What is a Gantt chart?
Invented by Henry Gantt in the early 20th century, the Gantt chart is today the most widely used planning tool in project management. Its principle is simple: represent each project task as a horizontal bar on a timeline, with the length of the bar indicating the planned duration.
At a glance, you can see who does what, when, and how tasks are connected. It's this visual advantage that explains its lasting popularity for over a century.
Tandimy includes an interactive Gantt chart in all its plans — including the free plan. Create your first Gantt in minutes.
Key elements of a Gantt chart
The list of activities to complete, organized in rows. Each task has a name, duration, owner and progress status.
The horizontal axis represents time (days, weeks or months). It gives you the overall view of the project over time.
Arrows between tasks indicate that a task cannot start until another is finished (Finish-Start, Start-Start, etc.).
Key project checkpoints (delivery, validation, launch). Represented by a diamond on the timeline. Essential for tracking progress.
The longest sequence of tasks that determines the minimum project duration. Any delay on this path delays the entire project.
The filled portion of each bar indicates the completion percentage. Allows comparison of planned vs. actual.
How to create a Gantt chart: 6 steps
Define the project scope
List the expected deliverables, time constraints and available resources. Without this step, your Gantt will be an empty shell. Ask yourself: what needs to be done, by whom, and by when?
Break the project into tasks
Use the WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) method: break the project into phases, phases into tasks, tasks into subtasks if necessary. Aim for tasks of 1 to 5 days of work — not too big (impossible to track), not too small (unnecessary tracking overhead).
Estimate task durations
Involve the people doing the work in estimation — they know the real complexity better. Add a 15-20% buffer for unexpected events. Beware of Hofstadter's law: everything takes longer than expected, even accounting for this law.
Identify dependencies
Some tasks can only start once another is finished. Identify these links: Finish-Start (most common), Start-Start, Finish-Finish. Missing one here can create an unrealistic Gantt with tasks that are impossible to run in parallel.
Assign owners
Each task must have one and only one owner (RACI principle: Responsible). Avoid tasks without an owner or with multiple owners — no one feels truly accountable in that case.
Update and track progress
An un-updated Gantt is useless. Establish a weekly update ritual: each owner logs their progress. Tandimy allows team members to update their tasks directly from the interface.
5 best practices for an effective Gantt chart
Which tool should you choose for your Gantt?
| Tool | Free Gantt? | Dependencies | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tandimy ⭐ Recommended | ✅ | ✅ | Free → $149/mo |
| Asana | ❌ | ✅ | From $10.99/user/mo |
| Monday.com | ❌ | ✅ | From $9/user/mo |
| Trello | ❌ | ❌ | From $5/user/mo |
| MS Project | ❌ | ✅ | From $10/user/mo |
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