A Gantt chart is most commonly used as an internal document for project management, but it can also be useful for public involvement purposes. It can be used as a quick visual overview to communicate the timing and progress of your public works project(s) to stakeholders. Here are three tips to consider when creating a Gantt chart to be used for stakeholder communications.
- Brand it:
- You’ve spent hours deciding the branding of your communications for your improvements, so make sure your Gantt chart is consistent with the colors and design you’ve been using for all other communications. A strong brand identity will make your project more memorable.
- Keep it simple:
- Depending on how big your project is, including too many details about each phase on your Gantt chart can make it overwhelming and difficult to understand. When in doubt, keep it simple. You can always link to other pages that include more details about the project.
- Make it dynamic:
- If your Gantt chart will be posted on your website, make it so you can click on each project on the chart to lead to more information about that project. This way, your Gantt chart will encourage your audience to stay longer on your website and learn more about your improvement work.