How to Introduce Simple Gantt Chart Software to a Project Team?
The Gantt chart has become an increasingly popular tool in the century or so since it was introduced to great acclaim by Henry Gantt. Now a basic part of just about any type of project, this simple, effective method made a huge difference to how work was planned and carried out when it was first introduced.
During most of the time since Gantt first showed his chart to the world, it was used on a purely manual basis, with the details written on paper or represented using blocks. However, recent decades have seen us switch to computerized versions that are far easier to use. So, how can you now take the next step and switch to using simple Gantt chart software online?
What Does a Gantt Chart Provide?
No matter how you access it, you should be looking for certain things from a Gantt chart. High on the list of features is the ease of use, as this tool should be easy to pick up and then make life easier for the team rather than making their jobs any more difficult.
In truth, the general layout out hasn’t changed much since the days in which US authorities used it to plan the World War I campaign. It is a simple type of bar chart that gives a visual representation of the project’s timescales, milestones and progress to date.
It is a crucial part of the project planning stage and makes it easy to schedule all of the tasks that are needed, including those tasks that are linked to others. Once the work begins, it then offers a simple, effective way to follow the progress that is made.
The Benefits of Using Simple Gantt Chart Software
Carrying out a project without a Gantt chart is now virtually unthinkable, with the vast majority of project managers using a version of this tool on their PCs. Yet, as we move towards an online, cloud-based way of working it is easy to see why an online piece of simple Gantt chart software is becoming ever more attractive.
One of the most obvious benefits to working in this way is that it means everyone in the team is able to access the latest version at all times. Even remote project teams can work together smoothly regardless of where they are located and whether they have a variety of different working patterns or use various devices.
It can help the whole team to get involved in collaborating on the project plan at every stage of the process. As with most online tools, the overall aim is to make your team more productive by giving them a slicker way of working together that reduces the time and effort needed to carry out their tasks.
However, it is important to remember the basics of Gantt chart use and why they became so popular in the first place. There is absolutely no reason to lose any of the tried and trusted reasons for using the Gantt system just because you have started moving to an online way of working or plan to do so.
What to Look for in This Software?
The right kind of simple Gantt chart software should give you the same basic functionality that you expect from any type of Gantt chart. This means that it will let you track the project’s progress very easily at all times, giving you a visual approach that is very easy to follow through the project’s different stages.
This should also have a user-friendly interface and be easy to use so that it ties in with the overall principle of making life easy for the project team. This will ensure that no extensive training sessions are needed to bring the team up to speed with the new tool.
Another important aspect is the way that it integrates with other tools. A high level of integration is needed to make any new tool that you use to fit in neatly with the rest of your software and the processes that you currently follow.
A highly integrated piece of simple Gantt chart software will let you carry on with a simple process to track your projects and may also help you to reduce costs. Compare this to the idea of introducing manual workarounds to move between tools and it is clear that the more highly integrated your software is, the better for your team’s productivity levels.
How to Use a Gantt Chart with Google Workspace?
The growing popularity of Google Workspace shows us how online suites of office tools can make it easier for any type of company to share information, collaborate, and stay in touch. Yet, a crucial issue encountered by project managers today is the lack of a project or task management tool in the Google suite.
Thankfully, Kanbanchi tool can solve this issue. This is a piece of simple Gantt chart software that also provides Kanban functionality at the same time. By doing this, a single tool can be used to add two of the most important features for project work.
This will help to keep the costs down as well as keep your processes simple. All the traditional benefits of the Gantt approach are tied in with the advantages given to you by using an online suite of tools where the majority of your daily tasks can be carried out without having to leave the ecosystem.
Don’t lose out on the proven benefits of Gantt tools when you move to an online, cloud-based approach to working. By choosing the right kind of Gantt software, you can continue to track the progress of your projects while enjoying the benefits of a smarter, more modern way of working.