To develop and maintain a wbs, you must have a clear understanding of the projects. A work breakdown structure wbs is defined as a hierarchy of tasks that are representative of the real work flow of a construction project. Complex projects can have a wbs of many levels, and templates based on previous experience are often used as the starting point. The work breakdown structure wbs step helps accomplish the following key objectives. The aggregation of all the work to be performed in a project. A workbreakdown structure wbs in project management and systems engineering, is a deliverableoriented breakdown of a project into smaller components. Basics of the work breakdown structure wbs project bliss. Work breakdown structurebased cost models for drinking. Work breakdown structure relativistic heavy ion collider.
Thinking in detail is critical when planning your project, but you also need to consider the big picture. Another option is the 880 ruling, where no work will consume lesser than 8 hours, or more than 80 hours to be finished. Task identification and work breakdown structure san jose state. Nasa work breakdown structure wbs handbook page viii preface p. The act of breaking down the work into smaller components, and then getting more detail about each of these components, helps you and the team work through the specifics needed. This standard offers uniformity in definition and consistency of approach for developing all levels of the wbs. The placement of an activity on the wbs is maintained directly on the activity record. Understanding work breakdown structures the wbs of a project is represented by a hierarchical grid that shows project activities and their relationships. The wbs tool is used to decompose the whole into smaller parts that will be easier for the team to plan and manage. The work breakdown structure aims to keep all project members on task and clearly focused on. If you are a project manager and you want to stretch your tasks correctly, then you need to create what is known as a work breakdown structure for your project. Creating a work breakdown structure wbs helps you be both comprehensive and specific when managing a project.
Creating a work breakdown structure wbs project smart. Establishing the size of work may become perfect with experience, and subsequently creation of wbs becomes simpler. Nprs were intended to apply only to new projects established on or after june 1, 2005. Large or complex deliverables are broken down into smaller components. 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 work breakdown structure wbs is one of the most important tools you can use when managing a project.
It looks like an upsidedown tree, but each branch has separate scope and is mutually exclusive. 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. Festival editable work breakdown structure template on. Work breakdown structure format the wbs work breakdown structure may be designed in several shapes, including. A work breakdown structure wbs is a decomposition of all the work necessary to complete a project. It is a product oriented structure, not an organizational structure.
After reading it, you will understand the basics of this powerful project management tool. Creately diagrams can be exported and added to word, ppt powerpoint, excel, visio or any other document. The importance of the wbs experienced project managers know there are many things that can go wrong in projects. How can i draw wbs diagrams work breakdown structures in latex. All about work breakdown structures wbs smartsheet. The work breakdown structure is the tool used to divide the project work content among individ uals and organizations so that ef ciency and effectiveness will be achieved while ensuring the inte gration of work efforts to produce the projectrequired deliverables.
P a g e 3 work breakdown structures a work breakdown structure 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. A description of how this structure was developed using the work breakdown structure wbs approach section 2. The wbs should represent the work identified in the approved project scope statement and serves as an early. With a work breakdown structure, you can stay focused on what you need to accomplish as you move toward the project deadline.
A work breakdown structure wbs approach is used to position each work package within the overall project structure. This breaking down of mammoth projects into several smaller projects is technically referred to as work breakdown structure wbs. At the conclusion of this lesson you will be able to identify the purpose and specific elements of the work breakdown structure wbs. Appendix b work breakdown structure wbs b2 february 2015 one of the first tasks that must be performed by the cost estimator when developing a new cost estimate is to either obtain or develop the wbs step 2 in nasa s 12 step cost estimating process. Work breakdown structure project management production. A project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or productoriented grouping of project work elements shown in graphical display to organize and. A work breakdown structure wbs is a fundamental project management technique for defining and organizing the total scope of a project, using a hierarchical. From the time the first edition of the practice standard for work breakdown structures was being developed a little more than five years ago, there has been a vast expansion in rapid electronic access to information through the internet, cdroms. The work breakdown structure wbs has long served as a valuable tool in helping. Work breakdown structure in project management with kanban.
Wbs mindview simple wbs software work breakdown structure software. The work breakdown structure wbs is a vehicle for breaking an engineering project down into subproject, tasks, subtasks, work packages, and so on. Complex work breakdown structures for engineering or drug. A work breakdown structure wbs provides a consistent and visible framework for defense materiel items and contracts within a program. Section 3 discusses the relationship between the project organizational structure and the wbs, and section 4 presents types of work breakdown structures along. This will obviously be the cost for the component e. 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. This article explains the wbs or work breakdown structure in a practical way. A wbs element may be a product, data, a service, or any combination. The work breakdown structure wbs is a tool that defines a project and groups the projects discrete work elements in a way that helps organize and define the total work scope of the project. Using the wbs can help ensure that you are addressing all components of the project. Learn how to develop work breakdown structure wbs to represent the work that must be done to complete the deliverables of a project.
Wbs is a key project deliverable that organizes the teams work into manageable sections. The wbs is referenced in the military handbook which is located in the course library. Work breakdown structure a work breakdown structure wbs is a decomposition of all the work necessary to complete a project. The nwbs provides a consistent framework for planning, programming, budgeting, and evaluation of work required to execute the defense programs mission. It is an im portant planning tool which links objectives with re sources and activities in a logical framework. Splitting your tasks into smaller portions is a way to be well organised and to have a clear overview of the things that need to get done. The project management body of knowledge pmbok defines wbs as a deliverable oriented. Presenters christopher bucksa, senior project manager, university services pmo duane orlovski, project manager, college of pharmacy. Approaches to develop work breakdown structures product component approach structure the work based on the work products examples. This paper examines how project managers can appropriately use a wbs to. Applying the work breakdown structure to the project.
It becomes an important status monitor during the actual imple. A work breakdown structure wbs is a visual tool for defining and tracking a project deliverable and all the small components needed to create it. The work breakdown structure wbs organizes and defines 100% of the scope of project work to be accomplished and. Before detailed cost estimates can be prepared for each work package the. Applying work breakdown structure to project lifecycle pmi. Project work breakdown structure wbs september 28, 2012. The work breakdown structure provides a common framework for the natural development of the overall planning and control of a contract and is the basis for dividing work into definable increments from which the statement of work can be developed and technical, schedule, cost, and labor hour reporting can be established a work breakdown structure permits summing of subordinate costs for tasks. Use pdf export for high quality prints and svg export for large. Work breakdown structures wbs is a term that is used in project management. At the conclusion of this lesson you will be able to recognize the relationship between the work breakdown structure wbs, organization breakdown structure obs and responsibility assignment matrix ram. Think of the wbs as a visual model of the project that identifies each piece of the scope of work and how its delivered to the customer. Breakdown structure wbs to make complex projects more manageable. Work breakdown structure wbs, in project management and systems engineering, is a deliverableoriented decomposition of a project into smaller components.
It is simply a chart or outline of your projects deliverables. The successful implementation of any six sigma project depends on the ability of six sigma professionals such as black belts to break down a large project into smaller manageable subprojects. Used as a basis for a number of processes in particular to produce the subsidiary plans of the project management plan. Figures 1 and 2 provide examples of a wbs for the building of a table. A work breakdown structure is a scope management process that is entirely deliverableoriented. Design documents, manuals, the delivered system, functional approach structure the work based on development activities and project functions examples. Een wbs is een hierarchische structuur waarin concrete. A work breakdown structure wbs is a fundamental project. You can edit this work breakdown structure using creately diagramming tool and include in your reportpresentationwebsite. The following discussion will examine the current trends and practice regarding work breakdown structures.
Not so good for displaying work breakdown structures to audiences who are not familiar with the project. Blank work breakdown structure template work breakdown structure. Organization breakdown structure obs see next page, shows a representative obs. A wbs is arranged in a hierarchy and constructed to allow for clear and logical groupings, either by activities or deliverables. Work breakdown structure information, software and wbs samples. Cdc unified process practices guide work breakdown structure up version. Wbs work breakdown structure what is wbs and what is its purpose each project is complex. It is based on an order of tasks that must be completed to eventually arrive at the final product.
It is a deliverableoriented grouping of project components. A useful tool in defining the work is a work breakdown structure wbs. A work breakdown structure wbs is one way to get good results. It is the connecting point for work and cost estimates, schedule information, actual work effortcost expenditures, and accountability. The wbs is critical because it is the primary source for development of a cbs.
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