A Gantt chart is basically a bar chart used in project management to show tasks, milestones, and even dependencies between tasks. It's a timeline of a project's progress, and it can be a useful tool for monitoring and managing projects. Project management software that can effectively create and utilize Gantt charts is a nice benefit, and Microsoft Office Project 2007 is one application that performs this task very nicely. Let's take a look at how to create a Gantt chart within Project 2007 and utilize the various functionality it provides.
A Gantt chart is just one of many project management forms.
When you first launch Project 2007, the initial screen view is of a Gantt chart. But, if you are creating a new project, there won't be much there. Unfortunately, it's a little underwhelming until you begin plugging in your data. Once the tasks are added, things become much clearer, and soon enough the usefulness of a Gantt chart becomes evident.
The project window is split up into two panes. The left side is where your tasks will be listed along with their duration, start and end times. The first column on the left side is for task indicators. Indicators can either be represented by a check, which shows the task is completed; or by two arrows in a revolving circle, showing that the task is reoccurring. There are over twenty different icons that can appear in this column, which should easily represent any number of task types within your project
The right side of the window is where the bar chart or timeline of the project will appear as data is added. As we begin to build the project, I will mention the different icons or graphics you can expect to see here. Depending on the complexity of your project, the right side of a Gantt chart can be very involved or very simple. Changes in the left side are reflected by changes in the right - and vice versa. So you are free to make adjustments to your project plan on either side, as they are sync'd together at all times.
Before we go any further however, it's important to note that a Gantt chart - as well as any project management software tool - is not designed to be used in lieu of a project planning method. By the time you are ready to sit down and create a Gantt chart in Project 2007, you should have completed the project planning process. Project 2007 should be used as tool in the documentation process, after all the planning for the project has already been completed.
Continue on to the next page for the continuation of how to create a Gantt chart in Project 2007.