I am currently working as an Intern at HP Inc. Bulgaria and now I am preparing a Gantt Chart for the Food4Education project, covering activities up to 2027.
I am creating a sample Gantt Chart but I am experiencing difficulties in filling out the tasks and structuring the phases of the project and was advised to seek assistance here.
That sounds like a great initiative, and it’s completely normal to find structuring a long-term Gantt chart challenging at first. A good approach is to break the project into broad phases (such as Planning, Pilot Implementation, Scaling, Monitoring & Evaluation, and Sustainability/Exit Strategy) and then outline key tasks under each, like stakeholder engagement, fundraising, logistics, training, program rollout, and impact assessments. Once you have the phases and main activities mapped, you can spread them across the timeline up to 2027, adding milestones along the way to make the chart both clear and manageable.
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1 reply by Stiliyana Mitova
Aug 20, 2025 6:46 AM
Stiliyana Mitova
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Thank you very much for your response! I would be very happy if you could take a look at what I have done so far in more detail and give me a brief feedback.
That sounds like a great initiative, and it’s completely normal to find structuring a long-term Gantt chart challenging at first. A good approach is to break the project into broad phases (such as Planning, Pilot Implementation, Scaling, Monitoring & Evaluation, and Sustainability/Exit Strategy) and then outline key tasks under each, like stakeholder engagement, fundraising, logistics, training, program rollout, and impact assessments. Once you have the phases and main activities mapped, you can spread them across the timeline up to 2027, adding milestones along the way to make the chart both clear and manageable.
Thank you very much for your response! I would be very happy if you could take a look at what I have done so far in more detail and give me a brief feedback.
Program Manager| HARPER SRLSanto Domingo / Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic
Hi Stiliyana, that sounds like a great initiative!
When building a Gantt Chart, it often helps to start top-down:
- Define the main phases (e.g. Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, Closing).
- Under each phase, list key deliverables or milestones (e.g. “Partnership agreements signed,” “First school rollout,” “Annual review report”).
- Then break those into tasks and subtasks with estimated durations.
- Finally, map dependencies (what must finish before the next task can start).
For a long-term project like this case (up to 2027), I’d suggest keeping the high-level phases broad, and only detail the first 12–18 months more granularly. After that, use rolling-wave planning (add detail as you get closer).
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1 reply by Stiliyana Mitova
Aug 26, 2025 9:12 AM
Stiliyana Mitova
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Thank you very much for your suggestion! I’ve defined the main phases and broken them down into tasks and subtasks, each with a set timeframe.
Building a schedule starts with understanding at the right level of detail what the project needs to deliver and then breaking down/sequencing those activities.
For the former, using a Work Breakdown Structure or alternative tool is suggested as you are trying to do to many things at once if the schedule is the first place where the work is defined.
Kiron
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1 reply by Stiliyana Mitova
Aug 26, 2025 8:29 AM
Stiliyana Mitova
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Thanks a lot ! The Work Breakdown Structure really helped me to organize the different activities. It was very helpful.
Building a schedule starts with understanding at the right level of detail what the project needs to deliver and then breaking down/sequencing those activities.
For the former, using a Work Breakdown Structure or alternative tool is suggested as you are trying to do to many things at once if the schedule is the first place where the work is defined.
Kiron
Thanks a lot ! The Work Breakdown Structure really helped me to organize the different activities. It was very helpful. Saving Changes...
Hi Stiliyana, that sounds like a great initiative!
When building a Gantt Chart, it often helps to start top-down:
- Define the main phases (e.g. Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, Closing).
- Under each phase, list key deliverables or milestones (e.g. “Partnership agreements signed,” “First school rollout,” “Annual review report”).
- Then break those into tasks and subtasks with estimated durations.
- Finally, map dependencies (what must finish before the next task can start).
For a long-term project like this case (up to 2027), I’d suggest keeping the high-level phases broad, and only detail the first 12–18 months more granularly. After that, use rolling-wave planning (add detail as you get closer).
Thank you very much for your suggestion! I’ve defined the main phases and broken them down into tasks and subtasks, each with a set timeframe. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
My recommendation: use PMI´s Infinity. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Hi Stiliyana Mitova, welcome to the community and congratulations on your internship at HP!
Great to see you working on a real-world impact project like Food4Education — that’s a meaningful challenge to be part of.
When building a Gantt Chart, especially for a project extending to 2027, here’s a simple structure you can build on:
- Break down the project into major phases (e.g., Planning, Procurement, Implementation, Monitoring).
- Identify key deliverables or milestones within each phase — this brings clarity and structure.
- Use progressive elaboration: begin with high-level tasks and refine them over time as more details become available.
- Think in terms of a timeline that evolves — not everything needs to be fixed from the start. Focus first on what’s near, and allow flexibility later.
- Sequence tasks logically, identifying dependencies — this will help you visualize the critical path, the chain of tasks that determines your project’s duration.
- Estimate timeframes: even rough estimates help structure your planning and anticipate workload.
- Select a suitable tool: whether it’s Excel, MS Project, or Smartsheet, use what gives you the best visibility.
Many of these practices align with globally recognized approaches to schedule planning and delivery, as outlined in PMI’s Process Guide, which complements the current edition of the PMBOK® Guide.
You’re on the right path — project management is a learning journey built on structure, iteration, and clarity. Keep going!
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