Gantt Chart Reason#1: Finally you can see what you are doing!
Looking at a column of start and finish dates for tasks, is the primary alternative to using a Gantt Chart.    Each row of your plan requires you to think about the dates, and position those dates in the context of preceding and dependent tasks.  This thought process, attempting to visualize your dates in your head, takes valuable thinking time, and more importantly can only be performed effectively on one or two tasks at once. A Ga...

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Gantt Chart Reason#1: More Control

Using excel gives you more control over the gantt chart creation process.  It provides you with the freedom to control key planning variables as you see fit.  For example if you would like to convert 8 hours, or 7.5 hours into one day, it is straight forward to do with a simple formula.  If you would rather plan in minutes, you can do this too.  Whilst structured planning tools such as MS Project do have a place, experience suggests that for an experience...

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A gantt chart is a visual representation of time that enables simple and effective project planning.  A particularly useful feature of leading gantt chart solutions is the ability to create dependencies between tasks.  There are 4 types of dependencies that can be created.  Finish to start, Start to Start, Start to Finish and Finish to Finish.  Leading project management software and gantt chart creation templates in excel can incorporate the use of dependencies.

Dependencies are particul...

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Management Gantt Charts are significantly more complex and tailored than Planning Gantt Charts.

The incorporation of actual figures into the planning process significantly complicates any planning model, as anyone who has used Microsoft Project to manage a project will attest.

The significant issue with the vast majority of management Gantt Charts is that they are driven by duration rather than effort.  Whilst tools such as MS Project do allow for effort driven management, the underlying premis...
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