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. T he work breakdown structure wbs is a hierarchical breakdown of the complete project scope. Collaboration features to do the breakdown as a team. As a hierarchical decomposition of the project work, each descending level of the wbs is increasingly detailed. Applying the work breakdown structure to the project. It is the connecting point for work and cost estimates, schedule information, actual work effortcost expenditures. The responsibility assignment matrix ram shows the intersection of the organizational breakdown structure obs and the work breakdown structure wbs. A work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverableoriented grouping of project components that defines and organizes the total scope of the project. How to improve productivity with a work breakdown structure. To develop and maintain a wbs, you must have a clear understanding of the projects. A work breakdown structure element may be a product, data, a service, or any combination. A work breakdown structure in every project management and system engineering is an effective tool that is used for defining and group the discrete elements of work in any project so that it can help the organization, build it in some way and boost the work scope of the whole project.
The work breakdown structure wbs is a graphic family tree that captures all of the work of a project in an organized way. For example, if youre creating a work breakdown structure for manufacturing a car, youll include items such as car body a deliverable, not welding steel an activity. Begin the schedule by developing the work breakdown structure or wbs. Work breakdown structure is a type of project management that offers a visual way to detail the deliverables within a project. Sample translation from function to project deliverables. From the time the first edition of the practice standard for work breakdown struc. A work breakdown structure separates data, services. This is a list of each task that must be accomplished during the project 4. Work breakdown structure template click on image to modify online. The costs of these tasks are clear and easy to estimate. The work breakdown structure visually defines the scope into manageable chunks that a project team can. A wbs is not a todo list consisting of everything that needs to be done on the project. This is what a work breakdown structure looks like.
Editable work breakdown structure template to plan your work. 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. At each subsequent level, the children of a parent node collectively and exclusively represent 100% of the scope of their parent node. A work breakdown structure wbs is a fundamental project management technique for defining and organizing the total scope of a project, using a hierarchical tree structure. 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 obs breaks down to engineering which breaks down to design which breaks down to interface design. But its good to know the main parts of what is needed to construct a thorough wbs.
Work breakdown structure rev e, june 2003 do not include elements that are not products. Applying work breakdown structure to project lifecycle. Work breakdown structure an overview sciencedirect topics. A work breakdown structure, commonly abbreviated wbs, is a key project deliverable that is utilized to organize a project teams work and responsibilities into compact sections that. Work breakdown structure information, software and wbs samples. The importance of the wbs experienced project managers know there are many things that can go wrong in projects.
With a work breakdown structure, you can stay focused on what you need to accomplish as you move toward the project deadline. Work breakdown structures bernd bruegge applied software engineering. The items on the lowest level vertical and horizontal steering systems, stabilization systems etc. Are you looking for a work breakdown structure example this method is frequently used in project management to break a project down into activities, tasks and subtasks. There are two methods for the presenting a work breakdown structure is the wbs outline and the wbs diagram. A work breakdown structure provides a birds eye view of the project and helps identifying various dependencies in the project.
Wbs 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 gantt chart uses horizontal bars in a lineartype calendar. The contents of the template are shown below and hints and tips are includes in the template. Element level wbs title description 1 6500m hov a4500 2 project management 3. In that case, you have to change how you plan to carry out the work to use fewer hours or change the budget. Figures 1 and 2 provide examples of a wbs for the building of a. Work breakdown structure relativistic heavy ion collider. Every work breakdown structure example will help managers understand how the structure works and why its useful. Work breakdown structure examples created by the creately. Without a full and complete schedule, the project manager will be. Many people have mistaken wbs as a list of tasks, a schedule or an organization chart. Pdf the work breakdown structure wbs is a vehicle for breaking an engineering project down into.
A4500 hov project2 work breakdown structure and dictionary 2. The work breakdown structure is used for project control and management purposes such as planning, scheduling, reporting, cost control, etc. Appendix dbicycle work breakdown structure wbs example 51 appendix eoil, gas, and petrochemical ogp work breakdown structure wbs example 65. For example, look at the tunneling project wbs example above.
It is the connecting point for work and cost estimates, schedule information, actual work effortcost expenditures, and accountability. Creating a work breakdown structure wbs helps you be both comprehensive and specific when managing a project. Pdf the work breakdown structure in software project management. It does so by presenting key milestones within a hierarchy that simplifies large projects into smaller, more manageable groups. A work breakdown structure wbs identifies tasks and deliverables associated with a project. A work breakdown structure wbs in project management is a tool used to define and group a projects discrete work elements or tasks in a way that helps organize and define the total work scope of the project. This document is a great source of analyzing the way of work through different parts of project.
Figure 1 wbs construction example the above wbs is from pmis practice standard for work breakdown structures. A work breakdown structure fo r construction of a nuclear submarine. A work breakdown structure is a key project deliverable that organizes the teams work into manageable sections. Nov 26, 2019 how to create a work breakdown structure. This example work breakdown structure can identify the entire projects tasks, and provides a standard framework for managing the works effectively. But to confront the challenges of working in todays volatile economic environment, project managers are increasingly using. It presents all of the work that will be carried out by the project team during the life of the project, including the project management work.
Thinking in detail is critical when planning your project, but you also need to consider the big picture. Unfortunately, the business pressures driving projects have often prevented project managers from developing a comprehensive wbs. The aggregation of all the work to be performed in a project. The development of work breakdown structure involves subdividing the major project activities or subactivities into smaller, more manageable activities until the activities are defined in sufficient detail to support the management and development of project works.
To get you started, here are a number of work breakdown structure templates you can use. A work breakdown structure wbs is a project management tool designed to capture project tasks in a visual, organized manner. Wbs travel plan editable work breakdown structure template. What is wbs work breakdown structure in project management. In a work breakdown structure, you need to identify the smallest units of the work items that can be started and completed as a unit. Free work breakdown structure templates smartsheet. The project management body of knowledge defines the work breakdown structure as a deliverable oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team.
The work breakdown structure presented here represents all the work required to. Edit this wbs template online using our tool and easily visualize your project work. The pd is to structure the project work into wbs elements work packages that are. Use the table below to provide the version number, the author implementing the version, the date of the version, the name of the person approving the version, the date that particular version was approved, and a brief description of the reason for creating the revised version. It is a product oriented structure, not an organizational structure. Wbs examples for a software project, construction projects, a conference, finding a job, selling a house, planning permission and other real projects. The following discussion will examine the current trends and practice regarding work breakdown structures.
Work breakdown structure wbs the building blocks of a schedule start with a work breakdown structure wbs. Breaking down the work is the first stage of project planning and essential for managing project scope. A work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverableoriented grouping of project. It organizes and defines the total scope of the project. Company owners and project managers use the work breakdown structure wbs to make complex projects more manageable. You can edit this work breakdown structure using creately diagramming tool and include in your reportpresentationwebsite. This matrix is an example from a software development program. In order to produce these deliverables, work must be performed. Better allocation when there is a clear plan of action, allocating time and resources becomes much less complicated. The work breakdown structure presented here represents all the work required to complete this project. It helps in obtaining awareness about manageable sections for developing a precise. Each element includes design, simulations, documentation, fabrication, testing, installation, and commissioning of the equipment. Construction project wbs examples to get you started plan. The wbs is designed to help break down a project into manageable chunks that can be effectively estimated and supervised.
A work breakdown structure, commonly abbreviated wbs, is a key project deliverable that is utilized to organize a project teams work and responsibilities into compact sections that are more manageable. For the purpose of examples, the phase is at level 1. On the other hand, things such as design engineering, requirements. The wbs is a hierarchical reflection of all the work in the project in terms of deliverables.
The work breakdown structure wbs is the foundation for project planning and control. Applying a work breakdown structure figure 1 shows an example of a wbs that lays out a plan for a generator installation to an existing distribution system. Work breakdown structure wbs template free visio excel. A work breakdown structure serves as a coordinating medium. Work breakdown structure examples and overview brighthub. A welldesigned wbs describes planned outcomes instead of planned actions. Oct 29, 2019 try to structure your work breakdown structure to match the sequence of work as you plan to execute it.
In reality, wbs is a simple and easy visual breakdown of deliverables for product, result, or service. Another example of a project wbs using the 100% method is shown below. Work breakdown structure dictionary was controlled and tracked. The work breakdown structure the project management institute pmi 2001 define the wbs as a hierarchical structure that defines and organises the total project scope based on deliverables, with each descending level in the hierarchy representing an increasingly detailed definition of the project work. A work breakdown structure is a deliverableoriented hierarchical. Figure 1below depicts a sample work breakdown structure with three levels defined. This is a free work breakdown structure wbs template in excel and pdf. Once the elements of the wbs have been defined, resource requirements are determined for each element.
Before we dive further into the benefits and impact of a wbs, there are a few additional definitions you should know. Figure 1 at the construction stage, a wbs helps manage. Simply click to open the template, and then customize the information, layout, and design. It is applicable to all projects among all industries.
All about work breakdown structures wbs smartsheet. There are five steps to creating a work breakdown structure. These are the big steps, the birdseye view of a wbs, which eventually gets down to the granular level. Generically, a work breakdown structure is defining the solution to a problem in terms of a product. The main project tasks have been subdivided separating the new work from the existing installation that needs to be reworked.
The template is fully editable with excel and can be converted or changed to suit specific project requirements. Work breakdown structures wbs for software development projects. Aug 21, 2019 this discusses the work breakdown structure dictionary clarifies the concept and analyzes a work breakdown structure example for construction. Activities are where deliverables are assigned to an individual. In the example you can also see the numbering logic typically used in a wbs. A work breakdown structure template is a crucial document which helps to break down your work into small pieces for easily determining its procedure of completion. A coding scheme also helps wbs elements to be recognized in any written context. The work breakdown structure wbs has long served as a valuable tool in helping project managers plan deliverables and detail project scope. Figures 1 and 2 provide examples of a wbs for the building of a table. The project schedule should reflect all of the work associated with delivering the project on time. In your project you will want to develop them down to a much more detailed level using the 8 to 80 rule where the wbs is broken down to where a work package contains between 8 and 80 hours of work to complete. The project schedule is the tool that communicates what work needs to be performed, which resources of the organization will perform the work and the timeframes in which that work needs to be performed. This helps to identify all of the elements and deliverables that are required to organize a project as a whole a work breakdown structure is often presented in the form of a chart, it is a visual representation of all team. What is a work breakdown structure wbs example included.
Pdf many people have mistaken wbs as a list of tasks, a schedule or an organization chart. Work breakdown structure wbs in project management an. A signal processor, for example, is clearly a product, as are mock ups and computer software configuration items. If i was to plan to work first at shaft s2, then at s1, followed by s3, i would order my wbs to match this sequence. A4500 hov project1 work breakdown structure and dictionary 1. If you fail to identify a major part of your projects work, you wont have the chance to detail it. Standard for work breakdown structuressecond edition will now be delivered as a. How to create a work breakdown structure lucidchart blog. A subsea field development project can be organized and comprehended in a visual manner by breaking the tasks into progressively smaller pieces until they are a collection of defined tasks, as shown in figure 69. Heuristics and examples starting with templates how to identify work. This is a way of describing the work so that the team knows exactly what work is. 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.
One work breakdown structure example that will make it clear. Such templates permit the exact estimation of the undertakings length, decide the required assets and also help. The wbs was originally developed by the us department of defense, which mandated their use across the dod. A work breakdown structure showing wbs travel plan.
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