glossary — plain english
Gantt chart
A chart that shows a project as horizontal bars on a calendar — one bar per task — so you can see what happens when, what overlaps, and what's waiting on what.
Each row is a task. The bar's position shows when it happens and its width shows its duration. Arrows connect dependencies, and diamonds mark milestones. Time runs left to right. Our illustrated explainer walks through each part.
Henry Gantt popularized the format in the 1910s. It remains useful for schedule discussions because people can see which work overlaps and which tasks might hold up completion.
You can make one in a spreadsheet or a project-management tool. With ganttchart.ai, you describe the project in plain English and edit the generated chart. Our guide covers the process across tools: How to turn a plain-English plan into a Gantt chart.
See it on a real chart
Describe your project in plain English and ganttchart.ai turns it into a Gantt chart you can edit and share. Or read the method first: the plain-English planning guide.