ePM Training Services

When planning a project, we need to know exactly what is – and is not – included within that project. Very simple projects can often be defined and planned using a simple checklist, for example:

• Choose holiday destination
• Book flight
• Pack suitcase
• Go on holiday

Larger projects will benefit from rearranging the checklist in a structured way, so that we can easily see the entire scope of the project without getting confused by all those points in a randomly ordered checklist.

The process of defining what we will be doing on our project is known as Scope Definition, and we perform this using a Work Breakdown Structure, or WBS. 

The WBS  details all the items of work  and all the outputs (or ‘deliverables’)we will be producing. The WBS is structured such that high-level items are broken-down, or ‘decomposed’ into lower level items in multiple levels. This work is usually identified by brainstorming with your team, and using lists from previous projects.

The WBS can receive information from:

• Project Scope Statement
• Requirements Documentation

The WBS provides information to:

• Activity List and Activity Cost Estimates
• Network Diagram
• Project Budget
• Quality Management Plan
• Risk Register
• Procurement Management Plan
• Project Management Plan

Benefits of using a WBS are as follows:

• Divides the project scope into logical, manageable, definable packages of work that enable management at an appropriate and effective level. 
• An aid in communication with stakeholders, assisting them in developing a clear vision of the end product of the project and of the overall process by which it will be created.
• Assists in clearly identifying responsibility and accountability to the level of detail required for managing and controlling the project.
• Identifies the impact of changes to the project work.
• Helps the project team to understand their work and the impact on the whole project.
• Helps with team-building, as the project team members give their input for the design of the WBS.
• Used as a basis for estimating resources, time, and cost.
• Used for identifying risk by work package, for risk mitigation.

 The Work Breakdown Structure, or WBS, is an extremely important document, and allows for people and other resources to be assigned, budgeted and scheduled.

In the The next posting we will examine several different ways that a WBS can be structured.