In Workfront, tasks are governed by several factors such as task duration, planned hours, and predecessors. In this case, the most likely reason for the task starting later than expected is due to the task's duration and planned hours being configured to start on Friday. Even though the predecessor may suggest an earlier start, task settings such as constraints and assigned hours can override the default scheduling. Additionally, task constraints, like 'Fixed Start' or 'Fixed Finish,' can influence when tasks appear on the schedule.