Project Scope and Time Management Unit 7

Gantt Charts in Project Time Management

• Gantt charts provide a standard format for displaying schedule information by listing activities with their corresponding start and finish dates on a calendar.
• Activities listed should coincide with the information on the WBS, activity, and milestone lists.
• Low-cost and easy to understand, Gantt charts use horizontal bars to depict each project activity along a timeline.
• Key purposes of Gantt charts include:
• Ensuring all activities are planned for
• Accounting for the order of performance
• Recording activity time estimates
• Developing overall project time

Drawing a Gantt Chart

• Tabular reports provide the structure to present information, which should be used in conjunction with other planning documents.
• It's a good idea to establish the WBS before creating a Gantt chart.
• A simple Gantt chart example is shown for a house-building project, with activity data listed and depicted with a calendar timescale.

Features of a Gantt Chart

• An activity float shows a ‘float’ at the end of an activity from early finish to late finish, denoted as a dotted line with a symbol (usually a diamond or upturned triangle) at the end.
• Some software packages allow for ‘select’ or ‘filter’, ‘sort’ or ‘order’ functions to aid in formatting.
• A hammock is a summary activity that gathers together a number of sub-activities into one master activity, which can link with the WBS.
• An event is a key point in time with zero duration, also called a keydate or milestone, which gives focus to when work must be completed and provides a clear measure of progress.

Variations of the Gantt Chart

• Revised Gantt chart: actual progress can be marked on the original plan, drawn above, inside, or underneath the original bar, to establish progress trends.
• Rolling Horizon Gantt chart: a simplified chart focusing on a short period ahead, based on the latest data, and worked on by someone close to the center of action.
• Trend Gantt chart: a progress trend chart showing the direction and trend of a project at a glance, drawn by hand on the original Gantt chart and photocopied for circulation.
• Logic Gantt chart: shows activity logical relationships explicitly in Gantt chart format, appropriate for modest-sized projects.

Benefits of the Gantt Chart

• Easy to assimilate chart presentation
• Displays activity progress very simply and clearly
• Activity float is easier to comprehend when displayed using a Gantt chart
• Scheduled Gantt chart is a prerequisite for forecasting procurement schedule and cash flow statement
• Revised Gantt chart is an excellent management tool
• Can be used to communicate and disseminate schedule information
• Key document for management decision-making function

Shortcomings of Gantt Charts

• Does not adequately illustrate interrelationships and dependencies between activities and resources
• Limited in multiple decision-making situations

This quiz covers the basics of Gantt charts, a visual tool used in project time management to display schedule information and ensure all activities are accounted for.