In my experiences working in projects, I have found Gantt charts to be very useful in helping to visualize timelines and tasks, and for identifying critical path items that need to be completed. I've worked on several projects where the timeline doesn't go according to plan (Murphy's law) and being able to use Gantt charts can be very helpful in identifying how the timeline is impacted and what can be done to correct any delays. 

Has anyone else had any experiences using Gantt charts in projects?

Thanks,

Matt

I have never used a Pert chart but like @mmd55, I have created a Gantt chart before. Personally, I believe I would prefer a Gantt chart because for large projects where there are several tasks a Pert chart could get confusing and the network diagram that it forms may become unclear. Furthermore, Gantt charts appear more like a timeline with the bars along the x-axis corresponding to the expected duration of the task, while Pert charts typically indicate how long it will take to move from one task to another on the arrow that connects the two which makes illustrating proceeding dependencies easier but again when the project is large, this diagram can become disorganized and the timeline of events may become difficult to follow.

i only used Gantt chart before. for me this type of chat is easy to schedule tasks, easy to understand ,clear and visual representation to time frames. it can be easily add more tasks to the chart. it is really good for long and complicated projects

For one of my projects in my undergraduate courses at NJIT, my project group decided to create a Gantt chart to use to manage the project over the course of two semesters. This was an excellent way to prepare the project timeline, especially over the course of multiple months. It allowed us to view the expected progression of the project early on, and document how well we kept on track with our initial expectations. It was also useful in presenting the overall timeline to the supervisor of the project, who kept us accountable for the dates set. It turned out to be a useful method of keeping track of the project for the working members as well as supervisor. It allowed us simple access to our expected progress and helped document the overall life of the project, from delays to early accomplishments of expected sections of the project. 

For my Senior Capstone project we used Microsoft Project to make a Gantt chart to plan our project. This was a really helpful tool because it helped us keep track of all the tasks and steps in the project. In addition it served as a visual representation of the project schedule as opposed to mentioning it in meetings and group chats and then forgetting it. We can clearly see which tasks depend on the completion of another task and which ones can be done independently. In addition, if a change had to be made or a delay occurs we can easily adjust the schedule and see how that affects the overall timeline. I feel that these features made it much easier for my team to be aware of the project schedule and made it easier for us to determine how long each task would take and how a change in the schedule would affect the timeline. 

I have only used Gantt charts during my projects. I highly recommend using it to anyone looking for a project management tool. One of my favorite advantages is that it is easy to add dependencies and predecessors. It also helps you monitor your project's progress by showing how tasks relate to each other. Moreover, it shows a very clear visual representation of the time that is needed for every task. Overall, it makes it easier for the team to boost productivity, thus allowing its users to balance multiple projects at a time. I have also heard that some project managers use a "Kansan Board", so I would like to learn how to use that next.

Gantt charts are fantastic for laying out the project timeline. The best tool I've seen for creating Gantt charts is Microsoft Project. There are also several free versions, but Microsoft's version has many great features and Office integration. The issue with Gantt charts is that project tasks/timelines can change frequently. The project manager must consistently update the chart to reflect the new timeline.

Another great project management tool is any risk documentation the team may have. Identifying risks and mitigation plans early can give a better idea of the timeline and account for things going wrong The project manager can identify a critical path and worst-case timeline. 

I have also only used Gantt charts in my project management experience. I was exposed to Gantt charts in two courses during my undergraduate education using Microsoft Project. Microsoft Project is a useful and simple tool that maps out the timeline of the entire project, which can be viewed in different ways (i.e. network diagrams, Gantt charts, etc.). This tool is effective in ensuring that the project is on time for completion. To add to the discussion, I did some research on other project management tools that may be used for greater project efficiency. Any program that permits file exchanges between departments/team members allows for quicker approvals and project progression. I’m not sure if Microsoft Project has this feature, but I did find a couple of other ones listed online that did (e.g. Filestage, ClickUp, Wrike, etc.). Not only do these programs allow file exchanges within the team, but they also have features for making Gantt charts, setting deadline reminders, and providing reports to track project progression and individual efforts from each team member. I think project teams should definitely utilize tools like the software mentioned to keep track of what everyone is doing and make sure that all tasks are being accounted for to maintain the project on track. Has anyone ever used one of these programs, or anything similar?