Gantt Chart: A Comprehensive Guide

Do you spend your days switching back and forth between projects, juggling stakeholders, budgets, tasks, and deadlines? Chances are you could benefit from using a Gantt chart in your project management work.

Project management is among the most stressful job roles today. However, Gantt charts can improve your productivity and time management in project management.

The question is, exactly what is a Gantt chart?

Here’s a rundown on what a Gantt chart is used for, how to use a Gantt chart, and some specific Gantt chart examples.

What Is a Gantt Chart in Project Management?

If you’re wondering, “What is a Gantt chart in project management,” note that Gantt charts are bar charts that each have two axes — one vertical and one horizontal.

Vertical axes are used for presenting tasks. Meanwhile, horizontal axes are used for defining end and start dates.

This type of chart can help you to improve your business management and time management efforts by showing you all of your assignments as well as their dates on a timeline. 

What a Gantt Chart Is Used For, and How to Use a Gantt Chart 

As you explore what a Gantt chart is used for in the business management world, keep in mind that this type of chart has several functions. Let’s go over this chart’s many uses and how to use a Gantt chart.

Task Scheduling

For starters, Gantt charts will help you with task scheduling. That’s because a well-designed chart will feature your task names, their statuses, and their priorities. This will make it easier for you and your project resources to visualize what’s on your project agenda.

Use a chart to schedule all of the phases of your project plan, no matter what each phase’s duration may be. There should be clearly defined end and start dates on your chart.

With this type of chart, you’ll no longer have to wonder what jobs need to be completed or worry about missing deadlines. That’s because this type of chart will show you your current tasks along with what’s already been done.

Pinpointing Milestones

This chart can additionally help you with identifying milestones. A milestone is a significant project event that doesn’t have a duration.

Progress Tracking

Gantt charts will also assist you in tracking your projects’ progress ahead of their deadlines, as your chart will display your timeline with a time scale.

With these charts, you’ll develop a better understanding of how various tasks are connected. In addition, you’ll see each project’s critical path or the order of activities that make up your project’s entire duration. 

All in all, Gantt charts can help you to prevent project management problems. They can also help you and your project resources to more easily address them when they crop up.

Additional Purposes

Gantt charts can furthermore assist you in managing your resources and costs. For instance, you can keep track of which workers are handling certain tasks and which ones are overloaded. You can then determine which workers have room to take on more tasks.

In addition, you can use this type of chart to foster seamless collaboration among team members.

Finally, you may use a chart to connect the tasks related to your project with dependencies. 

Gantt Chart Examples

Gantt charts can be used to facilitate various types of projects in different industries. Let’s look at a few common Gantt chart examples.

Tracking Software Bugs

Let’s say you’re responsible for planning software products. You can use Gantt charts to track any bugs in the software. This will allow your team of developers to tackle these issues right away.

With this application, you can break down the task groups in your chart by status (closed, on hold, in progress, and open). Then, you can simply move tasks to new status groups as they move through the project process.

In addition, you can use various hues to indicate tasks’ priority levels. This will help your team to determine which bugs need to be eliminated first.

During this process, you should also add important files and notes to the discussion tab for each task. This will help to ensure that your development team has the necessary details for investigating the problem.

Producing a Video

Gantt charts can also be used for planning one-off film projects. This will make it easier for you to release your videos on schedule.

For instance, you can create a chart where you organize tasks by color based on three video production phases: post-production, production, and pre-production.

Construction Scheduling

If you’re in the construction field, you can use Gantt charts to manage your projects’ moving parts. You’ll simply break down each construction process phase into a handful of tasks. In addition, you can use inspections, sign-offs on contracts, and key planning meetings as your chart’s milestones. 

How We Can Help with Project Management

If you’re asking, “What is a Gantt chart in project management,” note that these bar charts are handy tools for improving your time management and productivity during a project. The top Gantt chart examples include charts used to track video production or construction scheduling.

At WorkOtter, we’re excited to offer WorkOtter PPM, a cloud-based software that can help SMBs to generate Gantt charts to manage their projects. We can show you what a Gantt chart is used for in your industry and how to use a Gantt chart to boost your revenue.

Request a demo today!