The project management is not brain surgery and does not require advanced logic and reasoning skills to achieve winning results (I’m a great example of this). In most cases, the disciplines and terms used in project management are very common sense and obvious in nature. A WBS is a classic case. As the terms defining the acronym indicate, a WBS is a logical breakdown (decomposition) and representation (hierarchical structure) of the work required by the project.
A WBS can take one of two forms: graphical or outline. See Figures 6.1 and 6.2 for examples of each.
Both types have their place in your toolbox. The graphical form is best for communicating the top three to five levels of work activity to senior management or customer stakeholders. The outline form is best for capturing the details needed for cost and schedule development.
Note
A WBS is a logical, hierarchical, and organized task list developed with the team.
A WBS shows the work and any interim deliverables that are required to produce the major project deliverables identified in the project definition process. In most cases, the WBS reflects the components that make up the final deliverables and the approach (methodology) used to develop, integrate, and validate them. In short, the WBS is an organized task list.
By simply doing this, we create an organized picture that allows us to see—and more importantly, allows our stakeholders to see—all the work required to accomplish the project objectives. You can begin to see the power of the WBS in managing expectations.
Also, by doing this, we employ the primary secret weapon of managing large, complex projects, which is “You don’t!” You break the work into chunks and manage many smaller components.
I’m not going to spend a great deal of time on explaining how to create a WBS and how to break down the higher-level work of a project because I think most analytical people do this naturally, and the details of the work decomposition depend on the specifics associated with your organization and industry. In fact, many organizations leverage standard WBS templates to ensure any new project includes the recommended work items.
Tip
Always clarify terms with your project team and project stakeholders in any communication.
For an official repository of project terms, the use of a project glossary document can be helpful.
However, what I will spend time on is making sure you are clear on terminology, making sure you understand how this step fits into the overall schedule development process, and reviewing the best practices of WBS development.
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