Project Management: Integrate Tasks and Meetings into One Timeline!

Project management relies heavily on both the tasks that need to be completed and the discussions that frame these tasks. However, these two aspects are often separated in digital tools: on one side, there are action lists, and on the other, meeting minutes, which are seldom synchronized. This separation can jeopardize the management of projects.

To address this discontinuity, WEDO has introduced a new feature: an integrated Gantt chart designed to naturally articulate tasks, milestones, and—for the first time in such a tool—meetings in a single timeline.

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What is a Gantt Chart and What is it Used For?

The Gantt chart is a project management tool that visually represents all the tasks required to complete a project, along with their progress over time. Originally devised by Karol Adamiecki in the late 19th century, it was later popularized by Henry Gantt in the early 20th century, hence the name.

This type of chart clearly illustrates the various stages of a project, their sequence, duration, and overlapping periods between certain tasks. Each task is positioned on a timeline at the top of the chart, and its duration is represented by horizontal bars whose length reflects the estimated time. The color of these bars may indicate different project phases or the responsible team.

In practical terms, a Gantt chart consists of a task list on the left, while the time scale stretches horizontally across the top of the chart. This setup allows for a quick identification of the start and end dates of each activity, their sequence, and any potential periods where multiple tasks are carried out simultaneously.

Thanks to this clear and concise representation, the Gantt chart facilitates planning, monitoring execution, and allocating resources. It provides all stakeholders with an overview of the project, its priorities, and deadlines, making the information easily accessible and understandable on a daily basis.

The WEDO Gantt Chart: A Structured and Updated View of the Project

Planning a project involves more than just stacking tasks in a list. It also means organizing stages, identifying key milestones, and understanding dependencies that affect progress. This is exactly what WEDO’s Gantt chart allows for.

A project can be divided into sections, each representing a distinct phase, within which tasks and milestones are embedded. These elements are visually connected, with arrows indicating dependencies between actions. Here are the different components of WEDO’s Gantt chart:

• Sections: Outlined in green in the image below, these help structure a project into different phases (preparation, execution, closure). Each section can encompass several tasks and can be customized by color.
• Tasks and Subtasks: Tasks (outlined in purple) represent the actions to be completed. They can include a start date, a deadline, a responsible person, a priority level, files, subtasks, and comments. Subtasks help detail a main task.
• Milestones: These are visual markers symbolized by a diamond, used to mark key stages of the project (validation, end of phase). A milestone has only one date.
• Dependencies: These define logical links between tasks or milestones (e.g., one task cannot begin until another is completed). They are visible as arrows in the chart (outlined in red).
• Meetings: Incorporated into the Gantt chart (outlined in orange) to visualize key exchange times in the project’s progression. Like tasks or milestones, meetings have a date and can be part of the overall planning logic, a unique feature in this type of tool.
• Detail Panel: Clicking on a task opens a side panel with all associated information: dates, description, subtasks, attachments, history, dependencies, etc (outlined in blue).
• Direct Addition and Modification in the Gantt: It is possible to add a task, a milestone, or a section directly from the chart. Elements can be moved or resized by drag-and-drop to visually modify dates and durations.

Whenever a deadline changes, the entire chart automatically adjusts. This real-time update applies to all views available in WEDO: Kanban, list, or Gantt. A modification made in one format is instantly reflected in the others, which prevents double entries and ensures information consistency. For teams, this means better visibility of project progress, without having to manually cross-check multiple sources of truth.

Meetings and Tasks on the Same Timeline

Most project management tools treat meetings as peripheral elements, external to the operations’ flow. WEDO takes a different approach by fully integrating meeting times into the Gantt chart. Each scheduled meeting appears in the project’s chronology, just like a milestone or a task.

Represented by a calendar icon (see image), the meeting is linked to its agenda, accessible with a single click from the Gantt chart. This allows participants to review the topics in advance, add notes, comments, files, or even initiate votes to prepare effectively for the meeting. After the meeting, it remains visible in the project’s timeline, providing direct access to the minutes. Thus, exchanges are fully integrated into project management: they are tracked, contextualized, and constantly linked to tasks and objectives.

This integration helps link decisions made in meetings to their practical implementation. For teams, this avoids information loss between synchronous exchanges and subsequent work. It also makes coordination moments visible within the overall project flow, placing them appropriately within the collective dynamics. To date, few solutions offer such continuity between exchanges and actions.

Learn more about meetings in WEDO

Seamless Management, Aligned with Field Reality

Integrating the Gantt chart into WEDO does not require advanced configuration or complex settings. From the workspace, a moderator can activate the dedicated tab in a few clicks. It then complements the other views (meetings, tasks, files) without disrupting the existing organization. Teams immediately access a chronological representation of the project, with the ability to add or reorganize elements directly from the chart. Each view is based on a common data foundation: the Gantt thus becomes a parallel reading, true to the structure of the project.

This mode of operation adapts to daily adjustments. Moving a task, extending its duration, or changing a dependency is done by simple drag-and-drop, without leaving the global view. The chart instantly reflects changes, without manual entry or duplication. It is used both for planning ahead and for managing progress on the go, supporting teams at the real pace of the project.

Uniting tasks, milestones, and coordination times in a single view allows for tracking a project without information breaks. The WEDO Gantt chart offers a more readable, coherent, and well-aligned approach to the actual unfolding of team work. A feature designed to structure without complicating.

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