What is the main purpose of a Gantt chart?

A Gantt chart is primarily used to illustrate a project timeline, making it an essential tool in project management. It visually represents the schedule of a project by displaying tasks on the vertical axis and time intervals along the horizontal axis. Each task is represented by a horizontal bar, the length of which indicates the duration of the task, and its position on the timeline shows when the task is scheduled to start and finish.

Utilizing a Gantt chart allows project managers and team members to easily track progress, identify overlaps or dependencies between tasks, and communicate the status of various components of a project to stakeholders. This clarity in visual representation is crucial for effective planning and execution.

The other options do not align with the primary function of a Gantt chart. While documenting technical specifications can be important for projects, it does not relate to visual timeline management. Showing market share involves data analysis and graphical representation of market dynamics, which is different from scheduling tasks. Similarly, summarizing survey results typically entails using different types of data visualization or reporting formats, rather than a timeline visualization like a Gantt chart.