Apparel Production
Planning and Control
GANTT CHART & PROJECT CRASHING
Conten
t
Gantt Chart
Elements and benefits of Gantt
Chart Why in Apparel pre-
production?
How to create a Gantt Chart?
Project Crashing
Reasons to crash the project
Project Crashing Management
Stages Example
References
What is a Gan
Chart? A Gantt chart is a commonly used graphical
depiction of a project schedule, designed by Henry Gantt
(1861-1919), an American mechanical engineer A Gantt
Chart, in its simplest form, is a timeline that illustrates
how the project will progress during the project
management process.
It helps project managers and project teams to assess how
long a project should take, determine the resources needed,
understand the dependencies between tasks, and plan the
order in which each task will be completed if the whole
project is to deliver on time.
Elements of a Gan
Chart DUE DATES: The dates are one of the most essential since
they show when the project will start and end, and also when
each job will take place. These are shown at the top of the
graph.
TASKS: The tasks are displayed on the left side of the page,
running along the y-axis.
MILESTONES: Milestones are tasks that are critical to the
completion and success of a project. At the conclusion of each
block on a Gantt chart, milestones are represented by different
shapes or icons.
BARS: Bars are used to represent the time frame in which
each task should be performed.
TASKBARS: The taskbars are shaded to represent the portion
of each task that has previously been performed, indicating
progress.
DEPENDENCIES: In a project, there are some tasks and
subtasks that are dependent on one another for success.
Bene ts of a Gan
Chart
Gantt charts are easy to create, read, and use in managing projects of all sizes and types.
Useful to identify resource needs and assign resources to tasks. Improve communication
and team cohesion.
Measure the progress of projects.
See overlapping activities and task dependencies Experience more clarity.
Practice better time management. Create a sense of accountability.
Boost flexibility. Promotes transparency.
Why in Apparel Pre-
Garment
activities
production?
pre-production (also known as merchandising)
arecharacterized by people-oriented functions.
Numerous interdependent activities aresynchronized
between succeeding and preceding activities to make a non- linear
process network. It is common practice to use critical path logic in
apparel pre-production activities, to set important milestones of
activities with the ultimate goal of delivering an order within the
original delivery date. This practice is also known as Time and Action
(TnA) Calendar. The most important challenge faced by merchandisers
in manufacturing and sourcing organizations is making and following a
time and action calendar that keep track of the sequence of tasks
leading to product delivery.
In the Gantt chart, two tasks can be linked in three different relations: finish-to-start, start-to-start, and finish-to-finish.
For example, an order of 2,000 pieces takes 4 days to cut, 7 days to sew, and 4 days to finish. If we schedule these
three activities using a typical FS relationship, then cutting to finish will take 15 days.
Realistically, sewing should not wait for 4 days (till all pieces are cut) and can start after the cutting of the first lot is
over. Say sewing can start after the first day of cutting, so cutting and sewing can follow an SS relationship with a one-
day lag in between. Similarly, finishing also can start after the first day of sewing, but as finishing takes a total of 4 days
compared to 7 in sewing, so sewing to finishing has to follow an FF relationship, with a one-day lag in-between. That
means finishing can be completed one day after the completion of sewing. So, cut to finish can be completed in a total
of 9 days.
Thus, these realistic ways of scheduling tasks in an overlapping manner using start-start and finish- finish relationships
is a very unique advantage of using the Gantt chart.
How to create a Gan
Chart?
The Gantt chart creation process will vary slightly from software to software, but the general idea remains the same.
Here is a general step-by-step process on how to make a Gantt chart.
Step 1: Enter project tasks into the software.
All you have to do is find the “add task” function which is typically located in the top right-hand corner of your
software, then fill in the relevant details such as the task description, and due date, and attach any relevant task
documents.
Step 2: Assign tasks to the relevant team members
Once you’ve entered your tasks into your software, add the relevant team members to the tasks.
Step 3: Create task dependencies if necessary
Once you’ve added all of the relevant information and team members to your task, make sure you create any
necessary task dependencies. These dependencies will show up on your Gantt chart as either connecting lines or
arrows between the task duration bars.
Step 4: Label tasks based on the responsible teams
Using the color-coding capabilities of your project management software in order to separate tasks by their respective
teams that will make it easier to track their progress
Top Gan chart
Software
Microsoft Project
ProofHub Celoxis
GanttPRO
Instagantt
Tom’s Planner
TeamGantt
OpenProject
What is a Project
Crashing?
Project crashing is when you shorten the duration of a
project by reducing the time of one or more tasks.
Crashing is done by increasing the resources of the
project, which helps make tasks take less time than
what they were planned for. Of course, this also adds to
the cost of the overall project.
Therefore, the primary objective of a
crashing is project to shorten the project
keeping costs atwhile also
a minimum.
Which factors should you
consider?
When assessing the feasibility of crashing a project, it's essential to look at these key factors:
1. Schedule
2. Scope
3. Cost
According to the triple constraint of the project, if you shorten the project duration, the costs increase or
the project scope is reduced.
In the case of a project crashing, the scope must remain the same, i.e., the results expected at the
beginning of the project are not expected to change, which necessarily means increased costs.
Thus, the main goal of a project crashing is to reduce the duration of activities while keeping costs to a
minimum.
Reasons to crash the
project
Choosing to crash a project is a decision you may make for several strategic reasons, such as:
A delay in the project timeline: If you face penalties because of delays in the project timeline, adding more
resources to move up the completion date may be worthwhile.
Availability of resources: If your team or organization has resources available, using those resources can
help you speed up the project timeline.
Avoiding a future delay: Adding resources to prevent a delay in the future typically adds some cost, but that
may be preferable to facing future delays that are more costly.
Time bonuses on the project: If you can qualify for a bonus based on the project completion date, paying
the cost of additional resources to finish the project sooner may make financial sense.
New project: If your team is working on a project and receives the assignment to take on a new project, you
may crash the original project to finish it faster and focus on the new project.
Project Crashing Management
Stages
Once you’ve made the decision to use project crashing, there are some steps you’ll want to follow to get the results
you want.
1. Critical Path
The first thing to do is analyze the critical path of your project. This will help you determine which tasks can be
shortened to bring the project to a close sooner. Therefore, if you haven’t already, calculate your critical path, see
which tasks are essential and which are secondary to the project’s success.
2. Identify Tasks
Get a list of all the tasks you have, then meet with those who have been assigned to complete them. Ask if they
believe any of the tasks they’re responsible for are in the critical path and can be cut down. Then, start looking for
ways to tighten up those tasks.
3. What’s the Trade-Off?
Once you’ve narrowed down the tasks in the critical path that you believe can be shortened, start calculating how
much adding more resources will cost. Find the tasks that can be allocated additional resources, and come in sooner
with the least amount of strain on your budget.
4. Make Your Choice
When you know what you will have to spend (compared to how much time you’ll save) for each of the tasks in your
critical path, you must now make a decision and choose the least expensive way forward. Project crashing is not
just adding resources to get done faster, but it’s getting the most in return for that extra expense.
5. Create a Budget
Like any project, once you’ve decided on your plan, you have to pay for it. Making a project-crashing budget is the
next step in executing your project-crashing plan. You’ll have to update your baseline, schedule, and resource plan
to align with your new initiative.
Example
Problem-
The management of a company is interested in crashing of the following project by spending an additional amount
not exceeding Rs. 2,000. Suggest how this can be accomplished.
Solution-
We have the following network diagram for the given project with normal costs:
Therefore Path I is the criticalpath and the criticalactivities areA, B, D and E. The non-critical activit
C.
The crash cost per unit time for the activities in the project are provided in the following table.
We have to choose one of the activities A, B, D, and E for crashing. The crash cost per unit time is as follows:
Rs. 3,000 for A; Rs. 1,000 for B; Rs. 1,000 for D; Rs. 500 for E.
The least among them is Rs. 500. So we have to choose the activity E for crashing. We reduce the time of E by
one week by spending an extra amount of Rs. 500.
After this step, we have the following network with the revised times for the activities:
The revised time for Path I = 7 + 12 + 11 + 5 = 35 weeks. The time for Path II = 7 + 22 + 5 = 34 weeks.
Maximum of {35, 34} = 35.
Therefore Path I is the critical path and the critical activities are A, B, D and E. The non-critical activity is C.
The time of E cannot be reduced further. So we cannot select it for crashing. Next B and have the smallest
crash cost per unit time. Let us select B for crashing. Let us reduce the time of B by one week at an extra cost of
Rs. 1,000.
After this step, we have the following network with the revised times for the activities:
The revised time for Path I = 7 + 11 + 11 + 5 = 34 weeks. The time for Path II = 7 + 22 + 5 = 34 weeks.
Maximum of {34, 34} = 34.
Since both paths have equal times, both are critical paths. So, we can choose an activity for crashing from either of
them depending on the least crash cost per unit time. In path I, the activities are A, B, D and E. In path II, the
activities are A, C and E.
The crash cost per unit time is the least for activity C. So we select C for crashing. Reduce the time of C by one week
at an extra cost of Rs. 500. By the given condition, the extra amount cannot exceed Rs. 2,000.
Since this state has been met, we stop with this step.
Result:
The following crashing scheme is suggested for the given project:
Reduce the time of E, B and C by one week each. Project time after
crashing is 33 weeks.
Extra amount required = 500 + 1,000 + 500 = Rs. 2,000.
Referenc
es
[Link] [Link]
v=BjOLdukjAckv=NcOmJSrXYoQ[Link] news/
manufacturing/gantt-chart-easy-use-tool-monitoring-tna-status/ [Link]
ascent/small-business/project-management/articles/gantt-chart/ [Link]
com/business-news/manufacturing/apparel-merchandising-multi- order-tna-calendar-is-the-
answer/
[Link]
project-management
[Link] [Link]
article/problem-of-crashing-of-a-project-1161/ [Link]
crashing-and-how-to-get-the-most-out-of-it/
