Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for job flow processing, such as by ordering the performance of parallel tasks in a job flow to minimize a makespan for the job flow, for instance. Some embodiments are particularly directed to ordering the performance of tasks in a job flow based on computation of one or more independent and dependent metrics for tasks in a job flow. In many embodiments, tasks along a critical path of a job flow may be identified and prioritized using the one or more metrics computed for tasks in the job flow. For example, computing a time remaining until end and/or a longest path to end for each task in a job flow may enable a listing of tasks in the job flow to be ordered in a manner that prioritizes tasks to optimize the makespan for the job flow to be executed.