The Gantt chart is a way of presenting workflow in a way that is helpful for effective project management.
They are typically used by breaking down a project into small tasks and assigning a time frame to those tasks.
As time passes, actual progress is added to the chart.
In a standard Gantt chart, the tasks are listed in order that they will be completed, although they can also be grouped into sets that correspond to a sub-project.
The main goal of the chart is to make understanding project scheduling simple by presenting it in a straightforward visual format.
The origins of the Gantt chart go back to the early 20th century.
It was named after Henry Gantt, an American social engineer who passed away in 1919.
Even after his death, project managers from a variety of fields and disciplines continued use the technique he espoused.
The method can and has been used on projects of any scale, from group projects in school to construction of the American highway system and the Hoover Dam.
The Gantt chart is formatted around two axes.
Time occupies the horizontal axis, and any unit can be used depending on project duration and size and detail of the chart.
The vertical axis holds the list of tasks, with each task getting one row of the sheet.
To the right of the listed task one bar is placed signifying the time scheduled to complete a task.
Just below that, typically in a different color and in the same task row, is the actual progress made on the task.
While there is no exact format to a Gantt chart and it can be created using anything from a blank piece of paper to a computer spreadsheet to specialized project management software, the ability to effectively visualize a project or sub-project has significant benefits:
With the proliferation of access to electronic publishing and sharing it is much easier as opposed to drawing it by hand.
The standard tool for making them is to use readily accessible software such as Excel.
A quick Google search returns hundreds of helpful sites on how to create and format your own, in addition to many sites offering software templates.
Some software packages dealing with project management that include these charts include Google Docs, Microsoft Excel, Visio and Project.
Whatever method you choose, the keys to creating an excellent visual aid of project workflow is making it easy on the eyes with clear formatting and distinguishing colors, and scale it to a helpful level of detail.
They are typically used by breaking down a project into small tasks and assigning a time frame to those tasks.
As time passes, actual progress is added to the chart.
In a standard Gantt chart, the tasks are listed in order that they will be completed, although they can also be grouped into sets that correspond to a sub-project.
The main goal of the chart is to make understanding project scheduling simple by presenting it in a straightforward visual format.
The origins of the Gantt chart go back to the early 20th century.
It was named after Henry Gantt, an American social engineer who passed away in 1919.
Even after his death, project managers from a variety of fields and disciplines continued use the technique he espoused.
The method can and has been used on projects of any scale, from group projects in school to construction of the American highway system and the Hoover Dam.
The Gantt chart is formatted around two axes.
Time occupies the horizontal axis, and any unit can be used depending on project duration and size and detail of the chart.
The vertical axis holds the list of tasks, with each task getting one row of the sheet.
To the right of the listed task one bar is placed signifying the time scheduled to complete a task.
Just below that, typically in a different color and in the same task row, is the actual progress made on the task.
While there is no exact format to a Gantt chart and it can be created using anything from a blank piece of paper to a computer spreadsheet to specialized project management software, the ability to effectively visualize a project or sub-project has significant benefits:
- Tasks can easily be organized according to which tasks are dependent on others, allowing for efficient ordering of the tasks to be done.
- As time passes on a project and actual status is tracked, it is easy to see delays and bottlenecks as they develop and predict their effects.
- Helps a project manager to see how to effectively allocate resources to those tasks that are delayed.
With the proliferation of access to electronic publishing and sharing it is much easier as opposed to drawing it by hand.
The standard tool for making them is to use readily accessible software such as Excel.
A quick Google search returns hundreds of helpful sites on how to create and format your own, in addition to many sites offering software templates.
Some software packages dealing with project management that include these charts include Google Docs, Microsoft Excel, Visio and Project.
Whatever method you choose, the keys to creating an excellent visual aid of project workflow is making it easy on the eyes with clear formatting and distinguishing colors, and scale it to a helpful level of detail.
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