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Gantt Chart

A Gantt chart is a bar chart used to illustrate a project schedule. It displays tasks on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis, showing the start and finish dates of each task and task dependencies. The document discusses how to construct a Gantt chart with steps like listing tasks, estimating durations, identifying predecessors, and translating the information into a chart. While useful for visualizing schedules, Gantt charts have limitations such as not handling complex projects well or showing resource usage.

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Jones Peterson
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77 views

Gantt Chart

A Gantt chart is a bar chart used to illustrate a project schedule. It displays tasks on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis, showing the start and finish dates of each task and task dependencies. The document discusses how to construct a Gantt chart with steps like listing tasks, estimating durations, identifying predecessors, and translating the information into a chart. While useful for visualizing schedules, Gantt charts have limitations such as not handling complex projects well or showing resource usage.

Uploaded by

Jones Peterson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Gantt Chart

- An article by Jones Stephenmoses

Introduction:

In the world of Project management, when it comes to scheduling and control, one of the highly
used tools appears to be the Gantt chart. The chart has been in practice for very long, to illustrate a
project schedule. It is a bar chart named after its inventor, Henry Gantt. Like other inventions of the
day, Gantt chart has evolved too and the modern-day Gantt charts show the various dependencies
between the schedule activities and the current schedule status. These charts are relatively easy to
read and hence more commonly used in projects when a graphical representation of schedule is
required.

Construction of a Gantt Chart:

Vertical axis: The tasks to be performed, are listed on the vertical axis

Horizontal axis: The duration of each schedule activity is listed in the width of the horizontal bars

Note: In the Gantt chart, each task is scheduled to start immediately (either concurrently or based
on the dependency), referred as the early start time approach.

Let’s construct a Gantt Chart! Here below is a step-by-step procedure

Step 1: List down the activities planned for a work package, as part of the WBS (Work Breakdown
Structure)

Let’s consider a sample work package below, for a simple project to design a logo for a product:

(Marking each of the activities with alphabets, for ease of use. This would come handy while
preparing the schedule network diagram and calculating the critical path)

1. Design
1.1 Analyze the tool / software for the design (A)
1.2 Prepare sample logos (B)
2. Testing
2.1 Validate logo (C)
2.2 Provide QA sign-off (D)
3. Review & Approval
3.1 Review the logo designs (E)
3.2 Finalize the logo (F)
3.3 Approve logo for product use (G)

Step 2: Estimate duration for all these activities, for the Optimistic, Pessimistic and Most likely time
expected. (I have considered Business days in the below table)

Activity Optimistic Pessimistic Most Likely


1.1 Analyze the tool / software for the design (A) 2 4 3
1.2 Prepare sample logos (B) 3 6 4
2.1 Validate logo (C) 1 3 2
2.2 Provide QA sign-off (D) 1 2 2
3.1 Review the logo designs (E) 2 4 3
3.2 Finalize the logo (F) 1 3 2
3.3 Approve logo for product use (G) 0.5 2 1
Step 3: Calculate the Total Estimate for each of the above activities, using PERT Beta Probability
Distribution formula:

T ₑ = (O + 4M + P) / 6

Activity Optimistic Pessimistic Most Likely Tₑ


1.1 Analyze the tool / software for the design 2 4 3 3
(A)
1.2 Prepare sample logos (B) 3 6 4 3.67
2.1 Validate logo (C) 1 3 2 2
2.2 Provide QA sign-off (D) 1 2 2 1.83
3.1 Review the logo designs (E) 2 4 3 3
3.2 Finalize the logo (F) 1 3 2 2
3.3 Approve logo for product use (G) 0.5 2 1 1.08

Step 4: Identify the predecessor for the activities

Activity Predecessor Optimistic Pessimistic Most Likely Tₑ


1.1Analyze the tool / - 2 4 3 3
software for the design (A)
1.2 Prepare sample logos (B) A 3 6 4 3.67
2.1 Validate logo (C) B 1 3 2 2
2.2 Provide QA sign-off (D) B, C 1 2 2 1.83
3.1 Review the logo designs (E) D 2 4 3 3
3.2 Finalize the logo (F) E 1 3 2 2
3.3 Approve logo for product use F 0.5 2 1 1.08
(G)

Step 5: Identify the critical path using schedule network diagram

A -> B -> C -> D -> E - > F -> G : Total Duration: 16.58 days (Critical Path)

A -> B -> D -> E -> F -> G: Total Duration: 14.58 days


Step 6: Now, translating these details into the chart yields a result as seen below:

When the non-working days cross over, the schedule looks as though it is extending, but in reality,
only the Business days or the working days are used for illustration and further project planning.

Gantt Charts also illustrate the progress of the project schedule. In such a case, the completed
percentage is shaded, starting from the left. The above chart will then reflect as below:

The above chart provides a visual presentation of the project schedule, highlighting if the Project is
on schedule, ahead of schedule or lagging behind schedule. Such a view gives the Project Manager
an opportunity to take preventive or corrective actions, as necessary. Gantt Charts can also include
the names of the team member working on the activity.

Limitations of Gantt chart: In the above statements, we understood the various uses of the Gantt
chart. There are few limitations also.

1. Gantt Charts may not be helpful in complex projects where the work packages have many
activities and many dependencies between them. The look would become clumsy.
2. Though a Gantt chart illustrates how long an activity would take, it does not help in
understanding how many resources are required to complete a given task.
3. There is little to no flexibility in project planning, using Gantt chart
4. When there are changes to the project plan, it is difficult to update the Gantt chart and any
such exercise is time-consuming.
5. Though the duration of an activity has been calculated prior to the creation of a Gantt chart,
there is no explanation seen on the chart, that shows the rationale behind the estimation of
each activity.
6. A Gantt chart does not show the impact of an activity that is delayed.

Conclusion:
Many software tools in the market today, have made the construction of Gantt charts
simpler when compared to manual effort. Scheduling a project involves a great deal of planning, co-
ordination and tracking. A successful Project Manager always finds the right tools and techniques
needed to keep a project on track (schedule), foresee any delays and swiftly perform preventive or
corrective actions to bring the project back on schedule. While Gantt chart may not be the most-
perfect tool to assist a Project Manager to capture all details with respect to Project schedule, it sure
helps in guiding the manager to make informed decisions on the schedule.

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