Common PM Charts

Process Control Chart

A process control chart depicts variations in data that can be found within a given process . Most often, these charts are utilized in process management and in Six Sigma for monitoring quality. The process control chart has specification limits that have been calculated from the data collected. The points on the chart represent data measurements of quality taken from a process at different times. The center line represents the process characteristic mean. The upper and lower control limits depict thresholds that means that the process data corresponding with that figure is unlikely. This can be helpful when you are trying to improve quality on a process or product.

Ishikawa :Cause and effect chart : Fishbone

The cause and effect chart is a result of cause and effect analysis performed on a project event. This diagram, also known as an Ishikawa diagram or a fishbone diagram is a useful tool for visualizing the various causes surrounding a particular event. Causes are categorized and are often the products of long brainstorming sessions.

Another type of chart is the work breakdown structure (WBS). The WBS depicts the hierarchy of tasks that comprise a project. To create a work breakdown structure you must first decompose your project into the component tasks. Next, begin at the top with the project name. Each item of the next level will be the tasks involved in the project (or milestones). The levels under that will contain subtasks and work items. Work items are the smallest, completable actions that will move the project towards completion. The WBS is a helpful tool for you to use in planning your project, because it allows you to visualize the component parts and how they relate before they are entered into your project management software.

WBS Chart

The PERT Chart

Another project management chart you are likely to have heard of before is the PERT chart. The PERT chart, also sometimes known as a network diagram, depicts more complex projects and the relationships between activities. A PERT chart, unlike a Gantt chart, can depict activities that are parallel, activities that must follow one another, and complex task dependencies. This chart can help your team to visualize not only the whole project, but a part of the project you are managing that is particularly complex.

The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI)

The responsibility assignment matrix (also known as RACI) can be a very useful tool in depicting who is participating in any task or deliverable during the lifecycle of a project. This project management chart should be constructed once you have created your work breakdown structure and your organizational breakdown structure. Along the left-hand side, you will have the names of the various milestones, deliverables, and tasks. Along the top will be team members' and stakeholders' names. You will enter in one of the following letters - "R" for responsible, "A" for accountable, "C" for consulted or "I" for informed depending on what role each person plays in that particular project milestone, deliverable, or task. While this is by no means an exhaustive list of project management charts that you might encounter, it is a list of some of the most common charts that can be found in project management.