Lag and lead
A dependency says one task follows another. Lag and lead say by how much. Lag adds a wait between them: the paint has to dry for two days before the second coat. Lead is the opposite, a head start: the next task begins a few days before the previous one ends.
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- Lag: "Pour the concrete", then wait 5 days for it to cure before "Build the walls" (finish-to-start + 5)
- Lag: "Send the invitations", then 21 days for replies before "Confirm numbers"
- Lead: "Start the slides" 3 days before "Finish the report" ends (finish-to-start − 3)
Lag is not a task
A lag is time that passes with nobody working: curing, drying, waiting for a reply. Writing it on the link, rather than as a task of its own, keeps the plan readable and keeps the wait tied to the two tasks it separates. If someone does work during the wait, such as chasing replies, that is a task.
Writing them in GanttCharts.app
Add the days after the task number in the Depends on column: "4+5" waits five working days after task 4 finishes, and "4-3" starts three working days before it does. The type goes before the sign when it is not finish-to-start: "7FF+2". Lags are counted in working days, like durations.
Frequently asked questions
What is lag time in a Gantt chart?
A wait added to a dependency: the next task starts a set number of days after the previous one finishes, such as concrete curing for five days.
What is lead time in a Gantt chart?
A head start: the next task begins a set number of days before the previous one finishes, so the two overlap. It is written as a negative lag.
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