Category: Developing the Work Breakdown Structure

Now that you understand what a WBS is and the importance it plays in your project, let’s review the key techniques, guidelines, and principles in building an effective WBS. In general, the process of breaking down work is something we do frequently and is a straightforward logical endeavor. However, there are frequently two common challenges…

The Project Management Institute (PMI) considers the WBS the most important tool of the project manager. Why? More than any other project management tool, the WBS provides the foundation for defining and organizing the work needed to fulfill the project objectives. Through the WBS, the work to produce the targeted deliverables is structured, assigned, scheduled,…

Another factor that can impact understanding of the WBS term and concept is that many industries utilize other breakdown structures and related acronyms that can confuse this subject. Therefore, to better understand what is meant by a WBS, you should be familiar with these other types of breakdown structures, as listed in Table 6.2, and how…

Many industries and organizations routinely use the following terms in an interchangeable fashion: WBS, project plan, project schedule, and work plan. As you know by now, these terms do represent different project management elements and should not be used interchangeably. However, as with all less-than-ideal practices, there are reasons they develop. Understanding the reasons is…

The project management is not brain surgery and does not require advanced logic and reasoning skills to achieve winning results (I’m a great example of this). In most cases, the disciplines and terms used in project management are very common sense and obvious in nature. A WBS is a classic case. As the terms defining…

If you were to ask anyone off the street what they think of when they hear “project management,” you are likely to hear “planning.” And if you further ask them what they mean by “planning,” you are likely to hear “schedule” or “work plan.” Yes, even to the uninitiated, people know that project managers plan…