Work Breakdown Structure

1
Project Management – PMBOK®
Work Breakdown Structure

(WBS)
Dr Marc Conrad
Office: D104 – Park Square
[email protected]
Marc Conrad
21.08.2020 University of Bedfordshire 1
2 Project Management Processes

(Initiation)
Project Management Plan
Initiation Scope WBS
Project Charter (definition)
Cost Time Human Resources

(estimates, …) (activity diagrams, …) (RACI matrix, …)
• Also to consider: Quality, Risk,

Communication, Procurement, Integration
(PMBOK® knowledge areas)
1
3 The Work Breakdown Structure in the
PMBOK®
From the file

ITO2008.ppt
4 The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Used as a basis for a number of processes in

particular to produce the subsidiary plans of the
Project Management Plan.
• The WBS is a deliverable-oriented hierarchy of
decomposed project components that organises and
defines the total scope of the project. The WBS is a
representation of the detailed project scope
statement that specifies the work to be
accomplished by the project.
• The elements comprising the WBS assist the
stakeholders in viewing the end product of the
project.
• The work at the lowest-level WBS component is
estimated, scheduled, and tracked.
Marc Conrad
2
5
The Dictionary of the WBS
• A WBS dictionary is a companion document to the
WBS that describes each WBS element. For each WBS
element, the WBS dictionary includes a statement of
work, a list of associated activities, and a list of
milestones.
• Other information can include the responsible
organisation, start and end dates, resources required,
an estimate of cost, charge number, contract
information, quality requirements, and technical
references.
• WBS elements should be cross-referenced as
appropriate.
Marc Conrad
6
• Redecorate Room
 Prepare materials
 Buy paint
 Buy a ladder
 Buy brushes/rollers
Example WBS  Buy wallpaper remover
 Prepare room
 Remove old wallpaper
 Remove detachable decorations
 Cover floor with old newspapers
 Cover electrical outlets/switches with tape
 Cover furniture with sheets
 Paint the room
 Clean up the room
 Dispose or store left over paint
 Clean brushes/rollers
 Dispose of old newspapers
 Remove covers
Marc Conrad
3
7
Developing the WBS
• Divide the total work of the project into

major groups...
• ...then subdivide these groups into
tasks...
• ...then divide these tasks into sub-tasks
• Subtasks should be small enough to
permit adequate control and visibility
• But avoid excess bureaucracy!
Marc Conrad
8 Product Breakdown Structure

• Redecorated Room
 Removed old wallpaper
 Clean room
 Cover for furniture
 Cover for electrical
switches
 Newspapers to cover
• Focus on the product floor.
to be delivered and not  Paint
on the work to do.  Paint on wall
• Underpins PRINCE2®  Leftover paint
“product-based”  Management products
approach.  Ladder
 Brushes and rollers
Marc Conrad
4
9 “Scope Breakdown Structure”
(Max Wideman’s approach)
• Geographically discrete components

• Time based phases and stages
• Intermediate or final major deliverables
• Discrete structural, process, system or device
components
• Deliverable elements that can be associated
with distinctive types of people-skills or
resources
• After that, break down the work as in the WBS
Recommended
Reading!
http://www.maxwideman.com/musings/wbswar.htm
Marc Conrad
10 Scope Breakdown Structure

(Max Wideman redecorates a room)
• Redecorated Room
 Painted wall
 Buy paint
 Buy ladder
 Buy brushes or rollers
 Paint room
 New curtains
• Note the noun
phrases on the top  …
levels (scope • Content Family
breakdown) and
 A clean room
the activities on
the lower levels!  Cover floor with old newspapers
 Cover electrical outlets/switches with tape
 Cover furniture with sheets
 Dinner in a restaurant
 …
 Decision on colours
Marc Conrad
21.08.2020  of …
University Bedfordshire 10
5
11
Summary
• The WBS is used to define the

activities that are then further
managed.
• Consider alternatives:
 Work Breakdown Structure
 Product Breakdown Structure
 Scope Breakdown Structure
• Use Common Sense in Breakdown the
Project.
Marc Conrad

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1

Project Management – PMBOK®

Work Breakdown Structure

2 Project Management Processes

Cost Time Human Resources

• Also to consider: Quality, Risk,

From the file

4 The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• Used as a basis for a number of processes in

• Divide the total work of the project into

8 Product Breakdown Structure

• Geographically discrete components

10 Scope Breakdown Structure

• The WBS is used to define the

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