Good Gantt-diagram software?

Question

I have multiple projects on my own, each one with a deadline and a (personal) estimate of the time that I should invest to get the thing done.

At a particular time I can be involved in multiple projects.

What I need is a software that lets me plan and display a "timeline": a line for each project that extends when I've to push efforts into it.

Did you know something that does something similar? I remember that this is a technique used in Software Engineering, but I don't remember the name...

EDIT

Thanks to duffymo, I know that I want a Gantt diagram manager :)

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Answer 1

I think it's called a Gantt chart.

And Google can find a bunch of open source possibilities, including this one. I don't know if it's any good.

Answer 2

Microsoft project is a good one.

Answer 3

For Mac OS, you should take a look at OmniPlan.

Answer 4

For Linux and Windows: Planner

Answer 5

On the Feeware java-based front, you have GanttProject.

You can launch it from this jnlp link.

Answer 6

If you don't have Microsoft Project, you can do this in Excel using a stacked bar chart.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA010346051033.aspx

Answer 7

OpenProj is really capable, seems to be MSProject compatible, and works on Windows / Linux / Mac (it's Java based). It's also free.

Answer 8

Do you really need a Gannt chart?

You have a collection of work (a backlog) that includes items from several projects. You need to predict the end dates of projects based on the rate at which you're actually completing work (your velocity) and on the current mix of work items, and make decisions about shuffling the backlog to move the estimate completion dates of various projects. Right so far?

Given a velocity (units of work per fixed time period), you can plan ahead by dividing your backlog items into time boxes (iterations) that hold no more than a velocity's worth of items. The time box that the last work item for a project lands in is when that project is predicted to be done. Shuffle the mix accordingly.

This is called "reality based" scheduling in some quarters, since it's based on a demonstrated rate of progress and consistent estimation. Gannt is plan based; there's a tendency to want to make reality conform to the plan, which causes a lot of stress and pain.

There are a number of Agile/Scrum tools that will automate the management of your work backlog, and let you track work and calculate velocity. I'm a fan of Pivotal Tracker, which is web-based and free. (Full disclosure: I worked with Pivotal Labs.)