The concept of Gantt Charts is not alien to project managers. On that note, the benefits of Gantt charts for project management are immense and give a tool for project managers to make important decisions. The project may span over several weeks, months, or even years, and tasks in that project are dependent upon each other. You cannot start some of the tasks unless the previous ones in the queue are completed.
If you have a handful of tasks that don’t require that much concentration and effort, a simple Excel sheet or a piece of paper may suffice. If you have a complex project with numerous tasks, then it is not possible to manage and understand the link between the tasks. Here comes the use of Interactive Gantt Charts.
What is Gantt Chart?
Gantt charts are used to analyze complex projects with numerous tasks. Gantt chart is a pictorial view of your project and helps you to manage your project with efficiency and effectiveness. Gantt charts can be quite simple or complex at times depending on the nature of your project.
The purpose of the Gantt charts is to make things simple and crystal clear when managing your projects. When you are overloaded with complex information, project managers become overwhelmed.
According to Microsoft, ‘Gantt charts help you schedule your tasks in the project and helps you track the project’s progress’.
Gantt charts are named after Henry Gantt, a mechanical engineer, and management consultant, who created Gantt charts in 1910. Gantt charts at that time were used for mega infrastructural projects like the construction of dams, and highways. Nowadays, they are applied to almost every industry and in each department.
Gantt charts are typically created using bar charts which depict the schedule of the project and show the dependencies between different tasks with respect to date/time.
What Are Gantt Charts Used For?
The uses of Gantt charts are practically unlimited. However, in the context of project management, it enables project teams to perform the following activities:
1. Team collaboration:
Gantt charts help project teams to collaborate on their projects and help bring everyone on a single page. The team leads and project managers can make sure that their team members share the same knowledge on the project, and they don’t have to brief them about the project’s progress all the time.
2. Task Management:
It will be easy to manage tasks, checklist items, and task dependencies with the help of Gantt Charts. All team members can know what tasks are assigned to them and how their efforts will help in overall project success.
3. Management of Resources:
With the help of Gantt Charts, project managers can easily assign tasks to their team members and assign different roles with Gantt Chart online tools.
4. Project Planning and Tracking:
The main aim of the Gantt chart is to help the whole project team in project planning and tracking. The Gantt charts view helps to show the project’s tasks, dependencies, time frames, and milestones. Moreover, the benefit of the Gantt chart tool is that you can assign a budget to your project and it will show the live project tracking.
12 Best Benefits of Gantt Charts & The Uses of Gantt Charts
We have listed some of the most common and apparent benefits of Gantt charts, such as:
1. Improve Team Productivity
The Gantt chart gives live information on the project’s progress to all the stakeholders. With the Gantt chart view, your team will easily keep track of the project and they will know what to come next. This helps in getting aligned on time and improves the project team’s level of productivity.
Moreover, it enables your team members to adopt transparency and accountability with ease. The Gantt chart tools like nTask, allow in-app notifications and scheduled reminder emails so that your team can focus on the projects.
2. Resource Planning
Gantt charts help you in scheduling the work and planning tasks. The team leads and project managers can learn about the capacity of their available resources such as technology, labor (both skilled and unskilled), and processes. They can easily assign, redistribute and withdraw resources with the help of the Gantt analysis that empowers your decision-making.
It gives a roadmap and proper process to get things done so that there is no overwork required and you can save most of your time that previously goes to waste. The availability of the Gantt charts module in project management tools will give a clear insight into resource utility, availability, and performance.
3. Gives you the ability to manage complex information
You can easily manage small gigs and projects with a bunch of tasks on a piece of paper or Excel sheets, but what will you do when you are assigned a complex project with hundreds of tasks? You will need a software solution that gives you a Gantt view. Gantt charts summarize the complex data into a piece of information that can be used in effective decision-making.
It will be difficult to keep track of the linked tasks if you don’t use the Gantt charts. The tasks are presented in horizontal bar lines with different colors for tasks and team members.  With the nTask Gantt charts module, you can set custom colors to differentiate between the tasks.
4. Project requirements are clear with Gantt charts
You can easily create project requirements with the Gantt charts module in the project management app. It gives a calendar view that can be used to set milestones, and dependencies, and assign issues, risks, and tasks for the project requirements.
It enables team members to better understand their work responsibilities and how their efforts have an impact on the overall project. That’s the main element of the success of the product roadmap, which shows how much effort and work are required by each team member for the product’s success.
5. One page for different tasks
The Gantt charts give you the ability to view the progress of different tasks on the same page. It combines information from all the tasks and makes it easy to share with all stakeholders.
6. Know the project’s progress
Gantt works as a visualization tool that provides an overview of work that is planned to be done or actually done. The information is critical to each team member as they are involved in every step of the project and give you the order in which tasks are done. The Gantt charts show you how many tasks are done and what is left on the pending items for the project to complete.
nTask Gantt module also gives the completion rate tab which shows you the percentage of tasks completed in the project.
Interactive Gantt Charts
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7. Team communication
There is no need to switch through the apps to communicate and collaborate with your team. You can have real-time updates on the tasks in your Gantt chart project management with the help of comment boxes. You can also assign and ask a particular team member about the task with the ‘@’ shortcode.
Communication is key to your project’s success. More than 80% of project employees think that the project fails due to the lack of smooth communication. Use collaborative Gantt charts to help your team to collaborate on tasks and work for project success.
8. Check task dependencies
Every realistic project’s task has dependencies on other activities, like, if ‘Task A’ does not get completed, ‘Task C’ cannot be started. These situations can be easily handled with the Gantt chart online software. Dependencies like these are hard to manage when you have a huge list of tasks in your project.
The task dependency feature in nTask can help you to have a smooth task execution process on the timeline, with a simple click and link functionality. See you how to create Task Dependencies with nTask.
9. Avoid work overload for employees
When you have complex projects, your employees have to work on multiple tasks and go through several processes. With the help of Gantt charts, your resources will be used efficiently by eliminating the chances of overwork. The project managers can have a clear view of how and where their resources are used.
You can also assign tasks to your team members so that you can avoid the overburdening of work through the delegation of tasks. This way you can complete your projects before the deadline and within the budget.
10. Improved Time Management
Project managers face difficulty in managing complex projects, especially in matrix organizations, and at times they become overwhelmed. Improvement in time management is one of the main benefits of Gantt charts. It can depict the severity of delays in projects and tasks. With a clear view of tasks on the timeline, you can easily allocate time between the tasks and can have a clear focus.
You can use the time tracking tool in nTask to manage your project and task time properly.
11. Easily manage remote teams
Project managers often face issues in managing remote teams for their projects. With more demand for remote workers to reduce costs for the project, project managers need a tool where they can easily assign tasks and track the work progress. The biggest hurdle of remote project management is the difficulty in coordinating with the remote teams and keeping them on the same page.
Cloud-based project management online tools with Gantt chart features, like nTask, can solve this problem for managing remote teams. Now you can have a clear view of all your teams, including remote workers, no matter where they are geographically located.
12. Have accountability and transparency
Utilizing Gantt charts allow all the stakeholders in the project to track the progress of the team, clearly showing the wins and failures of the project. It creates a sense of transparency and accountability in the workplace. This way the managers and other team members within the project can gain recognition in the face of clients and investors.
13. Enable Flexibility
Enabling flexibility is a key benefit of Gantt charts, as they allow project managers to easily adjust the schedule and tasks as needed in response to unexpected changes or shifting priorities. This flexibility is important because it enables project managers to adapt to changing circumstances, which can be critical to the success of the project.
Gantt charts provide a visual representation of the project’s timeline and tasks, which makes it easy to see how changes will impact the overall schedule. By updating the chart, project managers can communicate changes to the team and stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and that work is being completed in the right order.
By enabling flexibility, Gantt charts help to ensure that the project stays on track, even in the face of unexpected challenges or changes. Project managers can adjust tasks and deadlines as needed, while still maintaining a clear overview of the project’s progress and goals.
14. Avoid roadblocks for the project
Avoiding roadblocks is another key benefit of using Gantt charts in project management. By identifying potential issues before they occur, project managers can take proactive measures to avoid roadblocks and ensure that the project stays on track.
Gantt charts are particularly effective in helping to avoid roadblocks by providing an overview of the project’s timeline, tasks, and dependencies. By analyzing the dependencies between tasks, project managers can identify potential roadblocks or delays and take steps to address them before they occur.
Critical path analysis is another tool that can be used to avoid roadblocks. By identifying the critical path and focusing on the tasks that are most critical to the project’s success, project managers can ensure that these tasks are completed on time and that resources are allocated effectively.
By avoiding roadblocks, project managers can save time and money, as well as reduce stress and frustration for the project team. It also helps to ensure that the project stays on track and is completed within the desired timeframe.
15. Maintains a balance with multiple projects
Maintaining balance with multiple projects is another key benefit of using Gantt charts in project management. Gantt charts help managers to balance resources across multiple projects, ensuring that each project receives the necessary attention and resources.
By visualizing the workload and schedule, project managers can make informed decisions about resource allocation. They can identify periods where resources may be stretched too thin, and take steps to address the situation, such as reallocating resources or adjusting project timelines.
This helps to avoid overloading the team or missing deadlines, which can have a negative impact on productivity and morale. By maintaining balance across multiple projects, project managers can improve overall project management efficiency and productivity.
Gantt charts provide an effective tool for balancing multiple projects because they allow managers to easily track progress and timelines across different projects. This helps to ensure that each project is being managed effectively and efficiently, while still maintaining an overview of the entire portfolio of projects.
Components of Gantt Charts
1. Tasks
Tasks are the main activities that need to be completed in a project, and they represent the fundamental building blocks of the project. These tasks can be considered individual work that, when completed, contribute towards achieving the project’s overall goals.
To effectively manage tasks, they should be clearly defined and measurable, meaning they should be specific and well-defined. They should also be assigned to specific team members or groups so everyone knows what is expected of them. Each task should also have a clear objective or goal, which should be aligned with the project’s overall goals.
By ensuring that tasks are clearly defined and measurable, project managers can better manage the project’s progress and ensure that it stays on track. It also makes it easier to monitor progress and identify potential issues or roadblocks. Additionally, clear and well-defined tasks make it easier to allocate resources, manage timelines, and communicate effectively with team members and stakeholders. Overall, clear and well-defined tasks are a critical aspect of effective project management.
2. Sub-tasksÂ
Sub-tasks are smaller, more manageable pieces of work that break down the main tasks of a project into more specific and actionable items. By breaking down tasks into sub-tasks, it becomes easier to manage and complete the project in a structured and efficient manner.
Each sub-task should be organized in a logical sequence that makes sense for the project and should be assigned to specific team members who have the necessary skills and expertise to complete the work. The goal of breaking tasks down into sub-tasks is to make it easier to manage and track progress, as well as to ensure that each team member knows exactly what is expected of them.
Organizing sub-tasks in a logical sequence is important because it helps to ensure that work is completed in the right order and that dependencies are identified and managed appropriately. By assigning specific team members to each sub-task, it becomes easier to track progress and identify any potential issues that may arise.
3. Due dates
Due dates are specific dates or deadlines that are assigned to each task and sub-task in a project. These deadlines are used to indicate when each piece of work is expected to be completed, which helps to keep the project on track and ensure that everyone is aware of their responsibilities.
By setting due dates, project managers can track progress and ensure that tasks are completed on time. This also makes it easier to monitor the project’s overall timeline and adjust plans as needed to ensure that the project is completed within the desired timeframe.
Due dates help to ensure that everyone on the team is aware of their responsibilities and understands what is expected of them. It also helps to create a sense of urgency and accountability, which can motivate team members to work more efficiently and effectively.
4. MilestonesÂ
Milestones are significant events or achievements in a project, such as the completion of a major deliverable, the start of a new phase, or the achievement of a specific goal. They are used to mark progress and provide a sense of accomplishment, both for the project team and stakeholders.
By marking milestones, project managers can break down the project into smaller, more manageable chunks, which makes it easier to track progress and celebrate achievements. Milestones also help to create a sense of progress and momentum, which can be motivating for the project team and help to maintain engagement and focus.
Milestones can also serve as a communication tool to stakeholders outside of the project team by providing a clear indication of progress and achievements. This helps to keep stakeholders informed and engaged, which can be important for maintaining support for the project.
5. DependenciesÂ
Dependencies refer to the relationships between tasks and sub-tasks in a project. In other words, dependencies represent the sequence of activities that must be completed to complete the project successfully.
Dependencies help to ensure that tasks are completed in the correct order and that there are no unnecessary delays or roadblocks. They also help to identify potential risks or issues that may arise during the project.
There are two types of dependencies: finish-to-start and start-to-start. A finish-to-start dependency means a task cannot begin until the primary task has been completed. A start-to-start dependency means that a task cannot begin until the preceding task has started.
By identifying dependencies between tasks and sub-tasks, project managers can develop a clear and logical sequence of activities that must be completed. This helps to ensure that the project stays on track and that resources are allocated effectively.
6. Task IDÂ
Task ID refers to a unique identifier that is assigned to each task and sub-task in a project. It is used to differentiate between different tasks and sub-tasks and helps to ensure that each item of work is tracked and managed appropriately.
Task IDs can be alphanumeric codes, numbers, or other types of identifiers, but they should be unique to each task or sub-task. By assigning a unique identifier to each task and sub-task, project managers can easily track progress, identify dependencies, and communicate with team members about specific items of work.
Task IDs also help to ensure that everyone on the project team is on the same page, as each item of work is clearly identified and tracked. This makes it easier to manage resources, allocate tasks, and identify potential roadblocks or issues that may arise during the course of the project.
7. Task progress barÂ
The task progress bar is a visual representation that shows the percentage of completion for each task and sub-task in a project. It provides a quick and easy way to track progress and helps project managers to understand how much work has been completed and how much work still needs to be done. The task progress bar can also help to identify any potential delays or issues, allowing project managers to take corrective action before they impact the project’s timeline or budget.
8. Financial Summary
The financial summary is a document that provides an overview of the project’s budget and expenses. It includes details such as the project’s total budget, expenses incurred to date, and remaining budget. By providing this information in one place, the financial summary makes it easier to manage costs and make informed decisions about how to allocate resources. This document is especially important for larger projects or those with complex financial requirements.
The financial summary can also help project managers to identify potential areas of cost savings, such as areas where expenses are higher than expected. By analyzing the financial summary, project managers can make informed decisions about where to allocate resources, how to manage costs, and how to ensure that the project stays within its budget.Â
9. Critical PathÂ
The critical path is a sequence of tasks in a project that must be completed on time for the project to be completed on schedule. It is the longest path of tasks and sub-tasks that determines the minimum time required to complete the project.
Identifying the critical path is important because it helps project managers to focus their attention on the tasks that are most critical to the project’s success. By prioritizing these tasks, project managers can ensure that they are completed on time and that the project stays on schedule.
The critical path can be determined by identifying all of the tasks and sub-tasks in a project and then analyzing their dependencies and the amount of time required to complete each task. By identifying the tasks that are most critical to the project’s success, project managers can allocate resources and manage timelines more effectively.
Create your own Gantt Charts with nTask | Project and Task Management Tool
Are you ready to take your project management skills to the next level with the help of a dedicated Gantt chart module? nTask is the one the easiest to use Gantt chart tool with numerous functionalities such as:
- Setting task dependencies
- Set planned and time date/time
- Set milestones
- Critical path
- Project progress line
- Ability to set a custom project budget
- Track the project cost
- Assign tasks, issues, and risks to the project.
You’ll have all the necessary features that you need to ensure that your projects get completed on time within the set budget. You can ask thousands of businesses that manage their work on nTask.
nTask is built on the grounds of an intuitive, best, and simple user interface which your team can not ignore.
Try nTask Project and Task Management Tool Today!
