The world has changed. This is why? Smartsheet transforms your work.
Let me just say this. I love me a good Gantt chart. Are you nerdy? If so, you’ll be a big nerd by the time you’re done reading this article.
Let me clarify: I meant “a good Gantt Diagram”.
A good Gantt chart shows the relationships between work done over time. It shows what needs be done for a project to start, and what must be done for it to end. It shows what work can be done simultaneously in silos and what work will require collaboration. It provides logic for key dates and outlines phases. It simplifies complex projects by simplifying them. It is a viable route to success.
This is what I call a bad Gantt chart. A bad Gantt diagram is one that project managers don’t want to see. It simplifies the project’s complexity on one page and is as boring to read as mold growing on a piece. It’s boring because it’s jargony. This is why the project manager and the manager are the only ones who can give inputs throughout a project.
This article explains.
What a Gantt Chart looks like
Gantt charts: Why do they exist?
Best Uses For Gantt Charts
Gantt charts have their limitations
Other Project Visualization Methods
What a Gantt Chart looks like
Henry Gantt (a mechanical engineer) created the Gantt chart in the late nineteenth century. It is a project management tool that allows users quickly visualize project data. This project data contains the most important data, including task dependency and responsibility as well as current project status. All of this information can be compared to the established project timeline. Gantt charts are visual representations of the progress and steps in a project. It is similar to a map of a place.
Related: What is Gantt chart software?
Gantt chart setup
Any Gantt chart software will create a horizontal bargraph. The vertical axis shows how the task list will be completed during the duration of the project. The tasks are listed in the order they will be completed for the project.
The horizontal axis is a project’s time line. The number of horizontal bars created determines the time it takes to complete each task. If the project takes four weeks and the first task takes one week, the bar chart for that task would take half the time.
Gantt charts online can show the project manager who was assigned to each task. The amount of the bar can be used to show how much progress has each task made.
Additional Information in a Gantt Diagram
Gantt charts indicate when project team members are able to start the next task and when it is necessary for them to wait. Gantt charts provide project managers with a consistent view of the project’s critical path and the overall progress of their project. It is easy to see when scheduling adjustments are necessary to avoid project delays.
Similar Read: 7 elements to include in a Gantt Chart + Other Gantt charts Tips
Gantt charts: Why do they exist?
Gantt charts show tasks that can be completed simultaneously and those that are dependent on another task being completed. Gantt charts can also be used to identify areas of downtime in a project. The bar chart is plotted against a timeline. Project managers must identify these inefficiencies and fix them to maximize resource utilization.
Related: What’s a Gantt Chart used for? Top 4 Use Cases and Expert Tip
Gantt charts offer many benefits
Download the Gantt chart template here
