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Yashu Dhiman, Content Writer, Diploma in Literature, Noida, India
Answered Nov 17, 2020
Theoretically, there could be more than two charts that could be utilized in managing project tasks, namely Gantt Chart, Flow Chart, Work Breakdown Structure(WBS). Any of these could be super useful to evidently complete along-term project successfully. If you're planning to use one, know which one will suit your project:
Gantt Chart: It was devised in the mid-90s in the late nineteenth-century by Karol Adamiecki, and later on, Henry Gantt revised it. His version became more popular hence the name Gantt chart. Gantt chart shows you any number of project schedules, basically, the when and hows of all the project tasks. On the left, you can jot down the project activities, and on the top, you can see the time scale, which makes the managing easy. Each activity is represented by a bar, which at a glance, can tell you what is or was the duration of a particular activity. To conclude, it makes project planning and execution better and easier.
Work Breakdown Structure(WBS): It is used to breakdown complex projects and executes them with simplicity and efficiency. Splitting the whole project into smaller, manageable portions can help in a better understanding of the project tasks and execute the project plan accordingly. On paper, it looks like a hierarchical tree structure from top to bottom. Different teams can be assigned different portions of the project simultaneously for better productivity.
Flow Chart: The best thing about Flowcharts when it comes to project management flexibility. Every company or organization can develop its own flowchart according to their project needs and plan the project accordingly. It is the simplest one to develop because it has no basic set of structural rules that it should be developed a certain way. Although it's not the most efficient way to plan a project, it definitely provides a certain level of transparency, and it is mostly used for short-term projects. It can also be seen as a visual aid for understanding the project easily and executing accordingly.
Gantt Chart: It is basically used to manage the most complex long term projects. It's also called a task scheduler to keep track of every aspect of a particular project.
Network diagram: Most projects will utilize a Gantt chart basically a grouping of task blocks put together to reflect the time that each task is going to take relative to a calendar, along with any precursors or successors the task may have. if you were to take some sticky notes and stick them on a flip chart, writing on each note the task, the date it starts, the date it ends, the duration it'll take, along with all precursors and successors, you'd essentially have a network diagram. Network diagrams are capable of showing interrelationships between tasks that a Gantt chart cannot. You'll use network diagrams on very large projects, whereas most small-to-medium sized projects will work fine with Gantt charts.