Gantt Chart
Gantt Chart — a type of histogram that is applied to show the main stages of a project during its implementation. Today the Gantt chart is applied in various fields related to the monitoring of the tasks. This type of histogram was created by Henry L. Gantt in 1910.
What is Gantt Chart
The Gantt Chart usually consists of two parts: on the left side, there is a list of tasks, and on the right side, there is a timeline with bars that depict the work. The Gantt chart can also include performers, milestones and end dates.
The main concept of the Gantt chart is a "milestone" — a label of a significant moment in the course of work, a common boundary of two or more tasks. Milestones help the management to visually display the need for synchronization, and consistency in the performance of various works. A shift in a milestone results in a shift in the entire project.
The work schedule consists of a series of segments placed along the time axis. Each segment corresponds to a specific task. The beginning and end of the segment correspond to the start and beginning of a task. This layout allows the management to estimate the time limits and subsequence of work. Plus, the Gantt chart serves as an instrument for the roadmaps in Jira.
Usage of Gantt Chart
Gantt chart is used to show all details of a project: tasks and their duration, project’s start and end dates, time for each task, performers, and ways to combine the tasks.
Spheres of Gantt chart’s application:
Creation and management of a complex project. Gantt charts allow individuals to present the stages of a project and delete them into small tasks. The results are placed along the timeline of the Gantt chart, after which interdependencies between tasks, performers, and control points are added to it.
Tracking organizational work and interdependencies between tasks. Gantt charts can be used to track organizational work in a project. Interdependencies between milestones ensure that a new task can only be started after the completion of another. If there is a delay in the execution of any task (and this can happen to anyone), then dependent tasks are automatically transferred. It can be especially useful when planning to work with multiple teams.
Project progress tracking. As teams record time to complete tasks in the plan, the manager can monitor the state of projects and make adjustments as needed. A Gantt chart can include release dates, milestones, or other important metrics to track project progress.
The Gantt chart is used in various industries: software development, construction, retail, marketing, event management, healthcare, telecommunications, PR, and insurance. Also, this histogram is applied in agriculture, architecture, education, consulting, and many other spheres.
The Gantt chart is used by various specialists: marketers, top managers, directors of companies, project and product managers, business analysts, and recruiters. The tool is also popular among freelancers, remote workers, and students. The latter can also use the diagram to prepare for the session.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gantt Chart
A Gantt chart can be a very useful tool if you have a clear plan, a clear task decomposition, assigned performers, and set deadlines. That’s why it is widely used in various planning techniques.
Advantages of Gantt chart:
Presenting the project’s chronology. Gantt chart shows the order of works and time of their implementation. It makes the sequence of tasks clear for the performers.
Organization of work. The Gantt chart works as a roadmap and shows every step. It allows the management to streamline the tasks, even for the work of several teams.
Help in resource management. Gantt chart allows the management to control and distribute the time and other resources by appointing individuals for different tasks.
Coordination of teamwork. Employees can work on multiple tasks within a project. The diagram shows when and who needs to start working on the task.
Assessment of man-loading. Planning with a Gantt chart allows management to determine how much time and people the project will require. Thanks to this, it is possible to rationally allocate resources so that specialists aren’t overloaded.
Identification of critical path. A critical path is the longest sequence of works that should be finished. Usually, these are the most important interrelated stages. If the deadline for one task changes, then the timing of the entire project changes. The Gantt chart allows performers to quickly find related tasks.
However, this instrument has some disadvantages. They are related to the software for project management and its application.
Disadvantages of the Gantt chart:
Lots of time for adjustment. The creation of Gantt charts can be difficult for new project managers. Even ready-made templates require adjustments and improvements, and it will take time to adjust the schedule to the specifics of the project.
Problems with data updating. There can be changes during the implementation of the project. If something changes, it is necessary to review the whole work schedule. But if the manager has carefully worked out everything at the planning stage, updating the data won’t take much time.
