The relationship between Gantt Charts, Pert Charts and Activity Network diagrams

[curryassassin]

I am trying to understand the relationship between Gannt Charts, Pert Charts and Activity Network diagrams. When do you use them and what are the advantages and disadvantages please?

[Marc]

Any takers on this one?

Starters:

Gantt_chart

Program_Evaluation_and_Review_Technique

Project_network

[curryassassin]

Great Mark. That was exactly what I was looking for. I guess I got too bogged down in trying to understand the book I was reading which described these project management techniques. I must remember to explain my abbreviations also.
So my question now is, if I perform a PERT analysis and then an activity diagram, which data is entered onto the Gannt chart? Do I enter the optimistic and pessimistic timelines and highlight the pessimistic as the critical path?

[Steve Prevette]

Originally Posted by curryassassin

Great Mark. That was exactly what I was looking for. I guess I got too bogged down in trying to understand the book I was reading which described these project management techniques. I must remember to explain my abbreviations also.
So my question now is, if I perform a PERT analysis and then an activity diagram, which data is entered onto the Gannt chart? Do I enter the optimistic and pessimistic timelines and highlight the pessimistic as the critical path?

Personally, I would populate the Gannt chart with the most likely times, but I'd do my primary management with the PERT chart.

[Murphy's Law]

It is whatever floats your boat. Tools are tools. No laws about how to use them.

My company tends to use Gantt charts primarily for new product development as they are something management understands. We use Microsoft Project to manage these.

Pert Charts look too busy.

Another take on this is project complexity. You may want to have Pert for more complex projects where you will have to boil the project down into series of major deliverables. (Eg/ bringing up a new $5B factory).

[Steve Prevette]

Originally Posted by Murphy's Law

Pert Charts look too busy.

Only if your process is too busy.