What is a Gantt Chart?
Student Dialog - What is a Gantt Chart?
Heather: I'm doing group work in my theater production class. Guess who gets chosen to organize our entire project? Me.
Sage: Wait, you have to do what for your project?
Heather: We have to do a play from conception and writing all the way through to the performances. And they chose me to organize the timelines for everything.
Sage: So what are you going to do?
Heather: I don't know. Any ideas?
Jose: Not me.
Deena: I think Brian might have a suggestion.
Heather: Really?
Brian: Well, I know how to do these Gantt Charts.
Sage: Gantt Charts?
Deena: Yeah, they help you organize and schedule time. They're very useful for elaborate projects.
Brian: Deena taught me how to use them. She could tell you too, Heather.
Deena: Oh, no, Brian, you know them as well as I do by now. I think it's time for you to work on tutoring someone else in the group.
Sage: Brian? Teach us about something other than parties?
Brian: I'll teach you about something other than parties!
Heather: Please, Brian. Could you just teach me how to organize my project?
Jose: Yeah. You could cuss out Sage some other time.
Brian: Ok, Heather, just this once.
Heather: So just what is a Gantt Chart besides just a way to organize time?
Brian: The advantage of a Gantt Chart is in the graphical way the steps are shown. It consists of two main areas: a timeline table and a timeline bar chart. With these features the bars can be updated to show progress.
Deena: Or lack of progress. Not that being behind ever happens. Ha Ha.
Brian: Well if there are delays, you can see how it will affect the whole project.
Heather: That sounds just like what I need to use for my project.
Jose: Sounds there are a lot of places a Gantt chart can be useful.
Brian: Deena uses one to plan and organize her annual family picnics. They usually invite a lot of people from out of town.
Sage: Maybe next year she will put us on her list.
Jose: Sounds good to me. When is it, Deena?
Deena: July. And I plan to invite everyone. I just haven't set the exact date yet. I'll let you know.
