What it
is: Develop Work Breakdown Structure
Description
A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a hierarchical
outline of the tasks needed to deliver the project’s product
or service. It “breaks-down” the project into
low-level subtask units of work that will be scheduled,
executed and controlled.
Rationale/Purpose
The work breakdown structure is the foundation
of project planning.
The Project Manager uses the work
breakdown structure to estimate the duration of the project, determine the required
resources and schedule the work.
Who is Involved
Project Manager
Project Team
Results
This information is included in a separate section
of your project plan often referred to as the “Work Breakdown
Structure.”
How to: Develop
Work Breakdown Structure
Recommended actions and strategies
The table below lists the steps for developing a
work breakdown structure:
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What to do
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How to do
it
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1
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Determine your strategy for developing a work
breakdown structure (WBS)
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Consider meeting with project team members and
others with expertise in similar projects to develop
the WBS. Some benefits of involving the team
include:
- Team members and experts bring experience from
other projects
- Fosters early buy-in to the project among team
members
- Helps discover new or forgotten tasks
- Gives insight to the overall project for team
members
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2
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Identify the highest level components of work to
be accomplished
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Example of highest-level or first level components
that logically group work:
- Product deliverables – such as Project Charter,
Project Plan
- Life Cycle Phases – such as Analyze, Design,
Build
- Functions – such as Create New Student, Update
Grades
- Organizational responsibility - such
as Finance, Network Services
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3
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Break work process into small components
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Under each high-level component, break the work
into small components until each component is defined
to a level of detail that allows accurate estimating
for the time and cost required for its completion.
Note: Create the
work breakdown structure to the level of project
detail you understand.
If the project spans a long period of time, it is
difficult to identify the detailed tasks for work
a year or more in the future. In this case keep the
tasks at a high level for the entire project and
create a detailed work breakdown for work for the
next phase or period of time
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4
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Name the component
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The component name should adequately describe
the task to be completed. Use the noun-verb format.
Examples:
- Document User Manual
- Install Network Routers
- Review Project Charter
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5
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Make sure work has been broken down to the lowest
level desired
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Apply the following guidelines to ensure work
has been broken down to its lowest level:
- One and only one staff resource can be assigned
to a task (This is a general guideline. In certain
instances there may be a team assigned to a task
(such as a review team) or two people working
side-by-side delivering one final product from
a task).
- Each task has clearly identified results
- Tasks can be performed within a reasonable
time. The industry “80 hour rule” states that
a work task should be completed in two weeks
(or less)
- The task name conveys the work to be accomplished
- The task is at the level you want to track
the project
- Each task is well enough defined and small
enough so estimates of duration are credible
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Templates/Examples: Develop Work Breakdown Structure
Introduction
The table below provides several templates you
can use to help develop a work breakdown structure.
