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Characteristics of a High-Quality WBS

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Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) >>
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Software Project Management (CS615)
LECTURE # 34
7. Work Breakdown Structure
7.4
WBS- A Mandatory Management Tool
h) Characteristics of a High-Quality WBS
a) Review and signoff from top to bottom
b) Includes logical flow and is hierarchical in nature
c) Clear and concise
d) Provides ability to roll-up information to higher levels
e) Receives 100% team buy-in
f) Should have at least 2 levels: Level 1 defines 100% of the service/product/result;
Level 2 defines the deliverables in terms of work (groupings)
g) Project Management (and sub-contract management) at Level 2.
h) The deliverables in the WBS must match the scope or contract (WBS should not
contain work that is not defined in the scope ­ Scope should not describe work
not contained in the WBS)
i) All deliverables should be accounted for regardless of responsibility
j) Every WBS element should be clearly defined ­ or should be clarified in the WBS
Dictionary
k) Features
­ The WBS should contains 100% of the work defined by the scope or contract
­ Development of WBS should involve the entire project team
­ Should be deliverable-oriented
­ Should captures all deliverables (Internal, External, Interim) in terms of work to
be completed
l) Usefulness
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Software Project Management (CS615)
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Should define the context of the project and clarifies the work
­
Should communicates project scope to all stakeholders in terms of the
work to be completed
­
Is "in sync" with the scope statement and project schedule
­
Implies and allows for continual improvement/update of the WBS to
maintain current-ness and "vitality" within the project
m) WBS Is Not
­
A single document that substitutes for the project schedule or project plan
­
The project schedule
­
A listing of tasks or activities
i) Types of WBS
The two types of Work Breakdown Structures are:
a) Program Work Breakdown Structures
b) Contract Work Breakdown Structures
a) Contract WBS
A Contract WBS extends the Program WBS to a lower level in order to provide
management and cost information to the Government. It includes all the elements
for products (e.g., hardware, software, data, or services) that are the responsibility
of the contractor. It must be consistent with the Program WBS.
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Software Project Management (CS615)
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Contract WBS: Contractor's Responsibility
Contractors may extend the work breakdown structure to whatever level they feel
is necessary to manage the program. Contractors also use the Contract WBS to
define work packages. Work packages are:
Discrete portions of the project that can be charged to a single organization.
Building blocks for program management and cost reporting.
Remember that a Contract WBS:
·
Is prepared and maintained by each contractor working on different portions
of the program.
·
Includes the number of levels thought sufficient by the contractor to manage
the program.
·
Must be updated if changes are made to the Program WBS.
b) Program WBS
A Program WBS is defined as "the work breakdown that covers the acquisition of
a specific defense materiel item and is related to contractual effort."
A Program WBS is:
·
Tailored to each specific program.
·
Prepared and maintained by the Government.
·
Provides a basis for developing the Contract WBS.
­ Program WBS Levels
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Software Project Management (CS615)
Typically, a Program WBS consists of the upper three levels.
WBS Level 1:
The entire defense materiel item.
WBS Level 2:
Major elements of the defense materiel item, which are subordinate
to Level 1.
WBS Level 3:
Elements subordinate to Level 2 elements.
j) Sample WBS
Sample 1: A Product WBS
Software
Project
Documentation
Design
Software
Training &
Project
&
System
BPR
Management
Engineering
What About?
Web based
­
Requirements
­
Prototyping
Classroom
­
Testing
­
User Acceptance
­
Life-cycle Management
Hands-on
­
Warranty
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Software Project Management (CS615)
WBS Sample 2: System Development Projects
Level 1
Project
Level 2
Software
Hardware
Project
System
System
Data
1.2
Mgt
Test
1.1
Engr
Mgt
1.4
1.5
1.3
1.6
Level 3
1.1.2
1.2.2
1.1.2.1
Level 4
1.1.2.1.1
Level 5
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Software Project Management (CS615)
WBS Sample 3: Software/Hardware System Development
Project A
Level 1
1.7
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.6
1.8
1.5
Project
Support
System
Installation
Deliverables
Hardware
Software
Systems
Mgt.
Services
Test
Mgt.
Engr.
Level 2
Software
Build
1.3.1
Unit
1.3.2
Level 3
Testing
Software
1.3.3
Design
READING REFERENCE:
For detailed reading refer to:
(i)
Chapter No. 6 entitled "How to handle large projects: Divide and
Conquer" of "Software Project management ­ A Practitioner
Approach by E. M. BENNATAN.
(ii)
Chapter 5 entitled Software Project Planning" of: SE­A
Practitioner Approach by Roger S. Pressman.
(iii)  Chapter 7 entitled "Software Project Estimation: Tools and
Techniques by NIIT
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Table of Contents:
  1. Introduction & Fundamentals
  2. Goals of Project management
  3. Project Dimensions, Software Development Lifecycle
  4. Cost Management, Project vs. Program Management, Project Success
  5. Project Management’s nine Knowledge Areas
  6. Team leader, Project Organization, Organizational structure
  7. Project Execution Fundamentals Tracking
  8. Organizational Issues and Project Management
  9. Managing Processes: Project Plan, Managing Quality, Project Execution, Project Initiation
  10. Project Execution: Product Implementation, Project Closedown
  11. Problems in Software Projects, Process- related Problems
  12. Product-related Problems, Technology-related problems
  13. Requirements Management, Requirements analysis
  14. Requirements Elicitation for Software
  15. The Software Requirements Specification
  16. Attributes of Software Design, Key Features of Design
  17. Software Configuration Management Vs Software Maintenance
  18. Quality Assurance Management, Quality Factors
  19. Software Quality Assurance Activities
  20. Software Process, PM Process Groups, Links, PM Phase interactions
  21. Initiating Process: Inputs, Outputs, Tools and Techniques
  22. Planning Process Tasks, Executing Process Tasks, Controlling Process Tasks
  23. Project Planning Objectives, Primary Planning Steps
  24. Tools and Techniques for SDP, Outputs from SDP, SDP Execution
  25. PLANNING: Elements of SDP
  26. Life cycle Models: Spiral Model, Statement of Requirement, Data Item Descriptions
  27. Organizational Systems
  28. ORGANIZATIONAL PLANNING, Organizational Management Tools
  29. Estimation - Concepts
  30. Decomposition Techniques, Estimation – Tools
  31. Estimation – Tools
  32. Work Breakdown Structure
  33. WBS- A Mandatory Management Tool
  34. Characteristics of a High-Quality WBS
  35. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
  36. WBS- Major Steps, WBS Implementation, high level WBS tasks
  37. Schedule: Scheduling Fundamentals
  38. Scheduling Tools: GANTT CHARTS, PERT, CPM
  39. Risk and Change Management: Risk Management Concepts
  40. Risk & Change Management Concepts
  41. Risk Management Process
  42. Quality Concept, Producing quality software, Quality Control
  43. Managing Tasks in Microsoft Project 2000
  44. Commissioning & Migration