy, and is scheduled to complete the day after the event.
In the time between adding and removing the copy, the user wants to get ahead on their work. They see an unblocked task coming up, the one to remove copy about the event. They need to mentally override that the task is unblocked since they know they need to wait until the event is concluded.
In a high-volume environment and/or high-headcount team, the communication to mentally override an unblocked task can easily fall through cracks.
Known workarounds
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Training users to refer to start and due dates, rather than only due dates, although this is less effective when users are trying to get ahead on their work.
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Written communication to a user, like a task description or comment, that they need to wait for a specific days, although this is less effective in a high-volume environment and/or high-headcount team.
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A custom task type “events” that automatically closes after the due dates passes, although this is a long-winded workaround.
Recommended Solution
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When selecting dependencies, a task can be dependent upon another task or a date.
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When selecting a date, the user can select a fixed date or a relative date “the first day of the month.”