In my experience I've mostly seen Gantt charts being used to plan out projects, but I think a network diagram could be a useful tool as well, since they can each serve different purposes. Gantt charts are a great tool for assigning team members to tasks and tracking tasks' completion status on a day-to-day basis, which can easily be accomplished using software such as MS Project. However, Gantt charts can be overwhelming to look at, especially for long, complicated projects with lots of sub-tasks and dependencies. A network diagram is a better way to visualize a project. As you said, a network diagram would be advantageous during the initial project planning to map out tasks, but I think it could also be beneficial to have when presenting the overall project to upper management from a more high-level perspective.

Both Gantt charts and Network diagrams aid in presenting project schedules and tasks in a graphical manner. Gantt charts tend to be a bar chart that shows the project schedule while Network diagrams are a flow chart that shows the sequential workflow of tasks. The focus of Gantt charts are tasks and time management throughout the duration of the project. Task start and end dates, resources, progress, and status can all be tracked. Network diagrams focus more on planning out the project before its begun. They aid in identifying all the critical tasks that will be need to be completed for the project as well as the float. 

Since Gantt charts are more in depth while Network diagrams are more high level, if only one tool could be used I would prefer the Gantt chart due to the diverse information it provides in terms of scheduling and task progress. 

As mentioned above, I also believe that both the Gantt chart and network diagram are useful for project teams to have. The way I think of it is: the network diagram is the bigger picture of the Gantt Chart. The network diagram is better for quick glances to see which milestones a project needs to reach. A Gantt chart dives in deeper and shows when and how the milestones will be reached. Both are similar in that they show the milestones that need to be reached. The Gantt chart however, also displays the subtasks that need to be achieved to get to the next steps. Lets say you are renovating your bathroom. The network diagram could look something like: remove old fixtures -> replace plumbing -> update walls/floor -> install new fixtures -> complete. A Gantt chart, on the other hand, would show what day you're removing fixtures, what day you're painting/installing new floors, when you need the plumbing parts ordered by, how many days you have to install them, etc. With this, I think that a network diagram would be useful to come up with the major milestones and then work backwards to fill in and create a Gantt chart with the sub-tasks that need to be completed and their respective timelines.

Echoing what @sm2744 stated, you can use either tool to address different conceptual aspects of the project. A network diagram is a good way to brainstorm dependencies between tasks and milestones. Meanwhile, the planning for execution of a project, including the day to day sequence of tasks, assignees, milestone targets, and dependent tasks are organized in a visually digestible manner using a Gantt chart.

The Gantt Chart is a visual representation of project schedules whereas the Network Diagram is a representation of project workflow. The Gantt Chart may be used to manage project resources, time, and activities. It's used to represent the timelines of various tasks required for a project. The Network Diagram shows the sequential project activities with relation to each other. In my opinion, both methods are essential to project management. By choosing only one method, the project management team may be missing essential details that would be of value such as resource management or the relationship and dependencies between specific tasks.

Hi Sandra,

I think that when you are planning a project it is imperative that the planning of the project should be conducted as thoroughly as possible. So in this case when you pose the question of which structure is better I believe that both structures have their benefits and their shortcomings and by using both in the planning of the project it will ensure that all planning is thoroughly defined and easy to follow. Ghantt Charts are extremely comprehensive as they create a designated schedule for the events and tasks that need to occur in order to bring the project to fruition. This method breaks down the project into main tasks that need to be accomplished and then sub tasks that go towards completing the main tasks. As these are all outlined a timeline is generated as well and accounts for any overlaps that may occur. Furthermore the Ghantt Chart accounts for the order of tasks finishing where one task might not be able to begin until a certain task is completed. Due to this high level of complexity as @es446 mentioned these charts can be daunting to look at as there is a lot of information given all at once. One way to simplify this bulk of information is to break down all the tasks into a Network Diagram. Although the Network Diagram does not account for anything through time, it provides a cohesive structure and flow as to how the project should progress. In my own Capstone team, we had utilized a Ghantt Chart as well as a simplified flow chart that made it easier to visualize the order of the tasks and what needed to get done in what order chronologically. I personally found that using a Ghantt Chart along with a Network Diagram (esque) method was extremely useful as it accounted for the timeline that everything needed to get done as well as the chronological order.

These are all great perspectives and I agree that both Gantt charts and network diagrams serve important, complementary roles in project planning and management. The Gantt chart provides a detailed view of tasks, timelines, and resource allocation, which is essential for day-to-day tracking and execution. Meanwhile, the network diagram offers a high-level overview of task dependencies and the critical path, making it invaluable during the initial planning phase and for visualizing the project’s workflow.

As some of you mentioned, using both tools together can significantly enhance project clarity. For example, starting with a network diagram to map out dependencies and milestones can help identify the project’s critical path, which then informs the Gantt chart’s detailed scheduling. This layered approach ensures that nothing is overlooked, from task sequencing to resource management.

I'm wondering if anyone hass experience with software that integrates both tools seamlessly?

Many times in the weekly lesson, we learn about two ways to run a part of a company or project, and we often learn that most versatile is a balance between the two. I think this is also similar to Gantt charts and network diagrams, as having both means that they can compliment each other. A gnat chart is good for scheduling cause it requires start dates, deadlines, overlaps, priorities and how long each task should take. However, it does make it obvious what steps should come before the other. The network diagram can fill up this explanation to show the order that makes the project work, and why one thing must finish first before another task can be started. The former gives when stuff should be happening, and the latter gives why it happens in this order. Do you think it's more important to create the network diagram first or the Gantt chart first when planning for a project? 

With what the original post had mentioned, I agree that both the Gantt Chart and Network Diagram are necessary for project teams to have. There are a lot of cases where projects mainly have a Gantt chart and not a Network Diagram. The Gantt chart shows the planning and laying out the tasks, showing the task relations and listing the tasks. It also shows the timeline, tasks, and subtasks. Within the Gantt chart, you can go task by task to estimate the costs and resources. There are also cases where you can list out how the project will be completed based on the tasks. We have Finish to Start, Start to Finish, Finish to Finish, and Start to Start. The cons to a Gantt chart is that it does not account for the risks and contingencies. Costs can be made up before any known tasks are completed, which can lead to inaccurate estimates. Resources may not be enough as some people make commitments before their known tasks. The Gantt chart can also look extremely messy if it is not organized properly by the project manager. The Network Diagram is a more complex interaction as one task relies on way more tasks than just one. It essentially maps everything out.

As mentioned at the beginning, I think that a project would greatly benefit from having both a Gantt chart and a Network Diagram. The Gantt chart helps the project manager and team members to keep track of their scheduling and progress for research, product development, pre-clinical, clinical testing, regulatory, marketing, risk management, verification, and validation testing. It gives the project team a rough idea and estimate about how long certain tasks will take before the next task needs to be completed. For example, pre-clinical into clinical testing. Animal testing must be approved and cleared before attempting clinical testing, if necessary. This is more for the scheduling purposes. The Network Diagram, on the other hand, can be used by project managers to plan out the tasks and its dependencies, along with the sequences. I see the Network Diagram as more of an illustrated version of the Gantt chart. It shows the start and then what needs to be done next, and then what needs to be done before the next task. Gantt charts show the timeframe. They both can be used for simple and complex projects to identify the critical path, the path taken if one task is delayed. The combination of visualizing the workflow and critical path, along with the detailed schedule to complete the project from a day-to-day basis would be beneficial for project teams to complete their work on time or even early. I think it is for the best to avoid any issues if some tasks are missing in the Gantt chart or not knowing how long a certain task will take to be done before the next one.

To answer the previous post, I think it is important to create the Network Diagram first. Again, the diagram is used to list out the main tasks and subtasks that are needed for the project. Before working on the project, in the initial stages, it is important to plan out the workflow and their dependencies to better understand the project with what should/needs to be done. From there, you are able to understand the project fully with what has to be done immediately or needs to be completed before the next task, like how one task is dependent on multiple tasks. After that, you can do the Gantt chart to plan and schedule how long it will take to complete each task.

A Gantt chart and a network diagram are both useful tools for visualizing a project timeline, but they serve slightly different purposes within the design development plan. A Gantt chart is task-oriented and time-focused—it lays out each activity along a calendar timeline, making it easy to track progress, assign responsibilities, and identify upcoming deadlines. It’s especially helpful during project execution because team members can quickly see what should be happening at any given moment.

A network diagram, on the other hand, highlights task relationships and dependencies. It maps out the sequence of activities, showing which tasks must be completed before others can start. This structure makes it easier to identify the project’s critical path and understand how delays in specific tasks could impact the overall timeline. It is most useful during early project planning when determining workflow and resource allocation.

While it’s possible for a team to use only one, having both tools provides a more complete picture of project planning and execution. The network diagram ensures the plan is logically structured, and the Gantt chart helps monitor and manage the plan once work begins. Using both strengthens communication, improves planning accuracy, and reduces the likelihood of overlooked dependencies or schedule risks.