“Excuse me, sir!” a young man called out as he approached the foreman of a logging crew. “Could I get a job ‘round these parts?”
The foreman looked him over and handed him an axe. “Let’s see you fell this tree first.”
Without hesitation, the young man stepped forward, gripped the axe, and swung with precision and power. The tree fell with a crash, leaves scattering like confetti. The foreman chuckled, brushing off his shoulders. “I’m impressed. You can start Monday.”
And so, he did. Monday came and went. Then Tuesday. Wednesday. By Thursday afternoon, the foreman approached him again. “Make sure to pick up your paycheck on your way out today,” he said, wiping sweat from his brow. The young man looked confused. “Wait a minute, I thought you paid on Friday?”
“We do,” the foreman replied. “But unfortunately, we have to let you go today.”
“What? Why?” the young man asked, stunned.
“You’ve fallen behind,” the foreman said. “You were first on Monday. Now you’re last.”
The young man clenched his fists, frustration rising. “You can’t be serious. I work hard. I arrive early, leave late, and I don’t even take breaks.”
The foreman paused, then asked, “Have you been sharpening that axe I gave you?”
“No, sir,” the young man admitted. “I’ve been too busy working.”
The lesson is clear: working harder isn’t always working smarter. Without taking time to sharpen your tools, even the most dedicated effort can lose its edge.
How This Applies to Mining Projects
At Deswik, we see this story play out in mining operations around the world. We consult on underground projects filled with manually linked tasks and very few automatic dependencies. When we ask why, the answer is familiar: “We don’t have time to learn how to create dependency rules, we’re too busy scheduling.”
But just like the young logger, skipping the setup phase leads to inefficiency. Taking time early on to “sharpen your axe” by setting up automatic dependencies can save hours, sometimes days, when schedules need to be updated.
Years ago, our consulting team compiled a list of common dependency rule types used in underground metals projects. That list became the foundation for our Dependencies for Underground Metals Training, now a core part of onboarding for new consultants and a popular course for clients.
Participants are often surprised by what’s possible when they understand how to create automatic dependency rules. Schedules that once took days to relink can be updated in minutes. The result? More time spent analyzing and optimizing, less time spent manually connecting tasks.
Experience That Understands Your Operation
If your team is spending excessive time relinking schedules when new reserves or designs are added, it may be time to ask: “What percentage of our dependencies are manual versus automatic?”
If the answer leans heavily toward manual, your team is a strong candidate for our Dependencies for Underground Metals Training. This course is designed by mining engineers, for mining engineers, ensuring every concept is practical, field-tested, and ready to apply.
Understanding how automatic dependencies function within the scheduling environment delivers significant benefits across multiple planning scenarios. Firstly, once users grasp how these dependencies operate, they become more confident in making changes, knowing the system will maintain logical integrity.
Secondly, during routine planning tasks, such as introducing new activities into the schedule and linking them efficiently, automatic dependencies streamline the process and reduce manual effort.
Finally, in high-pressure situations like updating stope designs following a new block model release, automatic dependencies enable rapid schedule adjustments, saving valuable time and ensuring timely delivery.
If you are using Deswik software, there is no excuse for choosing to manually link all your activities together to produce a plan. Our automatic dependency rules are easy to set up, run, animate, and can be re-run on demand in seconds. With a set of robust dependency rules, updates to geology, mine designs, and geotechnical constraints can be met with enthusiasm rather than hesitation.
Andre Stengl, Product Training Manager in Consulting
One Platform. End-to-End Capability
Deswik’s integrated software ecosystem is built to support smarter workflows from design to operations. With over 1000 operations worldwide relying on our tools, we know that success starts with setup. Sharpen your axe. Set your team up for long-term success.