Work Breakdown Structure
By: Nazila Mazaheri
Artinarsing Rao
Sharmithas
Madhukumar
Sandhya Urs J
Introduction
 Dividing complex projects to simpler
and manageable tasks is the process
identified as Work Breakdown
Structure (WBS).
 Usually, the project managers use this
method for simplifying the project
execution. In WBS, much larger tasks
are broken-down to manageable
chunks of work. These chunks can be
easily supervised and estimated.
A work breakdown structure
 In project management and systems
engineering, is a deliverable oriented
decomposition of a project into smaller
components.
 A work breakdown structure element
may be a product, data, a service, or
any combination. A WBS also provides
the necessary framework for detailed
cost estimating and control along with
providing guidance for schedule
development and control
example of outlined WBS.
WBS helps manager
◦ Facilitates evaluation of cost, time, and
technical performance of the organization on
a project.
◦ Provides management with information
appropriate to each organizational level.
◦ Helps in the development of the organization.
breakdown structure which assigns project
responsibilities to organizational units and
individuals
◦ Helps manager plan, schedule, and budget.
◦ Defines communication channels and assists
in coordinating the various project elements.
few reasons for creating a WBS in
a project.
 Accurate and readable project
organization.
 Accurate assignment of
responsibilities to the project team.
 Indicates the project milestones and
control points.
 Helps to estimate the cost, time, and
risk.
 Illustrate the project scope, so the
stakeholders can have a better
understanding of the same.
Purpose of WBS
 There are three reasons to use a WBS
in your projects:
first is that is helps more accurately and
specifically define and organize the scope of
the total project.
 The second reason for using a WBS in your
projects is to help with assigning
responsibilities, resource allocation, monitoring
the project, and controlling the project
 Finally, it allows you double check all the
deliverables' specifics with the stakeholders
and make sure there is nothing missing or
overlapping.
Process of WBS
 First, let's look at what all we need to
get started. There are several inputs
you will need to get you off on the right
foot:
The Project Scope Statement
The Project Scope Management Plan
Organizational Process Assets
Approved Change Requests - (PMBOK Guide)
Process of WBS
 You will use certain tools as well:
Work Breakdown Structure Templates
Decomposition - (PMBOK Guide)
Process of WBS
 Finally, using these inputs and tools
you will create the following outputs:
Work Breakdown Structure
WBS Dictionary
Scope Baseline
Project Scope Statement (updates)
Project Scope Management Plan (updates)
Requested Changes - (PMBOK Guide)
How to build a WBS
 Begin with the Charter, focusing on Objectives
and Deliverables
 Break the main product(s) down into sub-
products
 Set the structure to match how you’ll manage the
project
 Lowest level not too detailed, not too large
 Is there a need for Integration?
 Identify support activities
 Check for completeness - is all the effort
included?
 Develop a coding structure if needed
 Assign work package managers
Pitfalls
There are common pitfalls to creating a WBS.
If you can keep these few possible, you and
your team will be much more successful at
creating a useful and accurate Work
Breakdown Structure.
 Level of Work Package Detail
 Deliverables Not Activities or Tasks
 WBS is not a Plan or Schedule
 WBS Updates Require Change Control
 WBS is not an Organizational Hierarchy
Following are a few reasons
for creating a WBS in a project
 Accurate and readable project
organization.
 Accurate assignment of
responsibilities to the project team.
 Indicates the project milestones and
control points.
 Helps to estimate the cost, time, and
risk.
 Illustrate the project scope, so the
stakeholders can have a better
understanding of the same.
Construction of a WBS
 Identifying the main deliverables of a project is
the starting point for deriving a work breakdown
structure.
 This important step is usually done by the project
managers and the subject matter experts (SMEs)
involved in the project. Once this step is
completed, the subject matter experts start
breaking down the high-level tasks into smaller
chunks of work.
 In the process of breaking down the tasks, one
can break them down into different levels of
detail. One can detail a high level task into ten
sub tasks while another can detail the same high
level task into 20 sub tasks.
Goals For WBS
 Giving visibility to important work
efforts.
 Giving visibility to risky work efforts.
 Illustrate the correlation between the
activities and deliverables.
 Show clear ownership by task leaders.
Thank you

Workbreakdownstructureppt 130410021152-phpapp02

  • 1.
    Work Breakdown Structure By:Nazila Mazaheri Artinarsing Rao Sharmithas Madhukumar Sandhya Urs J
  • 2.
    Introduction  Dividing complexprojects to simpler and manageable tasks is the process identified as Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).  Usually, the project managers use this method for simplifying the project execution. In WBS, much larger tasks are broken-down to manageable chunks of work. These chunks can be easily supervised and estimated.
  • 3.
    A work breakdownstructure  In project management and systems engineering, is a deliverable oriented decomposition of a project into smaller components.  A work breakdown structure element may be a product, data, a service, or any combination. A WBS also provides the necessary framework for detailed cost estimating and control along with providing guidance for schedule development and control
  • 4.
  • 5.
    WBS helps manager ◦Facilitates evaluation of cost, time, and technical performance of the organization on a project. ◦ Provides management with information appropriate to each organizational level. ◦ Helps in the development of the organization. breakdown structure which assigns project responsibilities to organizational units and individuals ◦ Helps manager plan, schedule, and budget. ◦ Defines communication channels and assists in coordinating the various project elements.
  • 6.
    few reasons forcreating a WBS in a project.  Accurate and readable project organization.  Accurate assignment of responsibilities to the project team.  Indicates the project milestones and control points.  Helps to estimate the cost, time, and risk.  Illustrate the project scope, so the stakeholders can have a better understanding of the same.
  • 7.
    Purpose of WBS There are three reasons to use a WBS in your projects: first is that is helps more accurately and specifically define and organize the scope of the total project.  The second reason for using a WBS in your projects is to help with assigning responsibilities, resource allocation, monitoring the project, and controlling the project  Finally, it allows you double check all the deliverables' specifics with the stakeholders and make sure there is nothing missing or overlapping.
  • 8.
    Process of WBS First, let's look at what all we need to get started. There are several inputs you will need to get you off on the right foot: The Project Scope Statement The Project Scope Management Plan Organizational Process Assets Approved Change Requests - (PMBOK Guide)
  • 9.
    Process of WBS You will use certain tools as well: Work Breakdown Structure Templates Decomposition - (PMBOK Guide)
  • 10.
    Process of WBS Finally, using these inputs and tools you will create the following outputs: Work Breakdown Structure WBS Dictionary Scope Baseline Project Scope Statement (updates) Project Scope Management Plan (updates) Requested Changes - (PMBOK Guide)
  • 11.
    How to builda WBS  Begin with the Charter, focusing on Objectives and Deliverables  Break the main product(s) down into sub- products  Set the structure to match how you’ll manage the project  Lowest level not too detailed, not too large  Is there a need for Integration?  Identify support activities  Check for completeness - is all the effort included?  Develop a coding structure if needed  Assign work package managers
  • 12.
    Pitfalls There are commonpitfalls to creating a WBS. If you can keep these few possible, you and your team will be much more successful at creating a useful and accurate Work Breakdown Structure.  Level of Work Package Detail  Deliverables Not Activities or Tasks  WBS is not a Plan or Schedule  WBS Updates Require Change Control  WBS is not an Organizational Hierarchy
  • 13.
    Following are afew reasons for creating a WBS in a project  Accurate and readable project organization.  Accurate assignment of responsibilities to the project team.  Indicates the project milestones and control points.  Helps to estimate the cost, time, and risk.  Illustrate the project scope, so the stakeholders can have a better understanding of the same.
  • 14.
    Construction of aWBS  Identifying the main deliverables of a project is the starting point for deriving a work breakdown structure.  This important step is usually done by the project managers and the subject matter experts (SMEs) involved in the project. Once this step is completed, the subject matter experts start breaking down the high-level tasks into smaller chunks of work.  In the process of breaking down the tasks, one can break them down into different levels of detail. One can detail a high level task into ten sub tasks while another can detail the same high level task into 20 sub tasks.
  • 15.
    Goals For WBS Giving visibility to important work efforts.  Giving visibility to risky work efforts.  Illustrate the correlation between the activities and deliverables.  Show clear ownership by task leaders.
  • 16.