BUS528 Project Management: Chapter 6


Work Breakdown Structure: Break Your Project into Manageable Units of Work


Class Lecture

"Chapter 6 Ideas"

In this chapter, I pick up ideas on how to build a good work breakdown structure (WBS):-

1. Begin at the top
2. Name all the tasks required to produce deliverables
3. How to organize he WBS

The work breakdown structures breaks the projects down into many small, manageable tasks called packages. The process of deciding who will perform these tasks and how they will be arranged provided the structure for the actual work of the project.


Many project managers relied on the WBS. Estimating, scope management, sub-contracting work, tracking progress, and giving clear work assignments all depend on a well-defined breakdown of the tasks that make up a project. In some way, project managers can use the WBS to solve every problem that they encountered.



Criteria For A Successful Work Breakdown Structure

1. WBS must be broken down starting at the top. It is a top-down decomposition
2. Work packages must add up to the summary task.
3. Each summary task and work package must be named as an activity that produces a product. It means giving each task a descriptive name that includes a strong verb - the activity - and a strong noun - the product. Wihtout these, the task becomes ambiguous.

Here's The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) For Our Group "New Student Orientation" Project