Chapter 6: Work Breakdown Structure: Break Project Into Manageable Units of Work

Question 1

What is Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?

Answer 1

• The work breakdown structure (WBS) is the tool for breaking down a project into its component parts - identifies all the manageable tasks in a project
• The foundation of project planning and a most important technique used in project management
• Uses outputs from project definition and risk management

Question 2

What is the purpose of WBS?

Answer 2

1. Provide a detailed illustration of project scope
2. Monitor progress - each task in WBS is a measurable unit or work
3. Create accurate cost and schedule estimates.
4. Build project teams - defining work assignments.

Question 3

What are the two types of tasks or activities on a WBS?

Answer 3

Summary tasks - summarizes several subordinate tasks

Work packages - each of the separate tasks

Accomplish summary tasks by performing all the simple work packages.

Question 4

What is the first step in WBS?

Answer 4

Begin at the Top
• Breaks down a project into successively finer levels of details using SOW of Project Proposal
• Continues until all meaningful tasks or work packages have been identified.
1. Project
2. Major tasks in project
3. Subtasks in the major tasks
4. Activities or work packages to be completed

Question 5

What is Step Two in WBS?

Answer 5

Name all the Tasks
• Naming all the tasks - breaking project into manageable details is a difficult process
• Essential to involve all the team members bringing in diverse skills.
• Use participative planning
- After breaking the project to the first two tiers, get the expert teams to detail out identified summery tasks further into work packages
- Then use a core team to construct the entire WBS

Question 6

What’s Step 3 in WBS?

Answer 6

Organize the WBS
More than one way to organize tasks
• Different ways to organizing work packages may emphasize different aspects of a project
• Driving factor is concerns of individual stakeholders, communication, visibility and the structure of work environment.

Question 7

What are the criteria for a successful WBS?

Answer 7

An effective WBS is useful in planning, communicating and tracking the project.

1. The WBS must be broken down starting from the top
2. Work packages must add up to the summary tasks
3. Each summary task and work package must be named as an activity the produces the product
   - Avoiding open ended tasks and activities.