Which of the following should be used to show beginning and ending times for an activity along a timeline?
Correct Answer: D
A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that represents a project schedule, showing the start and end times of activities along a timeline. It is one of the most widely used tools in project management and healthcare quality improvement initiatives.
Key Features of a Gantt Chart:
* Displays tasks or activities on a horizontal timeline.
* Shows the duration of each task.
* Helps track progress and dependencies between activities.
* Facilitates coordination among different teams or stakeholders.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
* Control Chart (Option A): Used to track variations in a process over time and detect performance deviations, but it does not provide a structured timeline of activities.
* Fishbone Diagram (Option B): Also known as an Ishikawa diagram or cause-and-effect diagram, it identifies root causes of a problem but does not visualize timelines.
* Pareto Chart (Option C): Helps prioritize issues based on their frequency or impact (80/20 rule), but it does not track project timelines.
Thus, the correct answer is D. Gantt chart as it best represents activities along a timeline.
References:
* NAHQ's Healthcare Quality Competency Framework
* Project Management Institute (PMI) - "Fundamentals of Project Scheduling and Gantt Charts"