The Work Breakdown StructureAn Easy But Powerful Technique

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

▫A hierarchical outline (map) that identifies the products (deliverables) and work elements involved in a project;

▫Defines the relationship of the final the final deliverable deliverable (the project) to its sub to its sub deliverables, deliverables, and in turn, their relationships to work packages to work packages (collection of elements related to work that must be done);

▫Best suited for design and build projects that have tangible outcomes rather than process-oriented projects.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A work package is just a collection of activities and tasks that fit together logically and could be “ring fenced”

to assign to a responsible person

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

In order to create the WBS you you have to understand have to understand the

difference between deliverable and activity

DeliverableDeliverable = product or output.Written as if it has been produced

already – thus usually phrased in thepast tense (example" assembly completed”)

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

In order to create the WBS you you have to understand have to understand the

difference between deliverable and activity

More important a deliverabledoes not consume time and resources

(because they are produced through activities/tasks)

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

In order to create the WBS you you have to understand have to understand the

difference between deliverable and activity

An activity/task is what you doto deliver (produce a deliverable)

As such it does consume time and resources

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

In Essence:Decompositi

on of:Final

deliverableto Sub

deliverableto

Activities

In Essence:Decompositi

on of:Final

deliverableto Sub

deliverableto

Activities