Project Management Tools
To ensure a project is managed effectively and efficiently, various project management tools are used. These tools help in planning, organizing, tracking, and delivering projects successfully.
Gantt Chart
The Gantt Chart, developed by Henry Gantt in 1917, is one of the most widely used and effective tools in project management. It visually represents activities plotted against time, where each activity is displayed as a horizontal bar.
A Gantt Chart provides a clear view of the entire project timeline whether for a single project or multiple projects making it easy to identify task dependencies, track progress, and anticipate upcoming milestones.
PERT chart
The Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) was developed by the U.S. Navy in the 1950s to manage the Polaris submarine missile program.
In project management, a PERT chart is represented as a network diagram consisting of nodes that signify events. The connecting lines indicate the sequence of tasks.
For example, in a sequence from Task 1 to Task 9, each task must be completed in order—these are called dependent or serial tasks. However, between Task 4 and Task 5 and Task 4 and Task 6, tasks can proceed independently and be carried out simultaneously these are known as parallel or concurrent tasks. In some cases, there may be activities that do not require resources or completion time but must occur in sequence for logical reasons; these are called dummy activities and are shown using dotted lines.
Logic Network
A Logic Network illustrates the order of activities over time, showing the sequence in which tasks must be performed. Its main purposes are to:
- Clearly distinguish key events in the project.
- Establish and confirm the project’s overall structure.
Additionally, a Logic Network helps in identifying task dependencies, setting timelines, and understanding the complete project workflow.
Product Breakdown Structure
The Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) is an essential project management tool and a key component of project design. It is a task-oriented method used to break down a project into smaller, manageable product components.
A PBS outlines subtasks or work packages and shows how these work packages are interconnected. In this structure, the project deliverables are visually represented, often through diagrams or lists, making it easier to understand the overall scope.
While similar to the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), the PBS focuses specifically on the project’s products or deliverables, rather than the activities required to create them.
Work Breakdown Structure
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a key project deliverable that organizes a team’s work into manageable sections. According to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), it is defined as a “deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team.”
There are two main approaches to creating a WBS:
- Top-Down Approach – The project is broken down from the overall objective into subprojects and then into smaller, lower-level tasks.
- Bottom-Up Approach – Team members brainstorm and list all the low-level tasks required to complete the project, which are then grouped into higher-level categories.
Resource Histogram
A Resource Histogram is essentially a bar chart that shows the amount of time each resource is scheduled to work over a defined period. It can also include resource availability data, making it easier to compare workload capacity against resource limits.
Critical Path Analysis
Critical Path Analysis is a project scheduling technique used to identify the sequence of activities required to complete a project, determine the time needed for each task, and map their dependencies. Also known as the Critical Path Method (CPM), this technique helps project managers forecast whether a project will be completed on time and pinpoint tasks that directly affect the project’s finish date.
