7 alternatives to Gantt charts

6 min

Project managers commonly use Gantt charts to track project schedules and show the dependencies between tasks. Some claim that Gantt charts are irreplaceable in project management and spend thousands of dollars on expensive Gantt chart software.

But frankly, Gantt charts come with a series of fatal flaws that leave many managers looking for other tools to meet their needs. Learn more about the disadvantages of Gantt charts and top Gantt chart alternatives you can try on your next project.

Gantt charts in project management

Developed by Henry Gantt in 1915, Gantt charts are a type of bar graph that displays tasks over time to illustrate the project's schedule. Gantt charts are often used to highlight task dependencies to keep the project on track.

But that is easier said than done – and Gantt charts come with some big disadvantages.

Disadvantages of Gantt charts

Gantt charts are messy and hard to understand. Once you’ve added dependencies, resources, milestones, and deadlines, Gantt charts become a massive eyesore. Stakeholders may have difficulty understanding your diagram without a headache.
Gantt charts are inflexible. In the era of agile project management, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to use a diagram requiring extensive pre-planning when your plans are likely to change.
Gantt charts require a lot of work to update. In conjunction with #2, when your plans do change, updating your Gantt chart to match them takes time and often slips through the cracks. For this reason, Gantt charts are frequently outdated and hinder effective team communication.
Gantt charts often mean expensive software. If you buy project management software and only use it to make Gantt charts, you could save a lot of time and money by exploring Gantt chart alternatives.
Gantt charts are difficult to build collaboratively, share, and print. Most project management software makes it difficult, if not impossible, to build Gantt charts collaboratively. Once you build them, they are difficult to print and share.

Gantt chart alternatives for project management

If you find yourself nodding your head as you read this, it’s time for you to try Gantt chart alternatives.

To get you started, each of these options comes with a template that you can use in Lucidchart. In our web-based visual workspace, you can easily build professional diagrams and share with your team to collaborate in real time.

1. Project planning timeline

A project planning timeline shows a chronological sequence of events without the complicating details of a Gantt chart. They lend themselves to high-view conversations with stakeholders that don’t need to be overwhelmed with team assignments, limiting resources, and dependencies.

Try using this project management timeline template in Lucidchart. It's easy to understand and can be modified quickly as your plans change. Simply adjust the start and end dates in the advanced shapes menu, and then drag and drop project blocks and milestones to reflect modified deadlines.

2. Project network diagram

Another option is a project network diagram. As an alternative to Gantt charts, project network diagrams are used to scope a project and determine your project's critical path. The critical path is the longest path in your diagram use to help you determine how long the project will take. With project network diagrams, you can track dependencies as well as details such as task identification number and allocated resources.

Some managers avoid network diagrams because they don’t like to rearrange boxes and arrows as plans change. However, Lucidchart allows you to share diagrams with your entire team so they can update the original document instantaneously instead of sending you revisions that pile up in your inbox. You don’t have to be overwhelmed with paperwork, nor do you need to sacrifice program flexibility by choosing project network diagrams as your Gantt chart alternative.

Project network diagrams are often called PERT charts because they are used with the Program Evaluation and Review Technique. See how PERT charts compare to Gantt charts for project management.

3. Kanban board

The Kanban board is an optimal solution for teams with a flexible workflow. Like Gantt charts, they allow you to track the progress of tasks from start to finish, but the visual simplicity of moving cards makes kanban boards easy to understand and effective for communicating with co-workers.

Kanban boards can be built physically or virtually. Virtual boards are optimal for teams that are separated geographically. In Lucidchart, you can even conduct your sprint planning together as multiple editors add cards to your board in real time. Change colors to convey additional information including project type.

4. Scrum board

Similar to a Kanban board, a scrum board organizes projects chronologically by sprints. The format is very flexible and easily customized. Scrum boards are segmented into horizontal or vertical lanes used to track tasks that need to be completed in each sprint. The typical lanes included are "To Do," "In Progress," "In Test," and "Done." Add or remove tasks needed to adjust to the sprint timeline.

5. Cross-functional flowchart

A cross-functional flowchart uses swimlanes to delineate responsibilities across different teams or groups. They track dependencies and transfers of information or products from one team to another. For this reason, they are a great Gantt chart alternative when you are working on a large project with multiple teams.

You can add detail to a cross-functional flowchart by layering horizontal and vertical swimlanes. One axis can show teams while the other represents time as in the example below. Once you have finished building your flowchart in Lucidchart, establish a single source of truth for your project by sharing it with all the teams and stakeholders involved. You can even control who is able to edit, comment, and view.

6. Checklist

It doesn’t get more basic than a checklist. We’ve all used them to increase personal productivity at home or in the office. Why not give it a shot with your entire team? You could use a checklist by itself or attach one to a project network diagram to pair a high-view perspective with specific action items.

If you want to take your checklist up a notch, you can include dynamic shapes in Lucidchart to track how many tasks have been completed at a glance.

7. Simple Gantt chart

If your only hesitation with using a Gantt chart is its complexity, a simple Gantt chart may be your answer. Take a look at the modified version in Lucidchart.

Gantt charts can be complicated to understand and difficult to maintain, and they may not help you communicate effectively with your team members or work with the flexibility you need. Try any of these Gantt chart alternatives by clicking the template above.

Everything you need to whiteboard online

Get the ultimate online whiteboard for teams. Brainstorm, plan projects, and collaborate virtually on Lucidspark’s infinite canvas.

Ready-to-use templates for PERT, Network diagrams, Kanban, and more

Explore Lucid's pre-built templates to build timelines, indicate the status of tasks, and collaborate with your team.

Flowchart with swimlanes

Free

Flowchart with swimlanes

AoA Network Diagram Example

Paid Account

AoA Network Diagram Example

Detailed Scrum task board example

Paid Account

Detailed Scrum task board example

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I use instead of a Gantt chart?

You can use project planning timelines, project network diagrams, Kanban boards, Scrum boards, cross-functional flowcharts, checklists, or simplified Gantt charts depending on your project needs and workflow.

Why do project managers look for Gantt chart alternatives?

Gantt charts can be messy and hard to understand, inflexible for Agile workflows, time-consuming to update, and difficult to build collaboratively, share, and print.

When should I use a Kanban board instead of a Gantt chart?

Kanban boards are optimal for teams with flexible workflows who want to track task progress visually by moving cards through columns.Kanban boards offer simplicity and effective communication without complex dependencies.

What is a project network diagram and when is it useful?

A project network diagram is used to scope a project and determine its critical path—the longest sequence of tasks that determines project duration. Project network diagrams enable users to track dependencies and task details without the complexity of Gantt charts.

Are cross-functional flowcharts good for multi-team projects?

Yes, cross-functional flowcharts use swimlanes to delineate responsibilities across different teams and track dependencies and information transfers, making them ideal for large projects involving multiple teams.

What's the difference between a project timeline and a Gantt chart?

A project planning timeline shows a chronological sequence of events without the complicated details of a Gantt chart, making it easier to understand and modify quickly as plans change.

Can I use a simple checklist for project management?

Yes, checklists can increase team productivity and can be used alone or attached to project network diagrams to pair a high-view perspective with specific action items.

Are Gantt charts completely outdated?

Not completely—if your only hesitation is complexity, a simple Gantt chart without excessive dependencies, resources, and milestones may still work for your needs.

Everything you need to whiteboard online

In addition to our online whiteboard tools, Lucidspark offers support and training resources to help you ideate, plan, and build with your team.

Get Support

Contents

7 alternatives to Gantt charts

Gantt charts in project management

Disadvantages of Gantt charts