What is the purpose of a Gantt chart in project management?

A Gantt chart is a vital tool in project management specifically designed to provide a visual representation of a project schedule. This representation illustrates individual tasks, their durations, dependencies, and the overall timeline of the project. Each task is depicted as a horizontal bar along a timeline, enabling project managers and stakeholders to swiftly see the sequence of tasks, identify overlaps or potential delays, and understand how each component fits within the overall project framework.

This visual clarity enables better planning, resource allocation, and tracking of progress throughout the project lifecycle. By effectively displaying the interrelationship between tasks and their timelines, Gantt charts facilitate communication among team members and stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is aligned on deadlines and responsibilities.

The other options focus on different aspects of project management not directly covered by a Gantt chart. For instance, listing project stakeholders is about identifying individuals involved or affected by the project but does not pertain to scheduling. Calculating financial budgets involves creating estimates and tracking expenses, which is unrelated to the task scheduling that Gantt charts address. Similarly, analyzing risk assessments is a critical process in project management but serves a different objective than what a Gantt chart is designed for.