What is the Gantt chart and how can it help you in project management?

Every project has dependencies. This refers to those tasks that must be executed through several steps, that is, everything that must be done from start to finish. In order to work the dependencies correctly, you can use the Gantt chart. A Gantt diagram is a graphical tool used in the project management to plan, schedule and visualize tasks over time. It is represented by a horizontal bar chart where each bar represents a specific project task.

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Let’s go back to talking about project dependencies. It is important to note that within project management, dependencies are critical and are found in virtually every aspect of the process. In fact, in many cases it is necessary to obtain the approval of an interested party before the team can move on to the next task. There are different types:

End to start: is when an initial task must be completed before the next task can begin.
start to finish: refers to situations in which task B must start before task A completes. In other words, task A depends on the start of task B for its completion.
Start to start: means that task B cannot start until task A has also started.
end to end: implies that a team or project can complete task B only after task A has finished completely. The two tasks may run in parallel or overlap in terms of time, but task B cannot be considered completely finished until task A has been completed.

When a task on the critical path is delayed or changed, can have a significant impact on the entire project, from the budget to the established deadlines. For this reason, it is vitally important to properly organize the dependencies of the project. This is where the Gantt diagram.

How the Gantt chart can help

A conventional Gantt chart is a visual representation in the form of a timeline that makes it easy to manage tasks and plan projects. It usually has horizontal bars that represent each of the tasks along the time interval in which they are expected to be completed, indicating the start and end of each one.

monday is a tool that takes advantage of the Gantt chart to help its users. In its platform it offers an organized environment where you can register the dependencies in ordered lists. Later, you can convert them into Gantt charts using the function of Gantt view.

The Gantt View is integrated into the dashboard, so you won’t have to look elsewhere to access it. Also, you can easily share this view with stakeholders, which provides a clear view of project schedules and allows monitoring of critical paths in real time.

Monday templates

For those who do not have a clear idea of ​​how to apply the Gantt chart in their projects, Monday has a series of templates available to suit different needs:

1. Project planning

With the project planning template, you can start managing a project effectively. This template provides all the necessary tools, such as different phases, customizable tasks and a schedule to start planning right away.

2. Project monitoring

With this template, you will be able to enter and track all the essential details, the dependencies and resources of your projects in a simple way. In addition, you will enjoy visual tools that will allow you to monitor progress effectively.

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Photo: Depositphotos

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