As seen in the pmp training, work breakdown structure of a project shows the hierarchy of the project work and deliverables in a project. A brief synopsis, a process plant construction work breakdown structure in both word and excel, and a pdf appendix of. Level 3 shows the major deliverables and level 4 is the. A clear definition of authority is important for both project scope and product scope. A work breakdown structure, commonly abbreviated wbs, is a key project. The work breakdown structure in software project management article pdf available in journal of systems and software. With our free work breakdown structure template, youll be in total control of your project, every step of the way. Pdf the work breakdown structure in software project. The feasibility stage includes 1 project conception where management plan, preliminary cost estimate and 3level wbs need to be developed. Wbs examples are similar to a flowchart that has its components. Project management practices 2 work breakdown structure rev e, june 2003 measurablecan be used to measure progress.
You may find that you prefer one layout for a high. By kim colenso, managing principal, artemis management systems. Breaking down the work is the first stage of project planning and essential for managing project scope. According to the project management body of knowledge pmbok 5, a work breakdown structure template is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be. The wbs is designed to help break down a project into manageable chunks that can be effectively estimated and supervised. 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. Work breakdown structure posted on march 19, 20 by jerome rowley 1. Norman, pmp, pgmp introduction today, project managers. Work breakdown structure examples and overview brighthub. This zip file contains the white paper the work breakdown structure.
The work breakdown structure is used for project control and management purposes such as planning, scheduling, reporting, cost control, etc. The project life cycle includes project feasibility and acquisition. Please refer to figure 51 in pmbok guide fourth edition, page 104. 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. Activities are where deliverables are assigned to an individual. Work breakdown structure in project management with.
For instance many project managers include a high level wbs within the project plan, then a detailed version as an appendix to the plan. It is an enabler that ensures clear definition and communication. A wbs is not a todo list consisting of everything that needs to be done on the project. 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. The work breakdown structure wbs has emerged as a foundational concept and tool in project management.
It breaks the project into major phases instead of tasks. What is work breakdown structure in project management. It is the cornerstone of effective project planning, execution, controlling, statusing, and reporting. Project management wbs examples this appendix includes decomposition of the project management component of the wbs organized both by project management process group. Thats why project leaders use a work breakdown structure wbs to literally break down the larger phases of the project into smaller and smaller tasks, which can then be scheduled and assigned. The work breakdown structure wbs is a vehicle for breaking an engineering project down into subproject, tasks, subtasks, work packages, and so on. Understand all the processestheir inputs, tools and techniques, and outputsvery well. Another common source of confusion for beginners is the difference between the work breakdown structure.
Introduction the work breakdown structure is a fundamental tool of project management. For the purpose of examples, the wbs entry at level 2 will fall below the phase and. February 29, 2020 june 22, 2011 by praveen malik, pmp. The project will have to undergo a series of examination and. The lowest levels of wbs shows the project deliverables.
Although the work breakdown structure wbs is one of project managements primary tools for effectively managing a project, many project managers develop their wbss haphazardlyand. This article will give a few work breakdown structure examples and will give you an overview of how wbs can help in project planning. A work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team pmbok. If a narrative definition is not as helpful as having a wbs to play with, dont worry. This work breakdown structure example shows that all the elements are listed under wbs levels. The work breakdown structure wbs is the foundation for project planning and control. The feasibility stage includes 1project conception. The wbs provides the foundation for project planning, cost. This article explains the wbs or work breakdown structure in a practical way. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, the efficacy of a projects work breakdown structure can determine that projects success. A wbs dictionary contains more detailed information about elements within a work breakdown structure wbs.
A work breakdown structure wbs is a chart where the project tasks are illustrated to reflect their relations to each other and the project in general. For the purpose of examples, the phase is at level 1. Pdf the work breakdown structure in software project management. A b s tr ac t the work breakdow n structure wbs is a powerful tool for project management. Some widely used reasons for creating a wbs include. Processes in project scope management processes in project scope management are collect requirements, define scope, create wbs, verify scope, and control scope. 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.
This is a free work breakdown structure wbs template in excel and pdf. When creating a deliverablesbased wbs, the term is probably not appropriate. The number of the levels required for the wbs project management template xls will be depend on the characteristics of the project, but the levels must be sufficient to meet. All the work contained within the wbs is to be identified, estimated, scheduled, and budgeted. The work breakdown structure wbs is the foundation for project planning and. Applying the work breakdown structure to the project.
Tangible things that the project produces milestones. Work breakdown structure information, software and wbs samples. Work breakdown structure project management institute. A work breakdown structure wbs is a method well known in project management for getting a complex multistep project done. The wbs is a tree style structure with the overall task on the top. Its a way to divide and conquer large projects so you can get things done faster and more efficiently. Essay about wbs work breakdown structure 1252 words cram. Many people have mistaken wbs as a list of tasks, a schedule or an organization chart. Applying the work breakdown structure to the project management lifecycle shelly a.
Work breakdown structure vs project schedule vs project plan. The individual will perform a work process to create the deliverable. Process plant construction work breakdown structure wbs. In reality, wbs is a simple and easy visual breakdown of deliverables for product, result, or service. 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. It may look like a hierarchical tree chart that outlines a project. What is wbs work breakdown structure in project management. Tasks and activities will be grouped under these lowest levels. For example, the work package managers may have the authority to delay. After reading it, you will understand the basics of this powerful project management tool. The tool can be as detailed as the it project manager wants it to be to help. Work breakdown structure in project management with examples.