Make your data do the talking with handy project management charts! Take a look at our rundown of the most helpful PM charts out there - and pick one that works for you.
Savvy project managers know that analyzing project data is essential for effectively:
But analyzing data is easier said than done — especially considering the abundance of available project data and its inaccessibility (not everyone can make sense of it so easily).
Thankfully, project management charts can save your day.
These charts visualize your data in an easy-to-read manner, in turn making all the data simple to track and use to make informed decisions. They also make the data easier to share with anyone who needs to see it, helping everyone stay on the same page.
Not sure which project charts you should be using? Let’s walk you through 15 different types of project management charts, how they can help you, and when to use them.
Let's dig in:
Project management charts are visual representations of project data. They make it easy for project managers, the project team, and stakeholders to understand complex data at a glance.
These charts:
Essentially, project charts help us digest all the complex data. Visualization makes available data usable which, in turn, boost project management efficiency.
Thanks to this data accessibility, project management charts help you:
As a result, project management charts improve project planning, collaboration, and teamwork.
By making the data useable, these charts also help you make better project decisions.
Pick from the following types of projects for different phases of your project lifecycle:
A PERT chart is a freeform visualization of project tasks and milestones, helping monitor task dependencies and project schedules.
It uses:
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These arrows also indicate task dependency. That is: the same direction arrows in the chart show which tasks need to be completed after which one. Therefore, signifying the sequence in which to complete tasks to complete the project.
At the same time, a PERT chart also uses diverging arrows to signify different paths or independent tasks that can be completed simultaneously.
In comparison with flow charts and Gantt charts, PERT charts are freeform (flexible) and use branching paths to show parallel workflows. What’s more, arrows in PERT charts indicate tasks, whereas, in flow charts, they simply show direction.
Commonly used in both small and complex projects, Gantt charts show project schedules on a timeline with task dependencies.
To this end, the vertical axis of the chart shows project tasks and the horizontal axis represents time duration. As you move tasks on this timeline, you can see how moving one impacts the rest of the timeline.
Use them to:
Thanks to this use case, Gantt charts are incredibly helpful for both project planning and progress tracking.
As its name suggests, a process flow chart lays out exactly what to do and in what order to accomplish your project objectives.
This project management chart is used in the planning phase — when you set project goals and scope.
A project flow chart represents everything from the start to the end, using boxes and different shapes to illustrate project tasks and milestones. Arrows, on the other hand, represent how all events are connected and their sequence (what comes before what).
This chart is useful for visualizing the entire project scope, making it easy for managers to see a blueprint of all the work required. And because a process flow chart lays out the full scope, it also lets you exercise better control over the resources and time you’ll invest in each stage of the project.
A CPM chart visualizes all the project activities and the time it would take to complete them.
Like other types of project management charts above, a CPM chart uses boxes to illustrate project activities or tasks and arrows to show the flow of the tasks alongside their connection.
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However, within or beside each activity representation is a time estimate which helps you see its duration and the duration of the preceding task — helping you understand the time between two activities.
So how can you use a critical path method chart? Use it to:
Also known as fishbone or ishikawa diagrams (because of the way they look 🐟), these project management charts help brainstorm ideas and potential solutions.
The diagram uses a straight line to represent a problem with diverging paths used to plot and identify potential causes.
Each branch representing a ‘cause’ is further divided to represent potential solutions.
Use cause-effect project charts to solve problems by brainstorming possible solutions based on potential causes. But remember to plot all potential causes of an issue you’re solving. If you don’t, you won’t be able to accurately solve the problem.
Risk matrices are also charts for the project planning phase for risk management.
Its job? To help you visualize, and therefore evaluate, potential project risks - and chalk out a path to solve them.
You can plot this chart on a 3 by 3 or 5 by 5 chart. Use the horizontal side of the matrix to jot down the severity of a risk, and the vertical side to assess its likelihood.
You can determine each risk based on historical data and your experience. By using this project management chart, you can:
A work breakdown structure is an easy-to-make project chart that breaks down all the tasks involved in a project in a hierarchy.
To do so, a WBS chart lays out tasks in levels. The first level or level 1 captures the main tasks. The tasks in level 1 are then broken down into sub-tasks — listed downward — to form level 2. Tasks in level 2 can be further divided to form a level 3 and so on.
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Because WBS breaks down tasks in a systematic manner, you can use it for not only better project planning but also resource allocation (scheduling and assigning work).
Control charts are used to monitor particular project processes.
The chart looks very much like a graph — having an upper control limit, a lower control limit, and an average process line or centerline.
If a process behavior follows the centerline, it means it’s fine as it’s sticking to the average behavior. But if it touches any of the extreme limits, it means the behavior needs your attention.
Use control charts to:
Pareto charts combine a bar chart with a graph to provide more detail than the two alone can.
Use them to identify and track specific factors in your project so you can determine the common reasons behind their occurrence.
Since Pareto charts help you see how specific factors impact the concern you’re tracking, they help with better problem identification and more informed decision-making.
The RACI chart is a table-based visualization showing who is involved, what they’re responsible for, and the level of their involvement.
It maps out:
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Use this chart to allocate resources and determine which stakeholders to update and when.
A milestone chart sketches all project milestone on a graph — showing you important events, which helps track project progress.
The chart uses vertical lines to represent milestones with the left side describing them. The horizontal time scale maps out the full project.
Many project management software give you dynamic milestone charts — Runn is one example here.
A dynamic milestone chart not only uses different symbols to determine different milestones but it also lets you assign tasks within the same graph.
Use this visual timeline to keep team members, stakeholders, and clients up to date on project progress.
Burn-up and burn-down chars help with agile project management by showing managers the speed with which their teams are working on projects.
A burndown chart, for example, is a visual representation of how fast a team is progressing through user stories. Here, the vertical axis shows work to be done, whereas, the horizontal axis shows time passed.
Keep in mind, you can use burndown charts to track sprint or iteration progress as well as product development.
That said, a burn-up chart lays out the total amount of work to be done and work completed.
The vertical axis measures the tasks, whereas, the horizontal axis depicts the time duration in hours, days, or weeks.
A SWOT analysis chart is a four-quadrant project management chart. Each quadrant captures one of the following aspects of the project: its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
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Use this chart to identify which areas of a project need more focus and what potential risks can impact progress or the outcome.
However, make sure that when you make this chart, you brainstorm and list out all possible factors in each quadrant. It’s only then that you’ll be able to prioritize and rank factors to focus on.
Like a SWOT analysis, a stakeholder analysis is also a four-quadrant chart. In this case, each quadrant reviews stakeholders to determine how to best coordinate them.
Make this chart at the start of a project to devise a plan of action for keeping each stakeholder (including investors, team members, sponsors, clients, and advisors) updated.
The matrix will help you determine exactly which strategy to use and what amount of information to share with each stakeholder.
The cumulative flow project chart is one of the advanced charts used in agile project management. It plots all the tasks required in each stage of your workflow in a given time.
The vertical axis here denotes tasks. The horizontal one depicts the process timeline.
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This type of chart is great for visualizing vast amounts of data. As a result, you can use it to monitor your workflow’s stability. You can also use it to make your processes more predictable.
The best project management charts for you are ones that simplify and streamline your processes — not overcomplicate them. To this end, choose the charts based on what you want to track (example: project progress, resources, or timeline) and the complexity of your project. In short, choose the charts that work best for you and your projects.
We hope this rundown has given you some ideas - go forth and starting 'charting' your path!
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