How can Gantt Charts help improve the construction project schedule and planning? (Part-1)
Overview
Gantt Chart is visual method which helps to track the status and progress of all the tasks involved in the project. It also helps mainly in project management, where it caters to the project planning stage of all sizes and shows what work is scheduled and accomplished on a specific date.
Gantt chart has become one of the vital tools for the project managers to use it in various industries such as IT, construction, education, marketing and finance for multiple activities tracking and updating. In the construction industry, it helps to schedule task and look upon attaining them till the final stage of the BIM Services process. It also looks upon when each activity gets completed and who is working over it in project schedule management.
Gantt charts are useful for planning, organizing and deliver them which are applied to all the industries. Projects are often seen as becoming a failure due to a lack of involvement from top authorities. Project managers make the plan in the planning phase but don’t make it attained and are not involved in this manner.
Gantt chart is the representation of activities on a bar chart which displays the detail of a construction job to manage the task and deliver it effectively. Tasks performed are stated on a vertical axis while the time is taken to complete the tasks in on horizontal axis of the Gantt charts for the construction project. It also includes when the tasks need to be started and when it needs to be completed. Project managers use this chart for adjusting task relationships, manage the completion of job, update status, insert achievement, assign resources, etc.
What is Gantt Chart Software and why to use it in construction projects?
Before the advent of Gantt chart software, how the construction professionals used it imagined it through paper or colored blocks in that time Legos and magnetic blocks become the prime source for planning the project schedule through tasks. In today’s time, the Gantt chart can be prepared through excel or project management software which is also known as Gantt chart software.
It works the same way as to a project management tool which states the timeline to monitor every aspect of the project and its tracking status. It can showcase to the construction professionals who is responsible for what tasks, how long would it take to complete them and update any changes made during the construction process.
Gantt chart software helps to communicate and get connected with project agents. It can ensure efficient project planning and management process for any projects. Professionals or traders now in construction understand the importance of working in open and collaborative Gantt chart where all the project involved parties can exchange the information quickly and update in real-time. Gantt charts are useful for the construction professionals as they can get the necessary information which is required to accomplish the tasks on time and in the estimated budget.
How to build a Gantt chart online v/s offline
Desktop Gantt chart software is suitable for an individual project manager who doesn’t want to share it with others. It allows only one user license so can turn into being expensive. Without sharing, it becomes difficult for some large Gantt or plan file sizes to apply to the project. One needs a license of the planning software to access the shared file, which would lead to an increase in the costs.
Online software can be shared easily and provide BIM Coordination Services approach. Some of the companies which use online software operate email alerts for knowing the task which is created and which is not created by the new team members. Online Gantt chart is less expensive and is widely used than desktop software.
While you assemble the data from Gantt chart, it becomes necessary to draw a list of tasks you need to do and complete them in a given timeframe. We can get when then the task will start and which timeline it will be completed. Add in graphs with days or weeks, and the task will get completed for the project. Plotting of objectives and tasks on the graph is now worked where you can write about each task with the start and end date.
Prepare a schedule for tasks and track that the dependent activities do not begin before the base activities are completed. The final version of the chart should be drawn to show the project when it will start and get finished. Online software enables you to share the project, update tasks and attach any files to the tasks worked upon in the project. It helps to boosts productivity and is easy to use.
Benefits of Gantt Charts in construction
Gantt chart’s use is getting popular and lays many advantages. It ensures that the project runs smoothly by the team members and stays on track. It is easier to visualize whether the project progresses as defined or not. It helps to make qualitative decisions and accumulates communication flow between different sides.
Gantt chart graphs are useful as they can identify issues with task scheduling and how to resolve them. It also ensures resources are not overloaded and allocates the job to different individuals and team respectively. If resources are managed effectively, it gets more chance of completing your project on time.
All the work is allocated to team members through the Gantt chart and is supervised, which helps to reduce rework rates and delays. With a click of a button, the chart can be updated easily and helps to connect with people on-site and off-site faster and effectively.
Gantt chart helps to share with all their thoughts, tasks and objectives with everyone in the project. It provides construction professionals to understand their roles and responsibilities. It encourages feedback and lets everyone stay on track.
It also helps to simplify the complex workflows into manageable activities with a transparent view. The realistic time frame can be chosen for task start and completion. It also ensures to the construction professionals that they can know the minimum amount of time a task can take to be accomplished through CPM. It aids in attaining goals due to managed timeframe for all the activities planned. It helps in getting issues and risks being addressed, which include time overlaps, milestone delay, etc.
Disadvantages of using Gantt charts in projects
Some of the construction companies have raised concerns that Gantt charts are not useful for if the activities are more than 30. So here the CPM approach can be better and not illustrate of a complex project. Making tasks and specifying it in detail through a chart cannot be useful, such as meetings or review processes as it can lead to confusion.
Certain Gantt charts may become complex, which depends upon the number of projects it manages. It often becomes difficult for the team members to track the changes made in the Gantt chart and constantly supervise it to keep everybody on the same track of any complex project.
Gantt charts are difficult to review it on paper and in physical form, which cannot be managed as effectively as online software. Point Cloud to BIM Services can help here to store information and update in it can be accessible byteam members.
Read: (Part-2)
Dhvani Badheka