What are the top Gantt chart software options for project managers?
Gantt charts are essential tools for project managers, providing a visual timeline for project schedules. Typically, these charts display tasks along a horizontal timeline, allowing you to see the start and end dates of each task, as well as how they overlap and link with one another. With the right Gantt chart software, you can enhance collaboration, track progress effectively, and ensure your project stays on schedule. Let's explore some of the top Gantt chart software options that can help you manage your projects more effectively.
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Ethan Schwaber, MBA, MSA, PMPAward Winning Business Ops & PMO Executive Leader | LinkedIn Top Project Management Voice | I help organizations…
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Atish Kumar DashMS MIS '24 Candidate @ University at Buffalo, New York | MBA | PMP® | CompTIA Security+ | AZ-900 | InfoSec | IT Risk…
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Glauber SilvaEngenharia de Produção | Técnico em Edificações | Planejamento e Controle de Projetos | Controle da Qualidade |…
The user experience of Gantt chart software is crucial for ensuring that project teams can navigate and utilize the tool efficiently. You want software that is intuitive and doesn't require extensive training to understand. The best options offer drag-and-drop functionality, easy-to-read graphics, and customizable views that cater to different user preferences. The ability to quickly update tasks and view changes in real-time can significantly enhance team productivity and project monitoring.
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𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐳𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐳𝐞, 𝐏𝐌𝐏
𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕, 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝑷6 & 𝑴𝑺 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕
For Gantt Chart, I prefer Primavera P6. Because using Vizuzlizer option in P6, good quality Gantt Chart can be provided. Even Time Scale Logic Diagram also be generated which consume less line.
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Ethan Schwaber, MBA, MSA, PMP
Award Winning Business Ops & PMO Executive Leader | LinkedIn Top Project Management Voice | I help organizations improve processes and reduce costs by 80 percent
There are many applications that excel with Gantt charts (also known as waterfall charts). Others have listed some great options including MS Project, Wrike, and Smartsheet. Other top applications include ClickUp, Proggio and Moovila. The best apps cannot only quickly show Gantt charts from the task schedule, but also easily show the critical path. The reason I wouldn’t include Asana as one of the best Gantt chart apps is because it doesn’t do critical path analysis well. The best app I have seen with critical path analysis is Moovila. It’s the only app that I am aware of that automatically shows the critical path not only on the Gantt charts, but also at the top of the task dependency views.
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Habtamu Girmay
Resident Project Manager, Road Practicing Professional Engineer in Construction Management
I mostly use MS project Gantt charts for project management scheduling & I found it very helpful, user friendly and easy to track progress & update resources during project implementation. It can also be used to identify delaying factors on the critical activities of the project and help assess the required additional time to complete a project in EOT assessment.
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Don Paulino
2021 ACES Asia’s Most Inspiring Executive -A purposeful leader who makes organisation and people successful. Enabler of Energy Transition. Educates and develops the youth of today.
It depends on the type of project that you want to manage and if you need to capitalise on ERP systems. Microsoft Project is a good tool for simpler projects and it has some capability to connect with ERP systems. For more complex projects and ERP connectivity, I will go for Primavera.
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Alok S.
Project Management with AI |Generative AI |SaaS |CSV-CSA |SDLC |Quality |Business Analysis |Operations |GxP |LifeSciences |SSGB |CSM |Casual Blogger |Bridging the gap between business and technology |Traveller
Top Gantt chart software for project managers include but not limited to like @asana, @smartsheet, @teamwork, @MicrosoftProject, @jira and @mondaydotcom. These tools offer intuitive interfaces, customizable features, and seamless collaboration, empowering PMs to plan, track, and manage projects with ease.
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Eng. Ahmed AlAmeri
Operations Unit Head at AADC/TAQA, NEBOSH, IOSH, CCNA, BCM practitioner and Lead Auditor, OSHA, TOT, CFI, AI by Microsoft, IMS Doc., Researcher, Elec. Eng., MEM, PHD
Some of the top Gantt chart software options for project managers include: 1. Microsoft Project - A veteran in project management software, known for its comprehensive tools and integration with Microsoft Office Suite. 2. Smartsheet - Offers flexible, spreadsheet-style Gantt charts with real-time collaboration features. 3. Monday.com - Known for its user-friendly interface and customization capabilities, making it a favorite among creative and tech teams. 4. Wrike - Provides robust Gantt chart functionalities along with strong project planning and collaboration tools. 5. TeamGantt - As the name suggests, specializes in Gantt charts, providing intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces and excellent visualization features.
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Mehrdad Shahabi, PhD
Project Manager, PMP®
In my experience, "Microsoft Project" is one of the most powerful tools providing users with many capabilities. The user experience for this tool can be improved.
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Ramakant Rambhatla
Global Vice President Engineering & Chief Engineer | Envisioning, Designing, and Launching Leading-Edge Products | Manufacturing Engineering Leader | Strategic Portfolio & Project Management
My favorites are MS Project and Smartsheets. These might be limited in their capability for allowing multiple users editing simultaneously, but my experience has been that usually leads to chaos. Multiple inputs are essential for a project's success, but the Gantt timeline development and modification should be the responsibility of a select few individuals.
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Nabilah Fadillah
Project Manager | Experienced in Operations Management, HR and Sales & Marketing
As a project manager, I've found GanttPRO and Asana to be top choices for Gantt chart software. GanttPRO's intuitive interface and powerful scheduling capabilities make it ideal for managing project timelines, while Asana's versatility in task management and seamless integration with Gantt charts streamline project workflows. Both platforms foster collaboration, enhance transparency, and drive productivity, making them indispensable tools for efficient project management.
Effective collaboration is the backbone of successful project management. Gantt chart software should facilitate seamless communication among team members. Look for options that allow multiple users to access and edit the charts simultaneously. Additionally, features such as task comments, file sharing, and notification alerts are vital for keeping everyone on the same page and ensuring that all team members are aware of updates and changes to the project timeline.
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Atish Kumar Dash
MS MIS '24 Candidate @ University at Buffalo, New York | MBA | PMP® | CompTIA Security+ | AZ-900 | InfoSec | IT Risk Management
When it comes to effective collaboration in project management, Gantt chart software plays a crucial role. It should enable seamless communication among team members. Opt for options like Asana that allow multiple users to access and edit charts simultaneously. During a recent software development project, Asana's task comments, file sharing, and notification alerts kept our team aligned. We were all aware of updates and changes to the project timeline, ensuring smooth progress and timely delivery.
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Ersin Gürsel
Trainer & Facilitator & Keynote Speaker & Coach
Sharing files and notification features always help me a lot. I believe good PM softwares&apps must be user friendly too... MS Project, Trello, Wrike, ClickUp are some of my favorites :-))
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Shivani Patni
Be the Game Changer !!
Core to Project Management: Collaboration is fundamental for project success. Simultaneous Access and Editing: Allows multiple users to work on the Gantt charts at the same time. Essential Collaboration Features: Task comments for specific feedback or questions. File sharing to distribute documents and resources easily. Notification alerts to keep the team informed of updates or changes.
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MD Rahmot Al Jamy, M.ASCE
Graduate Civil Engineer | PGDPM (ongoing) | Aff.M.ASCE
Seamless collaboration is essential for successful project management. Choose Gantt chart software that enables multiple users to access and edit charts simultaneously. Features like task comments, file sharing, and notification alerts keep everyone informed and aligned with project updates and changes, fostering effective communication among team members.
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Ryan Patterson M.S.E.
Project Manager at Nexus PMG
The ability to collaborate across different platforms has become more popular in recent years. Online and Web based services that allow collaboration across different business units or execution centers are essential to successful project execution.
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Dr. Afolake Onijoko
Mental Health Case Manager | American Red Cross Certified
Microsoft Project: Microsoft Project is one of the most widely used project management software that offers powerful Gantt chart features along with resource management, task scheduling, and collaboration tools. Asana: Asana is a popular project management tool that includes Gantt chart functionality. It's known for its user-friendly interface and collaboration features, making it suitable for teams of all sizes.
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Muhamad Rifqi Aqil Yasyaf
Supply Chain & Procurement Enthusiast
For effective collaboration, select software that allows multiple team members to access and edit the Gantt chart simultaneously. Communication tools, such as task comments, file sharing, and notification alerts, can help keep everyone on the same page about project changes. Additionally, using a centralized hub within the software can facilitate seamless communication within the project team. Trello is a popular choice for team collaboration. It allows multiple users to access and edit the Gantt chart together, facilitating seamless communication through features like task comments, file sharing, and notifications.
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Akshay B Narkhede
Senior Business Analyst | Product Manager
Other than MPP which is great in its own way, collab is best with below: Smartsheet: Facilitates collaboration with real-time updates, comments, and file attachments, enabling teams to work together on tasks, timelines, and project documentation. Asana: Offers robust collaboration capabilities, allowing team members to communicate, share files, and update task statuses in real-time while visualizing project timelines in the Gantt chart view. Monday.com: Prioritizes collaboration with real-time communication, file sharing, and activity tracking, empowering teams to work together on project timelines and task assignments within the Gantt chart view.
In today's interconnected digital landscape, the ability to integrate with other tools is a significant advantage. The top Gantt chart software often includes integration capabilities with popular platforms like email, calendar apps, and other project management tools. This interoperability helps in maintaining a centralized hub for all project-related information and reduces the need for manual data entry, which can save time and minimize errors.
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Ethan Schwaber, MBA, MSA, PMP
Award Winning Business Ops & PMO Executive Leader | LinkedIn Top Project Management Voice | I help organizations improve processes and reduce costs by 80 percent
Most of the top apps have dozens or hundreds of integrations, and the numbers grow each year. I did a series on the top PM applications almost a year ago, which is linked in the featured area on my profile. The numbers may be outdated a little, but I included many of the integration numbers for the apps in the series.
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Atish Kumar Dash
MS MIS '24 Candidate @ University at Buffalo, New York | MBA | PMP® | CompTIA Security+ | AZ-900 | InfoSec | IT Risk Management
In today's digital era, seamless integration is key to efficient project management. The best Gantt chart software, such as Trello, boasts integration capabilities with email, calendar apps, and project management tools. During a recent software development sprint, Trello's integration with our team's Google Calendar and Slack channels proved invaluable. It kept everyone updated on project milestones and deadlines without the need for manual data entry, saving time and minimizing errors.
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MD Rahmot Al Jamy, M.ASCE
Graduate Civil Engineer | PGDPM (ongoing) | Aff.M.ASCE
Integration capabilities are invaluable in modern project management. Leading Gantt chart software often integrates seamlessly with email, calendar apps, and other project management tools, creating a centralized hub for project information. This interoperability streamlines workflows, saving time and reducing errors associated with manual data entry.
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Shivani Patni
Be the Game Changer !!
Importance in Digital Landscape: Integration enhances the utility of Gantt chart software in interconnected environments. Common Integrations: Email systems for seamless communication. Calendar apps to align schedules and deadlines.
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Muhamad Rifqi Aqil Yasyaf
Supply Chain & Procurement Enthusiast
Look for software that integrates with popular tools like email, calendars, and other project management software. This integration streamlines workflow by reducing manual data entry and maintains a central location for all project-related information. Wrike is known for its integration capabilities. It can integrate with numerous tools such as email, calendars, and other project management software, creating a streamlined workflow by centralizing project-related information.
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Akshay B Narkhede
Senior Business Analyst | Product Manager
Smartsheet: Offers robust integration capabilities with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Slack, Jira, and other project management tools for seamless data exchange and collaboration. Asana: Provides integrations with Gmail, Google Calendar, Trello, Slack, and other tools, ensuring synchronized project information across various channels. Monday.com: Boasts extensive integration options with Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft Teams, and more, with an open API for custom integrations to connect with other software solutions. ClickUp: Supports integrations with Google Drive, Dropbox, Slack, and Zapier, along with an API for building custom integrations to streamline workflows and automate tasks.
A Gantt chart software that offers robust resource management features can be a game-changer. It's important to have a clear overview of resource allocation to avoid overburdening team members or underutilizing resources. Advanced options will enable you to track resource availability, assign tasks based on capacity, and forecast potential bottlenecks. This ensures that your project resources are managed efficiently throughout the project lifecycle.
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Ethan Schwaber, MBA, MSA, PMP
Award Winning Business Ops & PMO Executive Leader | LinkedIn Top Project Management Voice | I help organizations improve processes and reduce costs by 80 percent
Some of the best PM apps have resource management capabilities. These include Wrike, Smartsheet, Monday, ClickUp, Proggio, Project, and Moovila. With some of the apps, you need to purchase more expensive tiers or add-ons to get resource management. Others like Proggio and Moovila have resource management already included. By linking time durations, calendars, employees, and resource types, good software can calculate thousands of data pieces in seconds and display charts and reports that make it clear where there are resource capacity issues.
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Luciane Garcia Matalani
Branding & Produtos para impulsionar a saúde no Brasil
In my opinion, the tool we use is crucial for the success of managing the project we have to carry out. From my experience, MS Project has been one of the most relevant tools as it provides the Gantt chart as a feature, along with others that are very helpful in managing tasks and areas involved.
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MD Rahmot Al Jamy, M.ASCE
Graduate Civil Engineer | PGDPM (ongoing) | Aff.M.ASCE
A Gantt chart software with robust resource management features can transform project efficiency. Clear resource allocation oversight prevents overburdening or underutilizing team members. Advanced options track resource availability, assign tasks based on capacity, and forecast bottlenecks, ensuring efficient resource management throughout the project lifecycle.
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Ryan Patterson M.S.E.
Project Manager at Nexus PMG
As a manager, understanding resource requirements and availability are essential to successful project control. Gantt software that allows users to incorporate resources and even cost allocation, are extremely valuable in managing single or even a portfolio of projects efficiently.
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Muhamad Rifqi Aqil Yasyaf
Supply Chain & Procurement Enthusiast
For efficient resource utilization, prioritize software that provides clear visibility on resource allocation across tasks. Some software options, like TeamGantt, excel in this area. Look for additional features like resource availability tracking and bottleneck forecasting to further optimize resource usage throughout the project. TeamGantt offers excellent resource management features. It enables clear visibility of resource allocation across tasks, ensuring efficient resource utilization and preventing overloading or underutilization.
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Eugene Samba Mulondani
Operational strategy analyst
Le diagramme de Gantt ne permet pas seulement au gestionnaire de projet d'etre aux aguets de l'evolution des travaux mais surtout de faire une valuation avancée des travaux ainsi de situer celle-ci par rapport au temps et a l'espace.
To make informed decisions, you need access to comprehensive reporting functions within your Gantt chart software. The ability to generate detailed reports on project progress, resource utilization, and budget status is essential. These reports should be customizable so that you can focus on the metrics that matter most to your project. Being able to share these reports easily with stakeholders keeps everyone aligned on project goals and performance.
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Glauber Silva
Engenharia de Produção | Técnico em Edificações | Planejamento e Controle de Projetos | Controle da Qualidade | Gerenciamento de Projetos | AWP | Lean
Reports should be succinct, objective, and self-explanatory, contributing to the appropriate action of the project leadership.
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Luciane Garcia Matalani
Branding & Produtos para impulsionar a saúde no Brasil
Whenever I needed, the tool provided ways to generate reports for each area involved in the tasks so they could act strategically in the analysis and prioritize those with the greatest impact to deliver the project's value.
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Fernando Gutierrez
Project Engineer at Visy
In my experience, having a baseline timeline that can be used as reference and track changes is quite critical for progress reporting and to understand where delays can be identified and avoided. I have found that going back to basics gives a lot of flexibility, I have achieved this using excel, this is a great tool as it is both versatile and can be adjusted easily. Nowadays with Microsoft technology everything can be updated and shared with everyone in real time, plus everyone knows how to use excel, so for reporting I still trust excel. I have used Microsoft projects, Monday and a bit of Jira, they are really useful just need time to maintain the document up to date.
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MD Rahmot Al Jamy, M.ASCE
Graduate Civil Engineer | PGDPM (ongoing) | Aff.M.ASCE
Access to comprehensive reporting functions in Gantt chart software is essential for informed decision-making. Generate detailed reports on project progress, resource utilization, and budget status. Customizable reports allow focus on key metrics, facilitating alignment with project goals. Easy sharing with stakeholders ensures everyone stays informed on project performance.
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Muhamad Rifqi Aqil Yasyaf
Supply Chain & Procurement Enthusiast
Access to comprehensive reports on project progress, resource utilization, and budget status can provide valuable insights for informed decision-making. Look for software that offers customizable reports, like Smartsheet, and the ability to share them with stakeholders to keep everyone aligned on project goals and performance. Smartsheet is known for its robust reporting capabilities. It provides comprehensive reports on project progress, resource utilization, and budget status, allowing for data-driven decision-making. Customizable reports and easy sharing with stakeholders make it an effective choice.
In a world where work often happens on the go, mobile accessibility of your Gantt chart software is non-negotiable. The top software options provide mobile apps or mobile-friendly web versions that allow you to update and check your project's status from anywhere. This ensures that you and your team can stay productive and responsive even when away from the desk, keeping the project momentum going.
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MD Rahmot Al Jamy, M.ASCE
Graduate Civil Engineer | PGDPM (ongoing) | Aff.M.ASCE
Mobile accessibility is essential for Gantt chart software in today's mobile work environment. Leading options offer mobile apps or mobile-friendly web versions, enabling project status updates and checks from anywhere. This ensures productivity and responsiveness on the go, sustaining project momentum even outside the office.
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Luciane Garcia Matalani
Branding & Produtos para impulsionar a saúde no Brasil
I completely agree that having the ability to generate reports for each area involved in the tasks is crucial for strategic analysis and prioritization. It's essential for ensuring that the project delivers maximum value. In my past professional experience, the company did not have the budget for all team members to have licenses to use the software. Therefore, only managers and leadership had access, and as a result, my role focused more on control, engagement, and motivation to prioritize tasks.
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Muhamad Rifqi Aqil Yasyaf
Supply Chain & Procurement Enthusiast
With the increase in remote work or on-the-go work updates, having a mobile app or mobile-friendly version is essential. Software like Monday.com exemplifies this by providing a mobile-friendly option to ensure continued productivity and responsiveness for your team members. An example of Gantt chart software with strong mobile accessibility is Monday.com. With its mobile apps and mobile-friendly web version, users can update and monitor project status on-the-go, ensuring productivity and responsiveness from anywhere.
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Eng. Ahmed AlAmeri
Operations Unit Head at AADC/TAQA, NEBOSH, IOSH, CCNA, BCM practitioner and Lead Auditor, OSHA, TOT, CFI, AI by Microsoft, IMS Doc., Researcher, Elec. Eng., MEM, PHD
When selecting Gantt chart software, consider the following: -Integration Capabilities: Ensure the tool integrates seamlessly with existing systems like CRM, ERP, or communication platforms. -Scalability: The software should grow with your project needs, supporting more users and larger datasets without lags. -Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface reduces the learning curve and improves team adoption. -Cost: Assess the pricing to ensure it fits within your budget while providing essential features. -Support and Training: Good customer support and training resources are vital for troubleshooting and development. -Reporting Features: Advanced reporting capabilities help track project progress and make data-driven decisions.
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Joseph Hayek
Technology | Telecom | Product Management | Project Management | EMBA | Eng
Many applications provide good functionalities as stated in this article. However, consider making your own for the ultimate flexibility. MS Excel is great to build your own. Excel is available everywhere, everyone has it. Your Gantt charts will be easy to share for reporting and collaboration. I have been using my own for almost two years. It has all the necessary features with some personal customisations for extra efficiency. Happy to help you build yours 😉
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Aditya Goel, PMP®
"Experienced Project Manager Delivering High Impact Projects in Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, and EPC sector" || LinkedIn Top Voice
Some basic features of the Gantt Chart that are required in any software are - 1. Task Visualization - Tasks & Duration 2. Sequencing 3. Progress Tracking - Progress & Milestones 4. Resource Allocation & Costing 5. Critical Path Analysis 6. Reporting These features are available in Microsoft Projects, Primavera P6, Asana, Trello, Smartsheets etc. The best Gantt chart software will depend on your specific needs and budget.
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Akshay Kumar, PMP®
PMP®, Oracle Certified OCI Architect Professional, ITIL®, System Administrator, Principal Project Engineer at Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS)
As the basic function of Gantt charts is to visually represent the scheduling and progress of tasks within a project over time. I will look for software that provides the clear overview of project timelines, dependencies between tasks, and task durations. Apart from that I will look for notification capabilities to keep team members informed about important updates, deadlines, or changes to tasks within the Gantt chart. I will also look how easily critical path can be derived from the chart and how it will facilitates risk assessment and planning. I am a firm believer that rather than a tool it's my analytical skills and ability to interpret the data that ultimately drive project success.
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Chemutai Jonas, GMUIPE
Civil Engineer | Projects Engineer | Project Manager | Highways Engineer | CAD Engineer | Infrastructure Content Creator | Scholar
Ranging from Excel Spreadsheets to MS Project to Primavera P6 to Power BI. And putting into consideration the flexibility and user friendly interface.
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