Using project management in a nonlinear environment

The Gantt chart is used to display progress on a projects activities. Of the three types of activities in projects, finished, not started, and in process, in process is the least definitive and the most difficult to accurately report. In the cases of in process, nonlinear plan activities, displaying progress using the Gantt charts could actually mislead the user. The proposed algorithm was developed specifically for these nonlinear, plan activities. The algorithm structure adds the Plan Reporting Period into the progress report which will differentiate from a linear plan by reporting progress on an activity at time periods that are different from those that were planned at the beginning of project. The proposed algorithm helps the project management manager to more accurately report progress, especially in the microchip, computer, and other high-tech fields with a high rate of non-linear activities.