This post goes over why parallel work is superior to sequential work.

Sequential work

Sequential work is work that happens in a specific order. For instance, A depends on B, so the sequence is A → B. If A and B require 1 hour each, then 2 hours must transpire for both tasks to be done.

An example of sequential work is making a peanut butter sandwich. You need to prepare 2 pieces of bread before you can spread the peanut butter. Reversing the order is not possible.

Now that we know what sequential work is, then what is parallel work?

Parallel work

Parallel work is work that happens concurrently. In this case, tasks do not block one another, so the sequence is A | B. If A and B require 1 hour each, then 1 hour will transpire for both tasks to be done.

An example of sequential work is making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Once the 2 loaves of bread are ready, does it matter if the peanut butter goes first or the jelly? This means spreading peanut butter and jelly can be done at the same time (given you have more than 1 helper).

Comparison

In both examples of sequential and parallel work, the total time spent on A and B is 2 hours. But parallel work finishes faster than sequential work because work happens simultaneously.

Task parallelism can be leveraged at organizations because managers can decide how to allocate resources. It’s a matter of doing waterfall (sequential) or Agile (iterative). Project owners who are able to differentiate between sequential and parallel work can release products faster—and this will directly benefit the company.