In proposal writing sometimes you are requested to include a Gantt chart in your project planning. In this article, you will learn what a Gantt chart is and how you can use it.
A Gantt chart is another way of showing the timeline of your project. Like the work plan it does not only display the time when an event is supposed to take place in your project though. It can also show who is responsible and which tasks depend on each other.
Gantt charts are not used for very complex and large projects. When your project is small though, they can be a very good way to see at a glance which tasks need to be done by when. It also shows clearly which tasks depend on others and give you a good impression of how to prioritize tasks during the implementation.
A Gantt chart always includes the start and end date of a project. Furthermore, it divides the project into different groups of activities. The first activity of a project will be displayed on the top of the chart, the last one on the bottom. Then it includes a timeline on the top that shows the duration of the project and of the individual activities.
Every line of the chart represents one activity and the bar shows how long this activity is supposed to take. Behind the bar, you can include the name of the person or department responsible for the implementation to add more information.
A Gantt chart clearly shows which activities need to be finished first for others to start. Some activities might be overlapping. This will also be visible at a glance in the chart. It makes it easy for you to see which tasks are of core importance at which stage of the project. Furthermore, it makes clear how much staff will be working on the project at any given time during the implementation.
You can prepare a Gantt chart using Microsoft Excel or other software, depending on the complexity of your project. Make sure that you split up the project into activities that have a clear definition. You might have to break up your actions into different activities.
Eva is based in Germany and has worked for nearly a decade with NGOs on the grassroots level in Nepal in the field of capacity development and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. Before that, she worked in South America and Europe with different organizations. She holds a Ph.D. in geography and her field of research was sustainability and inclusion in development projects.
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I am glad you found this article useful! I would also recommend some of our other popular articles, including Tips for Small Grants and M&E. Enjoy!
Been trying to do research on what does Gantt chart means and its uses. Your explanation and description are very vivid and easy to understand. It is indeed a big help. Thank You so much
Dear Bryan:
Glad you found the article helpful.