Sundial
Understand delivery and uncertainty / Chapter 13

Choose the right diagram

Find the right diagram for scope, schedule, capacity, uncertainty, or change.

Choose a view that answers your question. Spend less time choosing a chart and more time interpreting the evidence behind your project decisions.
Tab Use it to answer Data basis
WBS What is in the project, and how is it organized? Current work hierarchy and effective status.
GANTT When can the work start and finish? Current simulated schedule and historical done dates.
Sunburst Where is the effort, and what is its status? Current hierarchy, total estimated effort, and status.
Work tracker Who is forecast to work on what and when? Simulated developer allocations.
Monte Carlo How often does each work item finish on each date? Repeated PERT samples using the current scheduler and staffing constraints.
WBS over time Which work or status changed between checkpoints? Baseline versus current model or a later snapshot.
GANTT over time How did delivery dates change? Two simulated endpoint schedules.
Sunburst over time How did effort and status change across checkpoints? Up to two saved models beside Current, on a shared angular effort scale.
Scope How has estimated project scope changed? Saved checkpoints plus a live Current column.
Milestones How have delivery forecasts moved, and how does scope relate to them? Timeline or Scope presentation of saved forecasts plus Current.
Team what-if What delivery difference does this roster change make? Same project simulated with reference and alternative teams.

Common diagram controls

  1. Choose Diagrams in a large desktop window. Close any work-item editor to give the chart the full workspace.
  2. Use Hide details in Delivery outlook if you need more chart height.
  3. Start with the fitted overview. Use Zoom in, Zoom out, and Fit to move between detail and the whole diagram.
  4. Use Ctrl+wheel to zoom around the cursor. Scroll to explore content larger than the pane; horizontal scrolling or Shift+wheel helps wide schedules.
  5. Hover marks for details. Chart labels can be shortened to fit; tooltips supply fuller context.
  6. Use Show title when capturing or exporting a self-contained report image.
  7. Use the diagram toolbar's SVG or PNG control to export that diagram.

Edit work directly from a diagram

In the current WBS, GANTT, and Sunburst views, click a work item to open its editor beside the chart. Use the same Name, Status, Priority, Description, Acceptance criteria, Comments, and Schedule controls described in the Project guide. Apply commits to the shared project and refreshes its forecast; Cancel discards the draft. Close the editor to return to the full diagram. Disclosure markers expand branches rather than opening the editor.

You can review a branch and update its planning data beside the chart, then check the resulting dates without returning to the main table. Comparisons and historical views remain reporting views; use the current workspaces to edit live work.

The canvas grows to fit its content. Use Fit for an overview, then zoom and scroll to inspect details at their natural size. Exports use the whole chart canvas, regardless of the current viewport zoom.

Put this into practice with the included example project.

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