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Work Breakdown Structure

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29 views3 pages

Work Breakdown Structure

Uploaded by

robert
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE

• A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a fundamental project management technique


for defining and organizing the total scope of a project.
• The work breakdown is a hierarchical system that represents the construction project in
increasing level of details to define, organize and display the project in desirable and
manageable components.
• Every one of us has some goals and we plan accordingly to achieve them. One of the
effective ways to reach our goal quickly is to break down larger goals into realistic
achievable steps.
• Dividing complex projects to simpler and manageable tasks is the process identified as
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Usually, the project managers use this method for simplifying the project execution. In
WBS, much larger tasks are broken-down to manageable chunks of work. These chunks
can be easily supervised and estimated.

• The WBS of a project is one of the most valuable tools of project management. It is
designed and created during the initiation and planning phase. WBS finds and varied
applications in the various phases of construction project from inception to close out. It
forms the basis for defining the scope of work and change request, identifying activities,
developing time schedule, structuring the organization, assigning responsibilities,
organizing costs and budgeting, monitoring performance, codifying systems,
organizing data, managing information flow, closing project on completion and
analyzing the sources of risks.
• Project managers typically will develop a WBS as a precursor to a detailed project
schedule. The WBS should be accompanied by a WBS Dictionary, which lists and
defines WBS elements.
This is a project title which is construction of a 2 storey building. We can divide this project in
to Foundations, Ground Floor, First Floor and Roof which is our 1 st level of WBS. Then we
can divide these elements further according to nature of work for example we can divide
foundations in earthworks and structure works. We can divide ground floor in to structure
works, architecture works, electrical works and mechanical & plumbing works. Similarly, we
can also divide first floor and roof. This will make 2nd level of WBS. We can sub divide them
further if it is needed. Now we can place activities in our lowest level of WBS. WBS elements
which contain activities are also called work packages. So in this example, our WBS level 2
contains the work packages.

Work Breakdown Structure helps a project manager


• Facilitates evaluation of cost, time, and technical performance of the organization on a
project.
• Provides management with information appropriate to each organizational level.
• Helps in the development of the organization. breakdown structure which assigns
project responsibilities to organizational units and individuals.
• Helps manager plan, schedule, and budget.
• Defines communication channels and assists in coordinating the various project
elements.

Importance/Advantages of WBS in a project:


• Accurate and readable project organization.
• Accurate assignment of responsibilities to the project team.
• Also helps in resource allocation, monitoring the project, and controlling the project.
• Improves the efficiency of the project.
• Indicates the project milestones and control points.
• Helps to estimate the cost, time, and risk.
• Illustrate the project scope, so the stakeholders can have a better understanding of the
same and makes sure there is nothing missing or overlapping.
• Helps identifying communication points and formulating communication plan across
the project team.
Few rules are followed in constructing a WBS:
1. Two Weeks Rule: Any broken-down level of the above structure cannot be smaller than two
weeks of work.
2. 8/80 Rule: Any level of work should not be less than 8hrs of work or more than 80hrs of
work.
3. 100% Rule of work scope: An important design principle for work breakdown structure is
called 100% rule. This rule is one of the important principles guiding the development,
decomposition and evaluation of the WBS.
• This rule implies 100% of the scope of work must be included in the WBS. It means
the decomposition of all deliverable is processed till the complete scope of work is
linked in the WBD, and all the deliverable can be easily understood, planned,
monitored, verified and accepted. The WBS should not include any work that is not
within the project scope.

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