Can we do better than Gannt charts?
Leisa over at disambiguty laments the absence of Gannt charts in various popular project management tools – In a fun post she not only comments on basecamp and the brand new GoPlan, but advises on the wins gained by visualizing schedules.
In comments I ask the question: Why in nearly 100 years haven’t we found a wider set of visualizations for projects?
There’s an interesting thread on ask ET that’s discussing Gantt charts and alternatives: Project Management Graphics (and Gantt Charts)
What’s interesting is what we’re using Gantt charts for these days. Gantt charts are great tools for planning and visualizing projects – if you know what you’re doing. And nowadays, as we in the corporate world have tried to dumb down and commoditize the science of Project Management, they’re perceived as just a little too noisy to use as effective communication tools. So people neglect things like Gantt charts, and turn to tools like Keynote and Powerpoint to break through the noise barrier and communicate their plan effectively. As I believe Eisenhower said, “Plans are a waste of time, but planning is essential”. So I think most managers now are focusing on how best to communicate the plan (“a waste of time”) rather than planning effectively (i.e. what “is essential”).
Andrej’s suggestion on the Tufte thread is great – there you’ll find a committed core of people who are at least thinking through the visualization problem.