Which Type of Chart Is Better?
Although a Gantt chart offers a valuable
snapshot view of the project, PERT
charts are more useful for scheduling,
monitoring, and controlling the actual
work. With a PERT chart, a project manager can convert task start and finish
times to actual dates by laying out the
entire project on a calendar. Then, on
any given day, the manager can compare
what should be happening with what is
taking place, and react accordingly. Also,
a PERT chart displays complex task patterns and relationships. This information
is valuable to a manager who is trying to
address high priority issues. PERT and
Gantt charts are not mutually exclusive
techniques, and project managers often
use both methods.
Figure 3-7 shows both chart types. The
top screen is a Gantt chart with 11 tasks.
The PERT chart in the bottom screen
shows the same project, using a separate
box for each task instead of a horizontal