1 / 9

Work Breakdown Structure

Work Breakdown Structure. Kathy S. Schwaig. What is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?. A WBS is a logical hierarchy of work packages involved in a project A WBS is an essential tool in the project planning process

hal
Download Presentation

Work Breakdown Structure

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Work Breakdown Structure Kathy S. Schwaig

  2. What is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)? • A WBS is a logical hierarchy of work packages involved in a project • A WBS is an essential tool in the project planning process • Once the project charter has been created, the project must be scoped out in more detail

  3. Purpose of a WBS • A WBS helps to define the work required for the project and to break it into manageable pieces called work packages • A good WBS can help in the development of schedules, budgets, and resource requirements • The WBS is a useful tool for identification of activities and assignment of responsibilities

  4. Possible Ways to Organize Work Breakdown Structures • By project phases • By project components • By functional areas • By types of work • By resource types

  5. Work Packages • A work package is a deliverable or product at the lowest level of the WBS • As a general rule, each work package should represent 80 hours (or less) of effort • Each work package should have a clearly identified person who is responsible for it • This individual should . . . • Be a member of the project team • Be responsible for the successful completion of the work package

  6. Example WBS (Inverted Tree Structure) Development & Implementation Maintenance Management Information System Requirements Definition System Development System Testing Documentation System Design Equipment History Module Spare Parts Inventory Control Module Work Order Control Module Data Dictionary Development Screen & Report Design Logic Diagrams Code Development Module Testing

  7. Example WBS(Indented List Format) Development & Implementation Maintenance Management Information System Requirements Definition System Design System Development Equipment History Module Work Order Control Module Data Dictionary Development Screen & Report Design Logic Diagrams Code Development Module Testing Spare Parts Inventory Control Module System Testing Documentation Implementation

  8. Identifying Activities • Look for any time-consuming element with identifiable beginning and ending points • Activities are at the lowest level of the WBS • Most activities should produce an identifiable deliverable • Long-duration activities (>1 month) should be sub-divided

  9. Guidelines for Developing a WBS • Develop WBS from the top down; not bottom up • Don’t exceed about 5 levels in a WBS • Identify work package manager for each WBS item • Check to make sure that the WBS is consistent with the project charter

More Related