Gantt Viewer in DatuBIM
The Gantt viewer feature has officially launched in DatuBIM, providing users with a powerful tool to visualize project timelines. This new addition allows users to view and monitor project Gantts without needing third-party software. This is the first in a series of features planned for the near future, specifically designed to enhance civil engineering 4D data management, visualization, and BIM.
Understanding Gantts in Civil Engineering
Gantt charts are crucial tools in project management, offering a visual timeline of project activities. They are used to plan, coordinate, and track tasks, making them essential in civil engineering and infrastructure projects. Stakeholders such as project managers, engineers, and designers rely on Gantt charts to monitor progress and timelines. Other stakeholders such as budget controllers rely on Gantt charts for planning extra monetary requests or legal claims.
In large construction projects, the relationship between the scheduler, the project manager and the designer are vital. The new project management approach is to link Gantt files and design files, ensuring tasks align with the overall project plan. The critical path highlights the sequence of crucial activities that determine the project's duration. Delays in critical path activities can significantly impact the entire project timeline.
Gantt charts are dynamic, changing due to factors like resource availability, design modifications, and unforeseen issues. These changes must be managed carefully as they affect project execution. Effective communication between the project manager and stakeholders is essential to ensure everyone is aware of schedule changes and their implications.
DatuBIM’s Gantt Viewer
DatuBIM’s Gantt viewer supports Primavera P6 and MS Project Gantt formats. It displays both geometric and non-geometric items, highlights the critical path, and provides search functionality. Users can view timelines in various granularities, such as day, week, month, or quarter. Additionally, DatuBIM saves previous versions of Gantt charts, making it easy to track changes and review past schedules.
For instance, a construction manager working on an urban infrastructure project can use DatuBIM’s Gantt viewer to manage tasks like utility relocations, foundation work, and paving. If a critical path task like sewer installation is delayed due to unexpected site conditions, the manager asks the scheduler to update the Gantt chart and then communicates the changes to all stakeholders effectively. To prevent project delays, the manager might approve working overtime or reallocating resources from less critical tasks to accelerate the sewer installation, ensuring the overall timeline remains intact.
Future Developments
DatuBIM plans several exciting developments, among them is tracking execution of Gantt activities. Users will be able to measure lengths, areas, volumes, or count objects to determine accomplishment states and forecast closer-to-reality end dates. This feature will also enable tracking of standalone executions without a Gantt.
Import and view a new Gantt to DatuBIM
Open the new "Tracked activities" tab (right after the "Reports" tab). This tab is a place holder for our new tracking activities feature, soon to be released. Meanwhile, on this very tab, an option to upload a project file is available.
When importing a project file, DatuBIM requires 2 simple actions -
- Binding definition of the
quantity and unit fields:
- Define the units:
If for any reason your Gantt chart does not hold "Quantity" and "Unit" columns, please create these empty columns on your Gantt prior to uploading it to DatuBIM. On step no. 2 above, just click "Continue" with the empty option selected. Please notice that such a Gantt cannot be used for our future activity tracking feature.
Sequential versions inherit the settings of previous versions, making the import process immediate. If merging issues arise, the import wizard will guide you through identifying the problematic points and will ask for your guidance.
Summary
DatuBIM's new Gantt viewer offers integrated support for Primavera P6 and MS Project Gantt formats, providing comprehensive features for viewing, monitoring and managing project timelines. Future developments will enhance its capabilities, enabling detailed tracking and additional related features. Having the Gantt available from within DatuBIM saves 3rd party SW installation and licensing, streamlines project management processes, facilitating better collaboration and contributing to the project’s success.
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