The use of Gantt charts for precise project planning has increased recently across all industries. Gantt charts are essential for project managers as they help them better schedule tasks, increase team coordination, and improve project visibility. Making a gantt chartillustrates the dependencies between different aspects of a project by using a bar chart format to lay out the schedule.
You can use multi-functional mind mapping tools like EdrawMind to create gantt charts that track project status using visual taskbars. It offers a comprehensive solution for expressing concepts, ideas, tasks, and more. EdrawMind provides a plethora of intelligent layouts, diverse display modes, and design elements with pre-set color themes to assist users in creating an accurate and efficient Gantt Chart.
In this article
What is a Gantt Chart?
A Gantt Chart is a diagram commonly used in project management to display activities with a time scale. Each activity is represented by a bar, and the start date, end date, and length of the bar indicate the activity. The first Gantt Chart was created by Karol Adamiecki in the mid-1890s. It is used among professionals in various industries, including construction, IT, software development, etc., for tracking project schedules.
Here are some essential components of a Gantt Chart:
Dates: The dates are displayed at the top of the chart, allowing the project managers to see the start and end dates of the project.
Tasks: A Gantt chart helps project managers track all the subtasks in a project. These tasks are displayed on the bottom left side.
Bars: Bars displays the time frame of the sub-tasks to ensure these are completed within the stipulated time.
Milestones: These are tasks that are instrumental to a project’s completion. Milestones are displayed in shapes at the end of a particular taskbar.
Arrows: Arrows can indicate dependencies between the taskbars on a Gantt chart.
How to Create a Gantt Chart Online?
One of the many tools that stands out for creating ideas and driving results is EdrawMind. Available on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Web, and Android, EdrawMind allows you to create mind maps and turn them into presentations in seconds. You can jot down your ideas in a mind map, select a template or create a new one, and edit with colors, images, and symbols.
Features
EdrawMind has powerful features that help users brainstorm, ideate, and collaborate in real-time.
Edraw AI: The AI mind mapping feature provides suggestions, connections, and associations to visualize your ideas in a structured manner.
Pexels Integration: It can integrate with Pexels, stock photos, and videos for you to use anywhere. It can also integrate with Iconfont, which has rich icon content.
Zen Mode: Zen mode allows you to switch between multiple modes, from outline mode, presentation, and Gantt Chart to ZEN mode, which prevents distraction by switching to full-screen.
Outline Mode: In outline mode, you can organize topics in a hierarchy and include your main ideas between them.
Real-time Collaboration: EdrawMind also has a feature to invite people via email while you decide to give edit or view access.
Step-by-Step process to create a Gantt Chart Online with EdrawMind
Step 1: Log in to your system and then to the EdrawMax web version. On the home page, you will find a gallery of templates from which to choose a template for your Gantt Chart. On the same page, you can also use the AI-powered mind mapping option to generate a mind map.
Step 2: Once you choose a template or generate through AI, you will be redirected to a new canvas page. You can modify the task information from the top panel as needed by adding or deleting a topic, creating a relationship between tasks, or adding a callout box.
Step 3: Next, you can customize your Gantt Chart by changing fonts, color scheme, borders, and connectors. EdrawMind also integrates with Pexels and Iconfont to add icons, clipart, photos, etc.
Step 4: After you finish completing your Gantt chart, you can share your file with your team by clicking on the share tab at the top right corner. This feature lets you send an email to your colleagues and give them access to view or edit the file.
Step 5: The next step would be to save and export your file in Word, Excel, PDF, image, etc. You can find the export button next to the share tab.
Step 6: If you navigate back to the home page, in the left panel, you will find an option for team space, which lets you invite members and collaborate with them in real-time.
When to Use a Gantt Chart?
Gantt chart is a diverse multi-functional project management tool that assists in identifying timelines and dependencies. It can be used in almost any industry for various purposes, such as:
- It allows portfolio managers to easily map out plans at a basic level by organizing tasks on a visual timeline.
- You can use a Gantt Chart to assign tasks to your team members, set dates, estimate project costs, and monitor progress.
- It can also be used in conjunction with other tools, such as Kanban boards, dashboards, timesheets, etc.
- In construction, a manager can use a gantt chart from initiation to procurement in different phases.
- Software engineers can use a gantt chart to create roadmaps by mapping the development tasks on a timeline.
What Types of Teams Commonly Use Gantt Charts?
From project managers and business owners to team leaders, professionals across various departments can use a Gantt Chart. Here are a few types of teams that use gantt charts to execute their projects:
Consulting: Consulting agencies can use Gantt Charts to meet deadlines and get an accurate visual of the workload and progress of your team. They can also switch between different modes with a single click.
Marketing: Marketing teams can use gantt charts to see what their team is working on and what is coming up next. They can also compare the project timeline with the project progress with a report.
Event Planning: The built-in collaboration can help streamline project communication for your event management team. You can upload contracts to your event plan to save time reviewing emails and desktop files.
Manufacturing: With Gantt charts, you can deliver manufactured goods with easy and quick production planning. You can also switch the gantt chart view to the calendar view and customize the workflow.
Engineering: Engineering firms can manage multiple project schedules, see overlapping tasks, and see team availability across active projects.
Conclusion
Indispensable tools like Gantt Charts offer managers a clear visualization of the world of project management. Making a gantt chartin EdrawMind provides insights into how EdrawMind, with its intuitive interface and versatile features, makes it easy for individuals and teams to create and manage Gantt charts online.
Almost every industry leader can enhance their planning capabilities and improve collaboration among teams by implementing tools like EdrawMind into their project management practices. You can ensure better project alignment goals and deadlines by implementing tools like EdrawMind into your project management practices.
