A work breakdown structure wbs is a crucial document that details a projects major and minor work components, timeline, and resources put simply, its a breakdown of all the work that will go into completing your project. Its a helpful tool that defines a detailed cost or time estimate and provides guidance for schedule development and control. As seen in the pmp training, work breakdown structure of a project shows the hierarchy of the project work and deliverables in a project. The work breakdown structure wbs is the foundation for project planning and. View on online or download for free in pdf or visio format. Learn how to create compelling work breakdown structure wbs.
How to create a work breakdown structure workfront. Wbs schedule pro can be used by itself as a standalone project planning and. The first two levels of the wbs the root node and level 2 define a set of planned outcomes that collectively and exclusively represent 100% of the project scope. An example would be the finished design model for a ship. Business acquisition work breakdown structure stakeholder mapping. Combine this with a wbs dictionary for a mix of visual structure and detailed project information. The work breakdown structure wbs is essential for getting a project off the ground. Work breakdown structure a project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or product oriented grouping of project work elements shown in graph ical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project. Its a way to divide and conquer large projects so you can get things done faster and more efficiently. A work breakdown structure is often presented in the form of a chart, it is a visual representation of all team management and project planning processes. Merging the wbs and obs, the project manager creates a responsibility.
What is work breakdown structure in project management. The wbs dictionary defines, details, and clarifies the various elements of the wbs. Many people have mistaken wbs as a list of tasks, a schedule or an organization chart. Work breakdown structure rev e, june 2003 work breakdown structure a project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or product oriented grouping of project work elements shown in graph ical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project. Two types of work breakdown structures wbs june 5, 2018 may 27, 2019 by pmclounge leave a comment there are actually two and sometimes even more than two. Work breakdown structure wbs the building blocks of a schedule start with a work breakdown structure wbs. Create a wbs dictionary which is a document that includes the definition and the scope of the different elements in your work breakdown structure.
The project management body of knowledge pmbok defines the work breakdown structure as a deliverable oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team. Work breakdown structure information, software and wbs samples, sitemap. Download work breakdown structure diagram template. How to create a work breakdown structure wbs pm documents.
The work breakdown structure wbs is a means of organizing. Work breakdown structures help define project scope. The project management institute pmi 2001 define the wbs as a hierarchical structure that defines and organises the total project scope based on deliverables, with each descending level in the hierarchy representing an increasingly detailed definition of the project work. A work breakdown structure wbs is defined as a hierarchy of tasks that are representative of the real work flow of a construction project. The best way to understand work breakdown structures is by means of some.
Click here editable work breakdown structure wbs template with both tree and tab views. To develop and maintain a wbs, you must have a clear understanding of the projects. An end product or outcome is at the top of the chart with products, tasks or outcomes required to complete it at lower levels. When you are evaluating a work breakdown structure for another project manager, its always best to look at it from the perspective of all the different audiences who will use that work breakdown structure. The work breakdown structure wbs is the foundation for project planning and control. The work breakdown structure wbs is a powerful tool for project management. By kim colenso, managing principal, artemis management systems. The building blocks of a schedule start with a work breakdown structure wbs. Work breakdown structure estimating for construction. The work breakdown structure represents 100% of the work needed to complete the project.
Therefore the wbs software must be able to detail each division out into as many subdivisions, subsubdivisions, and so on as needed for the scopes of work to be specific enough for meaningful estimates to be made. A workbreakdown structure wbs in project management and systems engineering, is a deliverableoriented breakdown of a project into smaller components. Presenting a work breakdown structure wbs as a chart helps project managers and their teams to visualize the hierarchy of a project. This example is from a real world project to merge a professional services department from. Free work breakdown structure templates smartsheet. Pdf software project scope verification is a very important process in project scope management and it.
Work breakdown structure wbs represents a vital element of scope management. This team identifies the project tasks that are needed to achieve the project deliverables, and is usually comprised of the project manager and the resources requested to complete the project. Its creation process is the 4th process of scope management, coming after create scope management plan process, collect requirements process and. A work breakdown structure wbs is a project management tool designed to capture project tasks in a visual, organized manner.
In reality, wbs is a simple and easy visual breakdown of deliverables for product, result, or service. Pdf integrating process and work breakdown structure with. Whether delivering a product or service, you and your team need to know what work needs to be done, when, and by whom. Defining a work breakdown structure wbs for a project is a set of activities that ultimately outlines the project plan. The wbs is a hierarchical reflection of all the work in the project in terms of deliverables. It is a product oriented structure, not an organizational structure. The project management body of knowledge defines the work breakdown structure as a deliverable oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team.
Use pdf export for high quality prints and svg export for large sharp images or embed your diagrams anywhere. Ive been asked by clients in the past to develop a wbs, but i learned what they really wanted was a project schedule. Wbss can be several levels deep and provide the structure for a project. Creating the work breakdown structure by kim colenso, managing principal, artemis management systems the work breakdown structure wbs is the foundation for project planning and control. The wbs dictionary would include information such as work package name and id, name of the person it is assigned to, due date, estimated cost, etc.
Wbs schedule pro is windowsbased project management software that combines a work breakdown structure wbs chart, a network chart, a gantt chart, a task sheet plus numerous additional features to produce a featurerich yet easytouse tool to plan and manage projects. Or they treat it as a schedule, or a plan, or a chronological listing of actions that have to be performed. This beginnerfriendly guide will help you understand the work breakdown structure and create one on your own. Planning work breakdown structure wbs academic and. Essentially the wbs will enable you to better manage your project. Try and get awardwinning pm tools that can help you manage projects from start to finish. A work breakdown structure defines all the things a project needs to accomplish, organized into multiple levels, and displayed graphically. Section 2 focuses on the work breakdown structure wbs as a tool. If you do, its better to combine the two elements together and push. This gives you a clear overview of your projects and, you can use it to plan your activities and calculate your estimated budget. Obviously, large, complex tasks require more levels of indenture than do supporting elements. This is when making a work breakdown structure or a work breakdown structure template is essential.
What is wbs work breakdown structure in project management. Wbs since the wbs indenture stops at whatever level represents a manageable unit of work. All the work contained within the wbs is to be identified. The wbs was originally developed by the us department of defense, which mandated their use across the dod. Two types of work breakdown structures wbs pmc lounge. It is the cornerstone of effective project planning, execution, controlling, statusing, and reporting.
Project managers use wbs to break a project into manageable sections and tasks. How to create a work breakdown structure a stepbystep. A deliverable basically is the end result or product of a task. The wbs separates the objectives of the project into manageable work elements, which can be used to define milestones and organize work assignments. Ppt powerpoint, excel, visio or any other document. A work breakdown structure wbs is a graphical chart which shows all the parts a project has to deliver in order to meet the project goal. In addition, the resource breakdown structure rbs describes the projects resource organization and can be used in conjunction with the wbs to define work package assignments. Work breakdown structure wbs a work breakdown structure wbs is a key project deliverable that organizes the teams work into manageable sections. Process2wbs consumes processes and transforms them into a wbs with design structure matrix dsm analysis, and wbs2process transforms the wbs with. Visio diagram of the business acquisition project work breakdown. It is the connecting point for work and cost estimates, schedule information, actual work effortcost expenditures, and accountability. A work breakdown structure wbs is like an organizational chart for a project. A work breakdown structure wbs is a hierarchical structure of things that the project will make or outcomes that it will deliver this one is far better. Therefore, there are lots of benefits of using wbs project management.
The wbs is a method for getting a complex, multistep project done. A work breakdown structure showing wbs travel plan. A typical approach in developing a wbs is to start at the highest level, with. Wbs is a deliverableoriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team, to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables wbs represents the work specified in the current approved project scopecharter statement components comprising the wbs assist the. The work breakdown structure wbs is a foundation tool for effective project management and yet its creation is often undertaken without appropriate team involvement or buyin. The goal is to use the wbs to achieve the project objectives and facilitate efficient management so as to best monitor the project in terms of budget and on schedule. A wbs is a logical decomposition breaking into smaller pieces and hierarchal representation of work needed to execute a project. In some cases this will precipitate the merging or even elimina. The work breakdown structure wbs is a model of the project that organizes project tasks into a hierarchy. It is used to identify all project deliverables and necessary activities. The work breakdown structure wbs provides the foundation on which a project manager works. The work breakdown structure wbs is a tool that defines a project and groups the. Work breakdown structure wbs in project management.
A work breakdown structure in every project management and system engineering is an effective tool that is used for defining and group the discrete elements of work in any project so that it can help the organization, build it in some way and boost the work scope of the whole project. For any given leg of the wbs, management must decide what constitutes a sufficient breakdown of the work. Wbs is a hierarchical and incremental decomposition of the project into phases, deliverables and work packages. It is the functional basis for further planning steps in a project, for example, for process planning, cost planning, scheduling, capacity planning or costing, as well as project control. Many new project managers and some experienced ones, too struggle with the concept of a work breakdown structure, or wbs. The wbs will detail the full scope of the work necessary to finish the project. Work breakdown structure a tool to effectively manage. The industrystandard definition of a work breakdown structure is a deliverableoriented hierarchical decomposition that offers digestible tasks for team members to. Applying the work breakdown structure to the project.
You can edit this work breakdown structure using creately diagramming tool and include in your reportpresentationwebsite. The project manager uses the work breakdown structure to control the project and the work of the team. The scope of a project and the totality of the work are defined in the wbs, and failing to do so early can result in rework, schedule impacts, resource misallocations. A wbs is one of the most critical components of a successful project because it forces the project team to carefully consider all the pieces of a project.
Breakdown structure wbs and other supporting documents. That analysis will give the pm helpful, wellrounded feedback. The network diagram is a sequential arrangement of the work defined by the wbs and the. Work breakdown structure or wbs is a hierarchical tree structure that outlines your project and breaks it down into smaller, more manageable portions. The project management body of knowledge pmbok 5 defines the workbreakdown structure a. A work breakdown structure is a key project deliverable that organizes the teams work into manageable sections. Wbs schedule pro overview wbs work breakdown structure. The work breakdown structure visually defines the scope into manageable. A fixture in classic project management methodology and systems engineering, the work breakdown structure wbs is a method that breaks a project down into a hierarchy of deliverables, tasks, and subtasks. Specifically on large projects, it is practically impossible for one person to consider all the work necessary to complete the project. A work breakdown structure wbs can help you define the scope of your project by taking the scope statement and subdividing the major project. Integrating process and work breakdown structure with design.
337 917 431 1390 80 1240 938 187 1383 84 233 102 792 1195 959 1399 903 240 514 1127 946 1161 1454 552 481 1358 157 875 50 1384 389 795