Gantt charts provide a number of useful characteristics – they save time, allow for a manager to always be aware of where a team is compared to their proposed schedule, and provide a roadmap for a project. However, as mentioned previously, as is the case with all time management charts, flexibility is important, and should not be abandoned for the sake of a chart. This is especially true for users that are new to Gantt charts. They can become quite complex, and newer employees using them often do not have a great reference frame to determine how long a certain part of a project should take. As such, obtaining advice from others and inserting “flex time” into the chart is important.

Anyone can make a Gantt chart, but making an effective one that will provide the most use is a practice that takes experience. Allowing all the people that are part of a project to access and influence that Gantt chart will help ensure that is both accurate and helpful.