When it comes to managing projects you want to make sure you’re keeping track of everything properly and the best way to do that is to have a Gantt chart that will keep you on the right path. After all, if you don’t keep track of everything that’s happening within the project throughout the entire process it’s entirely possible something could fall through the cracks and your project and your entire team could suffer in the process. So, what do you need to know?
What Is a Gantt Chart?
Many people don’t want to get started with Gantt charts because they’re concerned that it’s going to be too difficult. The truth of the matter is that Gantt charts don’t have to be that complicated to set up and yet they can help you keep track of absolutely everything that you need within any type of project. But you need to know the basic components that go into every Gantt chart (since most of the features can be customized). Just what does your Gantt chart consist of and how does it really work? Well, there are five basic components that you need to know about.
Timeline: the basic component of a Gantt chart is the timeline. That’s the basis of what this type of chart is. It’s a full timeline that will allow you to highlight specific days, weeks, months and even years. That way, you can lay out each of the components of the project that you’re working on and schedule just how long each of them will take and what needs to be done (but we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves). This is the horizontal axis of the chart that you’re creating.
Task List: next, each project has a range of different tasks that are associated with it. The tasks are entirely up to you and you can have as many or as few as you want within a single project. You can also have as many subtasks as you want as well. Your tasks can be organized into different groups and subgroups as well, which means you’re going to have plenty of ways to set them up so you can keep track of anything and everything. All you have to do is decide how you can best organize them for your own system and peace of mind. These go down the vertical axis of your chart.
Bars: the bars are what are going to represent each of your tasks and the amount of time that they take. So, the bar for task one will start when you set the start date and end when you set the end date. That means you’re going to have a single bar for each task within your project that will extend across the horizontal axis. It allows you to get a visual depiction of just what needs to be done at what time. This is a great way to keep track of each of your tasks.
Milestones: within your project you’re going to have set milestones, which are important to get through in order to finish your project. These milestones occur throughout the project and at different stages of the process, but each one is important. With a Gantt chart you have the ability to keep track of each milestone and properly signify it within the program. They aren’t just regular tasks but are actually marked specifically to make it easy for you to see that they are a milestone.
Dependencies: within any project also you are going to have some tasks that require you to finish something else in order to get to them. That means you’ll need to know where these tasks are and what needs to be completed first. Within a Gantt chart you have the ability to make one task dependent upon another, so you know that if the first one isn’t completed you’re not going to be able to complete the next one.
Examples of Gantt Charts
Now that you know the most important factors for your Gantt chart, it’s time to start looking at some of the different ways you can create them. After all, Gantt charts are going to be an essential part of your process and they’re definitely going to make it easier for you to get each project done. Take advantage of the way in which these types of charts can really change the way you carry out each of your tasks and accomplish different things, no matter what type of business you’re involved in.
Instagantt (Gantt Chart Maker)
Instagantt is a method of creating Gantt charts that lets you control absolutely everything from the color of the tasks to what they are, how they’re organized, dates, dependencies, milestones and a whole lot more. Basically, anything you could possibly want to track is going to be a whole lot easier to track with Instagantt.
You’re going to have the ability to really control each of your projects and make sure that everything for the project is being done properly. All you have to do is set it up the way that you want and it’s going to be ready and waiting for each of your next projects as well.
Free Options
There are a number of different free ways that you can create your own Gantt charts or ways that you can use programs you likely already have. Google Sheets, for example, will allow you to use a system similar to Microsoft Excel, which is another way that you can set up charts.
Microsoft PowerPoint
This might not be a program you think of when it comes to creating a Gantt chart because it doesn’t exactly have anything to do with charts. But you can create a chart within your PowerPoint, which makes it great if your goal is less to keep track of tasks and more to present information to others within your team.
For this type of chart you use the ‘Stacked Bar’ option within your PowerPoint presentation. It will allow you to create a chart with different tasks and bars of varying lengths that will depict just what needs to be done and how.
Microsoft Excel
This is one that might not seem as surprising, but you might not be using it quite as well as you could be. With Excel you can use the ‘Stacked Bar’ option yet again to create charts. Then, you can lay out each of the tasks and dates on your vertical and horizontal axis.
You also have the option to create your own chart entirely using just a plain sheet and filling in the boxes the way you see fit. This allows you to really customize the process
Microsoft Word
You can absolutely get a whole lot of work out of the entire Microsoft suite, especially since Word has the ‘Stacked Bar’ option too. If you’re more comfortable with this website you can easily use this type of chart again to set it up.
You won’t have quite as much freedom or options when it comes to Microsoft Word, but you are still going to have the ability to create your chart. You’ll also fill in as many tasks as you want but it can be a little more difficult tracking longer time periods because of the way the pages are set up.
Google Sheets
Google Sheets is very similar to Microsoft Excel, except it’s a completely free option. It has many of the same features and that means you can create a bar graph in much the same way as you would with Excel. You just need to have a few formulas.
The ‘Stacked Bar’ chart is one that’s absolutely available through Google Sheets and you can set it up in the same ways. You get to choose all of the different features you’re tracking and you can change things around however and whenever you want.
Google Docs
This one is very similar to Microsoft Word and it will definitely provide you with a lot of the same features. Once again you have the ‘Stacked Bar’ option and you can fill in all of the information in a way that’s similar to a timeline.
You’re going to have plenty of space, though it’s again going to be easier to track more tasks rather than a longer timeline. Still, you can use this system (or Google Sheets) to more easily share and collaborate with other people on the chart you’re creating and the tasks on it.
Paid Options
When it comes to creating a Gantt chart, there’s plenty you can do with free or inexpensive options, but at some point you may come to realize you need a true Gantt chart will all of the possible features. That’s where you’re going to want to start doing a little research and it’s definitely where you’re going to come across Instagantt. That’s where you’re going to have the options you need and the features that it takes to really keep track of everything that goes into your project
Ways to Use a Gantt Chart
If you’re still not totally sure about how you could use a Gantt chart there’s more to it than just project management. You can actually use these charts for just about any type of work and any type of tracking system with a team.
Project Management
This is one of the first things that people think of when they’re looking at Gantt charts and for good reason. They’re really good at letting you manage projects and that’s what we’ve talked about throughout this article. You’ll be able to easily set up tasks within the project, deadlines, milestones and a whole lot more
Editorial Calendar
If you want to keep track of different tasks and pieces that need to be done for your writing work then you can absolutely use a Gantt chart for that as well. You can set up publication dates, different groups for different parts of the writing and publishing process and even color code information to make it easier for you to track.
Marketing Campaign
If you’re planning to market anything at all you can use a Gantt chart to help you set everything up. Similar to setting up a project management chart you can use these charts to lay out each general aspect of your marketing process and then the sub-tasks within. Plus, you can create a template that you can use to start the project for your next marketing campaign.
Design Projects
As a designer you absolutely need to stay on top of the different tasks going on within your project and that can be difficult sometimes. But a Gantt chart lets you plan everything out including launches, drafts, submissions and more. Plus, you can share the information with other people as you go along to get input.
Product Launch
Looking to launch a product? You can use a Gantt chart to help you out. You just set up each of the different steps that you need to follow in order to complete the launch and even set up the different dependencies and milestones that you need to hit and by when. Walking through the launch process will be a whole lot easier then.
Social Media Campaign
Social media is the backbone of just about everything that you do now and a Gantt chart can help you keep track of absolutely everything that needs to be done. All you have to do is lay out each of your different social media channels and what you want to do within them and on what dates.
Event Marketing
For those looking to plan an event it can be a whole lot easier to do if you remember all of the different steps and make sure you follow them. You want things to go off without a hitch and that’s only going to happen if you’re keeping track of different parts of the process, which a Gantt chart is great for.
When it comes to planning out just about anything in your business, a Gantt chart is going to make it a whole lot easier. And it’s going to do it in a way that’s simple for you to monitor and follow along with throughout the process.
