9/30/2014 Gantt chart - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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A Gantt chart showing three kinds of schedule
dependencies (in red) and percent complete
indications.
Gantt chart
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart, developed by Henry Gantt in the
1910s, that illustrates a project schedule. Gantt charts illustrate the start and
finish dates of the terminal elements and summary elements of a project.
Terminal elements and summary elements comprise the work breakdown
structure of the project. Modern Gantt charts also show the dependency (i.e.,
precedence network) relationships between activities. Gantt charts can be
used to show current schedule status using percent-complete shadings and a
vertical "TODAY" line as shown here.
Although now regarded as a common charting technique, Gantt charts were
considered revolutionary when first introduced.
[1]
This chart is also used in
information technology to represent data that have been collected.
Contents
1 Historical development
2 Further applications
3 Example
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Historical development
The first known tool of this type was developed in 1896 by Karol Adamiecki, who called it a harmonogram.
[2]
Adamiecki
published his chart in 1931, however, only in Polish, which limited both its adoption and recognition of his authorship. The
chart is named after Henry Gantt (18611919), who designed his chart around the years 19101915.
[3][4]
One of the first major applications of Gantt charts was by the United States during World War I, at the instigation of General
William Crozier.
[5]
In the 1980s, personal computers allowed for widespread creation of complex and elaborate Gantt charts. The first desktop
applications were intended mainly for project managers and project schedulers. With the advent of the internet and increased
collaboration over networks at the end of the 1990s, Gantt charts became a common feature of web-based applications,
including collaborative groupware.
Further applications
Gantt charts can be used for scheduling generic resources, so as well as their use in project management, they can also be used
in scheduling production processes and employee rostering.
[6]
In the latter context, they may also be known as timebar
schedules.
There are many computer applications supporting the use of Gantt charts for employee scheduling. Gantt charts can be used to
track shifts or tasks and also vacations or other types of out-of-office time.
[7]
Example
9/30/2014 Gantt chart - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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In the following example there are seven tasks, labeled A through G. Some tasks can be done concurrently (A and B) while
others cannot be done until their predecessor task is complete (C cannot begin until A is complete). Additionally, each task has
three time estimates: the optimistic time estimate (O), the most likely or normal time estimate (M), and the pessimistic time
estimate (P). The expected time (T
E
) is estimated using the beta probability distribution for the time estimates, using the formula
(O + 4M + P) 6.
Activity Predecessor
Time estimates
Expected time
Opt. (O) Normal (M) Pess. (P)
A 2 4 6 4.00
B 3 5 9 5.33
C A 4 5 7 5.17
D A 4 6 10 6.33
E B, C 4 5 7 5.17
F D 3 4 8 4.50
G E 3 5 8 5.17
Once this step is complete, one can draw a Gantt chart or a network diagram.
A Gantt chart created using Microsoft Project (MSP). Note (1) the critical path is in red, (2) the slack is the black lines connected to
non-critical activities, (3) since Saturday and Sunday are not work days and are thus excluded from the schedule, some bars on the
Gantt chart are longer if they cut through a weekend.
See also
Critical path method
Float (project management)
Henry Gantt
List of project management software, which includes specific Gantt Chart software.
PRINCE2
Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
References
1. ^ Wilson, James M. (1 September 2003). "Gantt charts: A centenary appreciation" (http://www-public.it-
sudparis.eu/~gibson/Teaching/CSC7003/ReadingMaterial/Wilson03.pdf) (PDF). European Journal of Operational Research 149 (2).
doi:10.1016/S0377-2217(02)00769-5 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2FS0377-2217%2802%2900769-5). Retrieved 2013-07-28.
2. ^ "The Harmonogram of Karol Adamiecki - Tags: ADAMIECKI, Karol ORGANIZATION charts"
(http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/proceedings/17530521/harmonogram-karol-adamiecki). Connection.ebscohost.com. Retrieved
2014-06-04.
3. ^ H.L. Gantt, Work, Wages and Profit, published by The Engineering Magazine, New York, 1910; republished as Work, Wages and
9/30/2014 Gantt chart - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantt_chart 3/3
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Gantt
charts.
Look up gantt chart in
Wiktionary, the free
dictionary.
Profits, Easton, Pennsylvania, Hive Publishing Company, 1974, ISBN 0-87960-048-9.
4. ^ Peter W. G. Morris, The Management of Projects, Thomas Telford, 1994, ISBN 0-7277-2593-9, Google Print, p.18
(http://books.google.com/books?id=5ekyoWaeZ1UC&pg=PA18-
IA7&dq=Adamiecki+Gantt&as_brr=3&sig=xe_RAipoqlvhnu0xLkIsxx-8OAQ)
5. ^ Wallace Clark and Henry Gantt (1922) The Gantt chart, a working tool of management
(http://www.archive.org/details/ganttchartworkin00claruoft). New York, Ronald Press.
6. ^ Triant G. Flouris; Dennis Lock (2009). Managing Aviation Projects from Concept to Completion (http://books.google.com/books?
id=rNCZ7dEtTJMC&pg=PA207). Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 207. ISBN 978-0-7546-7615-7.
7. ^ "Availability Planning" (http://ceiton.com/CMS/EN/scheduling/attendance.html#Out-of-Office). CEITON. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
External links
Long-running discussion (http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-
msg?msg_id=000076&topic_id=1&topic=Ask%20E%2eT%2e) regarding
limitations of the Gantt chart format, and alternatives, on Edward Tufte's website
Dynamic Gantt Chart Components for Software Developers (http://project-
management.com/top-5-dynamic-gantt-chart-components-for-software-
developers/)
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Categories: Project management Planning Operations research
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