Work Breakdown Structure

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Software Project Management (CS615)

LECTURE # 32

7. Work Breakdown Structure

7.1

WBS Preview

Salient features

Large, complex projects are organized and comprehended by breaking them into

progressively smaller pieces until they are a collection of defined "work

packages" that may include a number of tasks.

A $1,000,000,000 project is simply a lot of $50,000 projects joined together.

Work breakdown structure (WBS) is a technique to decompose the project for the

purpose of management and control. It provides the framework for organizing and

managing the work.

A project may be divided into subprojects. Subprojects are subdivided into

smaller, more manageable work components (work packages) at the lowest level.

The work packages may be further decomposed to project activities. It provides

the framework for organizing and managing the work.

A project may be divided into subprojects. Subprojects are subdivided into

smaller, more manageable work components (work packages) at the lowest level.

The work packages may be further decomposed to project activities.

The WBS is commonly used at the beginning of a project for defining project

scope, organizing Gantt schedules and estimating costs.

It lives on, throughout the project, in the project schedule and often is the main

path for reporting project costs.

WBS includes activities like management, procurement, installation, software

development etc.

Many of the WBS development tasks are derived from the development method

that will be used, and from the design and architecture of the system.

WBS is related to planning and scheduling a project

It is a functional decomposition of the tasks of the project.

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It starts with the end objective required and successively subdividing it into

manageable components in terms of size and complexity of:

Program,

Project,

System,

Subsystem,

Components,

tasks, subtasks, and

work elements

The WBS is first and foremost a technical data gathering structure, developed so

that the achievement in technical progress can be measured and analyzed against a

formal baseline plan.

The WBS aids the customer in understanding the status of the project as time

elapses. The WBS aids the customer's customer in understanding the status of the

project.

All managers, internal and external need to use the planning and status

information within the WBS structure to:

Aid in the adjustment to the current program paths and

For maximizing the attainment of short term and long term goals

ii.

WBS-What is it?

WBS is a definition of a project in terms of its work or a deliverable-oriented

grouping of project elements that organizes and defines the total scope of the

project.

Each descending level represents an increasingly detailed definition of the

project's work.

It's an outline of the work of the project, not the work itself, created by those

doing the work that may include all functional stakeholders.

iii.

WBS- What it contains?

Maps all contractual obligations (SOW) regarding deliverables

Details project objectives

Detailed enough to meet performance (measurable) objectives

Contains built-in WBS and Project Plan review and update

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iv.

WBS- When is it produced?

The WBS is produced following the development of the scope statement, before

the schedule. It is a "bridging" document between the Scope and Schedule. (what

and when)

Uses of WBS

Defines 100% of the scope and can communicate the scope of the project

without the presence of the scope statement or document.

Communicates effectively to all stakeholders

Defines and clarifies

Boundaries (Life cycle of the project not the product)

Deliverables

Refines Scope

Defines scope in project management language (perhaps down to work package

level which may lead to development of project schedule)

It's not a single document that can be mistaken for the project plan, schedule or

scope statement

7.2

WBS- A Mandatory Management Tool

WBS as a Project Management Tool

A WBS is a valuable management tool that is used throughout all life-cycle

phases to:

a. Manage Risk

It helps in managing risk by providing insight into technical aspects of program

management.

b. Manage Costs

A WBS can be used to help make program management decisions.

For example, if the costs of an element in the WBS are too high, the WBS can be

used to identify possible tradeoffs. Identifying and analyzing tradeoffs can help

the manager decide how best to stay within budget.

c. Assign Work

The WBS is also useful for determining an acquisition strategy and/or assigning

work. The information contained in the WBS can help a Program Manager

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develop a statement of work that describes what products or services are to be

delivered.

d. Schedule and Track activities

A schedule of key events can be developed for each element in the WBS.

Completion of these key events is then tracked.

Schedule and Track activities

The work breakdown structure defines all tasks to be performed during the

development of the project. This will include tasks from such project

categories as:

Software development

Installation

Maintenance

Management

Training

Procurement

Documentation

e. Align with Terms of Reference and scope of project

At all times, any, work being performed by a member of the software project

team must be part of a WBS task: No member of the team should ever

perform any task that does not appear in the WBS list of tasks.

The WBS is essentially a management tool that provides the ability to assign

well-define tasks to members of the development team.

It is through the WBS that progress is monitored as tasks are completed and

potential problems are discovered.

New tasks that were overlooked are identified, and estimates are revised based

on the actual resources used for completed tasks.

f. Report Expense

The WBS is also a budgetary tool that provides a means of charging each

development activity to the appropriate section in the project budget.

This is one of the basic methods for planning and monitoring project

expenditure.

There are mainly computerized utilities available to support the maintenance

of the WBS.

These utilities run both on small PC type computers and large mainframes.

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Software Project Management (CS615)

WBS utilities are often available as part of a manager's general planning

utility, and provide other scheduling and monitoring features, such as PERT

analysis and report generation.

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