Work Breakdown Structure WBS Farrokh Alemi Ph D

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Farrokh Alemi, Ph. D. Lee Baliton

Why break up? n Improve work management Understand resource and time constraints l Set milestones for progress l n Course on Project Management See alternative sequencing of components of work

Definition of WBS n Breaks the project scope Inter-related l Discrete tasks l n Course on Project Management Hierarchical tree structure

Definition of WBS n Breaks the project Clear scopestarts Inter-related task l Discrete tasks l n Course on Project Management and ends Hierarchical tree structure

Definition of WBS Four possible relationships n Breaks the project scope l Inter-related l Discrete tasks n Course on Project Management Hierarchical tree structure

Definition of WBS Four possible relationships n Breaks the project scope l Inter-related l Discrete tasks n Hierarchical tree structure 1. Finish to Start: Start second task after first one is finished Course on Project Management

Definition of WBS Four possible relationships n Breaks the project scope l Inter-related l Discrete tasks n Hierarchical tree structure 1. Finish to Start 2. Start to Start: Start second task same time as first one Course on Project Management

Definition of WBS Four possible relationships n Breaks the project scope l Inter-related l Discrete tasks n Hierarchical tree structure 1. Finish to Start 2. Start to Start 3. Finish to Finish: Start second task so both finish at same time Course on Project Management

Definition of WBS Four possible relationships n Breaks the project scope l Inter-related l Discrete tasks n Hierarchical tree structure 1. 2. 3. 4. Course on Project Management Finish to Start Finish to Finish Start to Finish: Second task cannot finish before first one starts

Definition of Lower WBSlevel tasks inherit the relationships n Breaks the project scope among higher l Inter-related task level tasks l Discrete tasks n Course on Project Management Hierarchical tree structure

Hierarchy of Activities Level 1: The root of the tree is the project name Course on Project Management A

Hierarchy of Activities EHR implementation A Course on Project Management

Hierarchy of Activities EHR implementation A Level 2: Components of the entire project Course on Project Management B C D

Hierarchy of Activities EHR implementation A Purchase system B C Configure system Course on Project Management D Train users

Hierarchy of Activities EHR implementation A Purchase system Level 3: Each level 2 tasks is broken into its subcomponents Course on Project Management B C D Train users Configure system E F

Hierarchy of Activities EHR implementation A Purchase system B C D Train users Configure system E Purchase training material Course on Project Management F Detail employees

Hierarchy of Activities EHR implementation A Purchase system B C D Train users Configure system F Detail employees E Purchase training material Course on Project Management

Hierarchy of Activities EHR implementation A Train users Course on Project Management F Detail employees E Purchase training material D Configure system C Purchase system B

Approaches to Developing Work Breakdown Guidelines n Analogy n Bottom up n Mind mapping n Course on Project Management

Hierarchy of Activities EHR implementation A Train users Course on Project Management F Detail employees E Purchase training material D Configure system C Purchase system B

Hierarchy of Activities EHR implementation A Train users Course on Project Management D Configure system C Purchase system B F Detail employees E Purchase training material

Approaches to Developing Work Breakdown Guidelines n Analogy n Bottom up n Mind mapping n Course on Project Management

Task Mutually exclusive n Exhaustive n Course on Project Management

Task Mutually exclusive n Exhaustive n EHR implementation A Purchase of systems and organizing training may not be mutually exclusive if the purchase includes training Course on Project Management D Train users C Configure system B Purchase system

Task Mutually exclusive n Exhaustive n Course on Project Management

Breadth. vs. Depth Focus on breadth n Let details emerge n Progressive elaboration l Creativity l Course on Project Management

Numbering Convention EHR implementation A Train (detail) users Course on Project Management D Configure system C Purchase system B E 1. 1. 2 Purchase training material

Work Breakdown Is Not … n Course on Project Management We need to clarify some common mistakes …

A Task Is … n Course on Project Management Not a goal

A Task Is … Not a goal n Not a process n Course on Project Management

Work Breakdown Is … n Course on Project Management Not an exhaustive list of work

Work Breakdown Is … Not an exhaustive list of work n Not a chronology n Course on Project Management

Work Breakdown Is … Not an exhaustive list of work n Not a chronology n Not an organization structure n Course on Project Management

Work Breakdown Is … Not an exhaustive list of work n Not a chronology n Not an organization structure n Not to be changed often n Course on Project Management

Good Work Breakdowns Easy to understand n Corresponds to job descriptions n Not too detailed n Preserve the most important relationships among the tasks n Does not add to length of project n Course on Project Management

Take Home Message Think Carefully through Work Breakdown Structure