Work breakdown Structure in Project Management

jaro education
3, September 2023
5:00 pm

Work breakdown structure or WBS is a strategy for completing a multi-step complex project in project management. It is a method of dividing and conquering large projects to complete them more efficiently and quickly. It is one of the most important project management tools currently available. WBS in project management singlehandedly combines schedule baselines, scope and cost, ensuring that project plans are in sync. WBS can be both deliverable-based and phase-based.

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Fundamentals of Work Breakdown Structure

Work breakdown structure in project management is critical. It is often presented as a hierarchical structure with the main project at the top, followed by sub-projects, work groups and lastly, tasks. The primary objective of a work breakdown structure is to guarantee that all essential work is included in the project plan, as well as it offer a framework for allocating responsibilities and tracking progress. It serves as input for five primary project management activities: resource planning, cost estimating, risk management planning, and cost budgeting.

Elements of WBS

The elements of the work breakdown structure in project management are as follows:

Work breakdown structure dictionary

A WBS dictionary is a document that lists all WBS components. It’s an important element of a work breakdown structure in project management since it makes it simple for stakeholders and project participants to understand the WBS’s terminology.

Work packages

As per the Project Management Institute’s (PMI’s) definition, work packages are the “lowes levels of WBS”. This is done so that a team member or department may be assigned a work package, a manageable collection of connected duties. These work packages are an important part of the WBS since you can forecast their expenses and duration as a project manager.

WBS levels

The hierarchy of a work breakdown structure element is determined by the WBS levels. Most work breakdown structures have three layers: the project’s principal deliverables, control accounts, project deliverables, and work packages.

Project deliverables

Project deliverables are the planned outcomes of project activities and work bundles. These can be both tangible as well as intangible that is supposed to be submitted according to the scope a project has. It can be mistaken as the final output; however, it is defined as the output related to a project which can be submitted anytime and at any phase of the project.

Tasks

Work packages are made up of tasks that define the scope of a project. A WBS in project management allows professionals to identify the requireme