Most project managers, especially in software development, are aware of Gantt charts. Gantt Charts help improve the productivity and efficiency of workflows and ensure timely execution of tasks. Such graphics can be applied to small projects and the most complex. What are the secrets of graphs developed by Geri Gant and what was in project management before they appeared?
What is a Gantt chart?
A Gantt Chart (a Gantt Chart) is a visual way to display scheduled tasks. Horizontal graphics are widely used for planning projects of any size in different industries and industries. This is a convenient way to show what work is planned to be done on a specific day and time. Gantt Charts also help teams and project managers monitor the start and end dates of any project. All in one space.
Where roots gantt charts
The Gantt chart was named after Henry Gantt. It is often believed that it was for the first time that the idea of planning projects using horizontal histograms came to him.
However, the first to connect such diagrams with the project activity was a Polish engineer Karol Adametsky (
Karol Adamiecki ) as early as 1896.
Professor Adametsky came up with the idea of visualizing processes and progress in order to make it easier to view and record production schedules. Most of his research was related to the steel industry. The working name was “harmonogram” (harmonogram).
The author published his articles about his “discovery” in Polish and Russian. That is why the idea with diagrams is not widely used in the world.
Henry Gant independently came to the same idea about 15 years later. He began visual planning with histograms in 1910 to make it clear to supervisors whether the production was successful or out of schedule. Thus, the name Gantt Charts was assigned to the diagrams.
What was before the charts?
Before starting to use convenient Gantt charts, managers simply planned their projects on paper. This is often done today.
Fortunately, quite a lot of convenient and friendly
project management tools have already been developed, which often use Gant charts as the basis for the visual display of cases.
What can be seen and tracked using Gantt charts?
- What tasks does the project include?
- Dates of the beginning and end of any project
- Task duration: when they start and end
- How long will each task take?
- Who is working on each specific task?
- Ways to combine tasks
Gantt charts for all
Gantt charts can be easily used by almost everyone who wants to visualize their tasks. Today, all complex processes are performed by computer algorithms, so anyone can simply create a simple task list and add their start and end dates.
Most often in the modern world Gantt Charts use:
- CEO and CTO, other top managers
- Project managers
- Product Managers
- Account managers
- Product Owners
- Tim leads
- Maretologists
- Business intelligence
- Operational managers, etc.
Many of us used to think that Gantt Charts is a professional tool in the hands of IT project managers. This is true, most often diagrams are used in software development. However, today you can find Gantt charts in the working arsenals of managers in completely different areas.
Since Gantt charts are easy to build, they can be used for almost any project. Here are the most popular areas where diagrams are used today:
- IT
- building
- marketing
- banks and other financial institutions
- insurance
- education
- architecture
- telecommunication
- health care
- government bodies
Simple Ways to Create a Gantt Chart
As noted above, the simplest Gantt Charts can be easily created on a sheet of paper.
Combine all your tasks in a list. Highlight the start date and estimated duration for each task.
- Draw graphs and horizontal blocks, dividing the division into days or weeks.
- Place your tasks on graphic scales. Identify early start dates. Mark the time required to complete them.
- Determine the schedule. Your dependent activities should not start until the tasks on which they depend are completed. Gantt charts will help you find critical paths, prioritize and apply WBS (breakdown structure). If your project is large and consists of many tasks, be sure to install all the dependencies correctly, otherwise something very complicated will turn out.
Share projects with members of your team, if necessary. That's all! Do not forget to analyze the result.
A simple Gantt chart can be created using Excel. People use Excel in companies around the world to visualize and track projects of various sizes.
Gantt Charts Software
Once, project managers discovered that they could save time and resources to create and update their Gantt charts using software capabilities.
Software based on Gantt Charts is designed for project planning and competent management of them. These services were created and are created to automate processes, create task dependencies, add steps, define critical paths, etc.
Today, you can use local programs, such as Microsoft Project, or any powerful online project management tool using Gantt charts.
The online approach simplifies project sharing and planning. Any team member can see scheduled tasks and track statuses, update their own tasks and attach files.
Here are some successful online solutions using Gantt Charts:
CeloxisProjectinsightVisionflow
If you recall the
functionality of product managers , the use of diagrams can often be seen in the
road maps (product roadmap).
Hygger Roadmap
Road Map to Wizeline
Roadmap to Roadmap planner
In conclusion, you must answer another important question: is it safe to use software with Gantt charts?
This is a lot of debate today. However, most modern companies offer strong software protection and encryption and have strict security protocols for data protection.
To summarize, we combine the main advantages of Gantt Charts and professional software with their use:
- Visualize tasks and all phases of a project.
- Help to identify critical points
- Optimize planning and task distribution
- Can be easily updated using software and applications.
- Can even be built on plain paper or in Excel
How often do you use Gantt Charts and for what? What software is worth paying attention to?