Gantt chart - Explanation and definition of gantt chart

What is Gantt chart

A Gantt chart is a graphical representation of the planning and scheduling of specific processes and / or project developed by Henry L. Gantt in the early twentieth century. Using the Gantt chart we can represent and monitor the development of the various activities of a process and / or project for a period of time, easily and quickly.

In such diagrams are shown very clearly the different phases of a process and / or product, in order and as a graph way allowing us to plan and schedule the various stages of a process and / or project.

Gantt charts are specifically used for:

• Planning and scheduling activities to do in problem solving.

• Planning and scheduling of tasks resulting from improvement processes.

• Planning and project scheduling.

• Planning and scheduling action plans.

The Gantt chart is the basis for the generation and implementation of other methods of management and control of projects such as PERT, CPM, Critical Chain...

Gantt Chart Generation

To generate a Gantt chart must follow the points listed below:

• Define the process and / or project that we want to plan / monitor with the level of detail desired.

• Divide the process and / or project phases or tasks, determining the length of each of these.

• Design a chart or table standing from left to right and upper axis "X" time units. The phases or tasks are placed up and down on the shaft of the "Y" on the left.

• The tasks and phases represent by horizontal bars with a length equivalent to time duration of each of the phases.

We can find in the market a wide range of specific development software Gantt charts, on the other hand Spreadsheets like Excel, Calc ... are an ideal format for the generation of such diagrams.