All the work contained within the wbs is to be identified, estimated, scheduled, and budgeted. Work breakdown structure a project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or product oriented grouping of project work elements shown in graph ical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project. Project management institute practice standard for work. The work breakdown structure wbs is a powerful tool for project management. These resources are presented from the pmi practice standard for work breakdown structure. Pdf project management institute practice standard for work. Typical use of breakdown structure as a project management tool includes work breakdown structure wbs, resource breakdown structure, risk breakdown structure and organization breakdown structure obs, or sometimes known as organization chart. Pdf scope management allows project managers to react when a project. Six steps to a better wbs presented by 41 bloomfield street lexington, ma 02421 usa. Chapter 1 introduction to the work breakdown structure. The work breakdown structure wbs has long served as a valuable tool in. However, before jumping into the steps to create a wbs, it is important to understand the need for a wbs.
Applying work breakdown structure to project lifecycle pmi. Understanding the risk breakdown structure rbs for pmp. For a project to be properly managed, there is a need to generate its work breakdown structure. A b s tr ac t the work breakdow n structure wbs is a powerful tool for project management. This publication and cd may be used in assisting students to prepare for the project management institutes capm and pmp exams. A welldefined and comprehensive wbs that fits the organisational structure and the project system profile is important to increase the probability of project success by ensuring that the best resources. According to pmi, a work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverableoriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team, to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. Project management work breakdown structure duration. Doe office of management, budget and evaluation work breakdown structure project management practices guide, revision e dated june 2003. Understand the importance of wbs in project management with the help of an example. The importance of the wbs experienced project managers know there are many things that can go wrong in projects. Lecture notes system project management engineering. Project management is like fixing a car you must break it down into parts.
A project budget can be allocated to the top levels of the work breakdown structure, and department budgets can be quickly calculated based on the each projects work breakdown structure. What is a work breakdown structure wbs example included. A brief synopsis, a service industry outsourcing work breakdown structure in both word and excel, and a pdf appendix of the service industry outsourcing work breakdown structure wbs example. Work breakdown structure wbs in project management with. Applying the work breakdown structure to the project management lifecycle shelly a. The following discussion will examine the current trends and practice regarding work breakdown structures. The work breakdown structure wbs is a foundation tool for effective project management and yet its creation is often undertaken without appropriate team involvement or buyin.
The practice standard for work breakdown structuressecond edition supplies project managers and team members with direction for the preliminary development and the implementation of the wbs. The work break down structure wbs was developed during 1960s by the. Nov 26, 2019 what pmi and the guide to the project management body of knowledge, the pmbok guide, says a work breakdown structure is deliverableoriented hierarchical decompositions so that were breaking something apart of the work to be executed by the team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. Risk breakdown structure rbs is a hierarchical representation of risks according to their risk categories. According to current pmi standards, work breakdown structures are. It is the cornerstone of effective project planning, execution, controlling, statusing, and reporting. Work breakdown structures wbs are a key component in the project planning process, regardless of industry or discipline. L5 managing iterations with dsm pdf use of dsms in a project management context, sequential and parallel iteration models, process analysis and redesign. The work breakdown structure wbs serves as a guide for defining work as it relates to a specific projects objectives. A project will take longer than the scheduled time if a wbs is not available. Applying work breakdown structure to project lifecycle. It also contains a bicycle wbs dictionary in word and excel.
It do have different levels similar to work breakdown structure which makes rbs a very strong tool for project managers to use. The work breakdown structure wbs is a powerful project management planning and controlling tool. It is a fundamental tool commonly used in project management and systems engineering. It is often described as a resultoriented tree that covers all project procedures in an organized way. How to create a work breakdown structure wbs pm documents. Standard for work breakdown structures second edition practice standard for. The wbs organizes the projects total scope while reflecting the work specifiedhelping practitioners standardize how they track projects and overcome large uncertainties when they arise. In this fastpaced and global business environment, all organizations be it in the privatecommercial or publicnonprofit sectors are implementing initiatives and action plans through projects. A project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or productoriented grouping of project work elements shown in graphical display to organize and. It is the backbone to planning and managing scope on any project and as you will hear in our interview every ship repair project must have it. What is work breakdown structure in project management. The work breakdown structure wbs has emerged as a foundational concept and tool in project management.
Creating the work breakdown structure by kim colenso, managing principal, artemis management systems the work breakdown structure wbs is the foundation for project planning and control. The work breakdown structure wbs is a model of the project that organizes project tasks into a hierarchy. Have you encountered work breakdown structures and wondered how they can help in your project management efforts. The project management body of knowledge defines the work breakdown structure as a deliverable oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team. Project management institute pmi philippines chapter. Sep 12, 2008 created by the three experts who led the development of pmis practice standard for work breakdown structures, second edition, this muchneeded text expands on what the standard covers and describes how to go about successfully implementing the wbs within the project life cycle, from initiation and planning through project closeout. The 100% rule is an essential part of work breakdown structure methodology, in that application of this rule and its related concepts is critical in. A work breakdown structure wbs is a fundamental project management technique for defining and organizing the total scope of a project, using a hierarchical tree structure.
Lets look at a couple of the key phrases of this definition. Jun 02, 2014 if you are a project manager and you want to stretch your tasks correctly, then you need to create what is known as a work breakdown structure for your project. A pert chart is a project management tool used to schedule, organize, and. These resources are presented from the pmi practice standard for work breakdown. Work breakdown structure or wbs is a hierarchical tree structure that outlines your project and breaks it down into smaller, more manageable portions. Jun 01, 2005 nasa work breakdown structure wbs handbook page ix preface p. Impact of various work breakdown structures on project conceptualization article pdf available in international journal of project management 123. Introduction to pmi numbering system for a work breakdown structure.
The wbs organizes the projects total scope while reflecting the work specifiedhelping practitioners standardize how they track projects and. An introduction to project management 2020 training. Work breakdown structures project management training. In wrike, you can build a wbs by creating folders and subfolders, and can even go further to divide individual tasks into subtasks. An introduction to project management pmi philippines. L4 design structure matrix dsm pdf work breakdown structures wbs, introduction to design structure matrices dsm, sequencing, partitioning and tearing. The work breakdown structure is both a model and a work measurement baseline tool for project management. What is wbs work breakdown structure in project management. Work breakdown structure wbs in project management apppm. It is a hierarchical description of the work that must be done to complete the deliverables of a project. The work breakdown structure has a number of benefits in addition to defining and organizing the project work.
For the pmi 9, the wbs subdivides all project work into components. Although you can capture your wbs with index cards or pen and paper. A work breakdown structure is a key project deliverable that organizes the teams work into manageable sections. A brief synopsis, a process plant construction work breakdown structure in both word and excel, and a pdf appendix of the process plant construction work breakdown structure wbs example. From the time the first edition of the practice standard for work breakdown structures was being developed a little more than five years ago, there has been a vast expansion in rapid electronic access to information through the internet, cdroms. The project management body of knowledge pmbok defines the work breakdown structure as a deliverable oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work.
Pdf integration of cost and work breakdown structures in the. Project management is covered clearly with practical information in a generic nonindustry specific manner. Norman, pmp, pgmp introduction today, project managers are more frequently finding high value in the creation of work breakdown structures wbs as they begin the process of project management. You wont find the problem if you cant isolate the defective part, and you cant fix the problem if the defective part is not separated from the main engine a work breakdown structure wbs represents this division of a project into constituent tasks. Project professionals use a wbs to define project deliverables and establish the structure to manage work to completion. Ideally, the highlevel deliverables in the wbs should match, word for word, the goals and deliverables listed in the project. Check the capital project delivery website to ensure this is the current version. The project management body of knowledge pmbok 5 defines the workbreakdown structure a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create. The wbs is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables pmi, 20, p. Work breakdown structures wbs are a guide for defining work as it relates to a specific projects objectives. Applying the work breakdown structure to the project. The work breakdown structure the project management institute pmi 2001 define the wbs as a hierarchical structure that defines and organises the total project scope based on deliverables, with each descending level in the hierarchy representing an increasingly detailed definition of the project work. Work breakdown structure element dictionary concept development procedures are subject to change without notice.
This zip file contains the white paper the work breakdown structure. Free 30day wbs software trial work breakdown structure wbs a work breakdown structure wbs is a key project deliverable that organizes the teams work into manageable sections. In october 2006, the cdc unified process up published a practices guide, template, and checklist on work breakdown structure wbs that is consistent with the newly released wbs practice standard from pmi. The 100% rule is an essential part of work breakdown structure methodology, in that application of this rule and its related concepts is critical in assuring the usefulness and accuracy of its application.
The work breakdown structure wbs provides the foundation for defining work as it relates to project objectives. In 1987, this approach of wbs was documented from the project management institute pmi in. A brief synopsis, a web design work breakdown structure in both word and excel, and a pdf appendix of the web design work breakdown structure wbs example. Work breakdown structure relativistic heavy ion collider. Unfortunately, the business pressures driving projects have often prevented project managers from developing a comprehensive wbs. A wbs shows the complete scope of the project broken down into manageable deliverables. Pmi members can access a pdf of the full standard at no cost, and anyone can purchase a. Mar 19, 20 the work breakdown structure can be pictured like an organizational chart, with the highest level being the project itself, and the various levels under that consisting of increasingly more detailed breakdowns of the scope of the project. Service industry outsourcing work breakdown structure wbs. The work breakdown structure provides a common framework for the natural development of the overall planning and control of a contract and is the basis for dividing work into definable increments from which the statement of work can be developed and technical, schedule, cost, and labor hour reporting can be established. Introduction to pmi numbering system for a work breakdown.
A brief synopsis and work breakdown structures in both word and excel and a pdf appendix of the work breakdown structure wbs example for bicycle, environmental management, government designbidbuild, oilgaspetrochemical, pharmaceutical, process improvement, process plant construction, service industry outsourcing. Jan 09, 2015 introduction to pmi numbering system for a work breakdown structure engineer4free. A work breakdown structure is a higher level project artifact that supports the creation of schedules and budgets. Think how it would be if you could not use folders. We cover the methodology and processes in wbs that help you break down a project into more manageable pieces. The term work breakdown structure was introduced in 1993 for applications in corporate and other organizational projects. A brief synopsis and work breakdown structures in both word and excel and a pdf appendix of the work breakdown structure wbs example for bicycle, environmental management, government designbidbuild, oilgaspetrochemical, pharmaceutical, process improvement, process plant construction, service. The work breakdown structure wbs forms the base for most project management processes. Impact of various workbreakdown structures on project.
Work breakdown structure certified associate in project. Pmi members can access a pdf of the full standard at no cost, and anyone can purchase a hard copy via the pmi store. Although the work breakdown structure wbs is one of project managements primary tools for effectively managing a project, many project managers develop their wbss haphazardlyand frequently, without the involvement of their teams and without the support of their senior managers. The work breakdown structure wbs is a widely applied tool in the field of project management which is defined as the hierarchical decomposition framework for presenting the work that needs to be executed by the team, in order to achieve the project objectives. Project management institute pmi practice standard for wbs. All the work contained within the wbs is to be identified. The work breakdown structure wbs is developed to establish a common understanding of project scope. A work breakdown structure wbs is a visual tool for defining and tracking a project deliverable and all the small components needed to create it.
Analysis of a methodology to obtain a work breakdown. In the same way a project needs to be divided up to create a similar structure. Breakdown structure efficient project management simplified. How to improve productivity with a work breakdown structure. Is used to break down the project into manageable piecesb. Chapter 1 introduction to the work breakdown structure 1. The most common structure for a wbs is a 4 to 6 level indented structure, where the. In this article, we will go through some of the breakdown structure examples. It is the functional basis for further planning steps in a project, for example, for process planning, cost planning, scheduling, capacity planning or costing, as well as project control. It is a tabular or graphical representation of the tasks. A work breakdown structure or wbs is a treelike structure that permits summing of subordinate costs for tasks, materials, etc. Work breakdown structure rev e, june 2003 work breakdown structure a project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or product oriented grouping of project work elements shown in graph ical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project. The work breakdown structure wbs has long served as a valuable tool in helping project managers plan deliverables and detail project scope. Creating a work breakdown structure wbs can seem simple conceptually, but there are factors to consider when applying it practically.
A work breakdown structure is an essential first step in project planning. The work breakdown structure springs from the project charter. Work breakdown structure pmi project management institute. A work breakdown structure is one of the most useful things you can have on a project. It is the connecting point for work and cost estimates, schedule information, actual work effortcost expenditures, and accountability. It is an enabler that ensures clear definition and communication of project scope while performing a critical role as a monitoring and controlling tool. Work breakdown structure wbs is a method of organizing and completing work in a project. What pmi and the guide to the project management body of knowledge, the pmbok guide, says a work breakdown structure is deliverableoriented hierarchical decompositions so that were breaking something apart of the work to be executed by the team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. These resources are presented from the pmi practice standard for work breakdown structures. In june 1999, the pmi standards program issued a project charter to develop the work. Work breakdown structure wbs in project management. All about work breakdown structures wbs smartsheet.