In my last post about keeping on top of your management duties, I described how project charts are essential to ensuring your projects get done on time. The first Gantt charts were simple lists of tasks along the left hand side and dates along the top of a paper. Today, there are many options for creating a more sophisticated and flexible Gantt chart (project chart). Although project charts can be created with a word processor or spreadsheet program, software that includes features specific to project chart creation will save you time and make creating and updating your chart easier. HWhen choosing the right software, things you might consider include the following details:
- Ease of use without much training
- Flexibility to create and change your charts as the project evolves
- Number of features to meet current and future objectives
- Ability to export chart to common file formats for easy sharing
- Ease of use and quality support for the software
I like using SmartDraw because it gives me the flexibility to start planning my project with a mind map, which is how I naturally think. Also, SmartDraw has the ability to turn my project details into a more traditional project chart. This makes it easy for me to set deadlines and task dependencies. This video shows how easy it is to create and share project charts using SmartDraw:
If you want to learn more about the features and more than 70 different types of visuals you can create with SmartDraw, watch the Guided Tour. Also, be sure to check out other videos on the SmartDraw website and our YouTube channel.
