Practical guide and verification
Model the work before styling it
A useful Gantt chart starts with tasks, dates, durations, dependencies, milestones, and ownership. Colours and labels help readability, but they cannot repair an unrealistic schedule model.
Dependency check
When one task depends on another, move the predecessor and confirm the downstream schedule still makes sense. A chart with visually aligned bars but impossible dependencies gives false confidence.
Common mistake
Avoid treating every task as independent or assigning the same start date to all work. That can make the chart attractive while hiding the sequence that actually controls delivery.