A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a tool that helps you plan and manage your projects more effectively. It is a hierarchical decomposition of the project scope into smaller and more manageable deliverables. A WBS helps you to:
- Define the project scope and objectives clearly
- Break down the project into manageable tasks and subtasks
- Assign responsibilities and resources to each task
- Estimate the time and cost of each task
- Monitor and control the project progress and performance
A WBS is essential for any project, whether it is small or large, simple or complex. It helps you to avoid scope creep, reduce risks, improve communication, and increase quality.
But how do you create a WBS for your project? In this article, we will show you how to create a work breakdown structure in 6 steps. We will also explain the different types of WBS and provide you with a work breakdown structure example.
What is a work breakdown structure (WBS)?
A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a graphical representation of the project scope that shows the relationship between the project deliverables and the work required to produce them. A WBS consists of:
- The project name or objective at the top level
- The major deliverables or outcomes at the second level
- The sub-deliverables or components at the lower levels
- The work packages or tasks at the lowest level
A work package is the smallest unit of work that can be assigned, estimated, and tracked. It usually has a unique identifier, a description, a duration, a cost, and a responsible person or team.
A WBS can be presented in different formats, such as:
- A tree diagram that shows the hierarchy of deliverables and work packages
- A table that lists the deliverables and work packages along with their attributes
- An outline that uses indentation to show the hierarchy of deliverables and work packages
Here is an example of a WBS for a website development project:
Types of Work Breakdown Structures
There are different ways to create a WBS for your project, depending on how you want to organize and categorize your deliverables and work packages. Some of the common types of WBS are:
- Product-oriented WBS: This type of WBS focuses on the final products or outcomes of the project. It is suitable for projects that have clear and tangible deliverables, such as software development, construction, or manufacturing. A product-oriented WBS can be further divided into:
- Product breakdown structure (PBS): This type of WBS decomposes the project scope into physical components or parts that make up the final product. For example, a PBS for a car would include components such as engine, transmission, body, wheels, etc.
- Functional breakdown structure (FBS): This type of WBS decomposes the project scope into functional areas or features that provide value to the customer or user. For example, an FBS for a website would include features such as navigation, content, design, security, etc.
- Process-oriented WBS: This type of WBS focuses on the processes or activities that are required to complete the project. It is suitable for projects that have complex or dynamic deliverables, such as research, consulting, or event planning. A process-oriented WBS can be further divided into:
- Phase breakdown structure (PhBS): This type of WBS decomposes the project scope into phases or stages that represent the life cycle of the project. For example, a PhBS for a software development project would include phases such as initiation, planning, execution, testing, deployment, etc.
- Task breakdown structure (TBS): This type of WBS decomposes the project scope into tasks or actions that are required to complete each phase or stage of the project. For example, a TBS for a software development project would include tasks such as define requirements, design architecture, code modules, test functionality, etc.
The type of WBS you choose for your project depends on your preference and the nature of your project. You can also combine different types of WBS to create a hybrid or mixed WBS that suits your needs.
6 steps to creating a work breakdown structure
Creating a work breakdown structure is not a one-time activity. It is an iterative process that involves planning, brainstorming, reviewing, and refining. Here are the 6 steps to creating a work breakdown structure for your project:
Step 1: Define the project scope and objectives
The first step to creating a work breakdown structure is to define the project scope and objectives. The project scope is the boundary of what the project will and will not deliver. The project objectives are the specific and measurable outcomes that the project aims to achieve.
To define the project scope and objectives, you can use tools such as:
- A project charter that summarizes the project purpose, scope, objectives, stakeholders, assumptions, constraints, and risks
- A scope statement that describes the project deliverables, acceptance criteria, exclusions, and limitations
- A SMART goal framework that ensures that your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound
Defining the project scope and objectives will help you to:
- Establish a clear and common understanding of what the project is about
- Align your expectations with those of your stakeholders and customers
- Provide a baseline for planning and controlling the project
Step 2: Identify the major deliverables or outcomes
The second step to creating a work breakdown structure is to identify the major deliverables or outcomes of the project. These are the high-level results or outputs that the project will produce to meet the project objectives.
To identify the major deliverables or outcomes, you can use techniques such as:
- Brainstorming with your team and stakeholders to generate ideas and suggestions
- Grouping and categorizing similar or related ideas into themes or clusters
- Prioritizing and selecting the most important or critical ideas based on their value and feasibility
Identifying the major deliverables or outcomes will help you to:
- Focus on the essential aspects of the project
- Break down the project scope into manageable chunks
- Create a logical structure for your work breakdown structure
Step 3: Decompose the major deliverables or outcomes into sub-deliverables or components
The third step to creating a work breakdown structure is to decompose the major deliverables or outcomes into sub-deliverables or components. These are the lower-level results or outputs that are required to complete each major deliverable or outcome.
To decompose the major deliverables or outcomes into sub-deliverables or components, you can use methods such as:
- Top-down approach: Start with the highest level of detail and work your way down to the lowest level of detail
- Bottom-up approach: Start with the lowest level of detail and work your way up to the highest level of detail
- Mixed approach: Use a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches depending on the complexity and clarity of each deliverable or outcome
Decomposing the major deliverables or outcomes into sub-deliverables or components will help you to:
- Define the scope and requirements of each deliverable or outcome more clearly
- Identify any gaps or overlaps in your project scope
- Create a hierarchical structure for your work breakdown structure
Step 4: Break down the sub-deliverables or components into work packages or tasks
The fourth step to creating a work breakdown structure is to break down the sub-deliverables or components into work packages or tasks. These are the smallest units of work that can be assigned, estimated, and tracked.
To break down the sub-deliverables or components into work packages or tasks, you can use criteria such as:
- The 8/80 rule: A work package or task should not take less than 8 hours or more than 80 hours to complete
- The deliverable-oriented rule: A work package or task should have a clear and verifiable deliverable or output
- The responsibility-oriented rule: A work package or task should have a clear and accountable owner or assignee
Breaking down the sub-deliverables or components into work packages or tasks will help you to:
- Estimate the time and cost of each work package or task more accurately
- Assign the resources and responsibilities for each work package or task more effectively
- Monitor and control the progress and performance of each work package or task more easily
Step 5: Assign attributes and codes to each work package or task
The fifth step to creating a work breakdown structure is to assign attributes and codes to each work package or task. Attributes are the characteristics or properties of each work package or task, such as:
- Description: A brief summary of what the work package or task entails
- Duration: The estimated time required to complete the work package or task
- Cost: The estimated budget allocated for the work package or task
- Resources: The people, equipment, materials, and tools needed for the work package or task
- Dependencies: The relationships and dependencies between the work packages or tasks
- Risks: The potential threats and uncertainties that may affect the work package or task
Codes are the identifiers or labels that are used to organize and reference each work package or task, such as:
- WBS code: A unique alphanumeric code that represents the position and level of each work package or task in the hierarchy
- WBS dictionary: A document that defines and explains each WBS code and its corresponding attributes
- WBS numbering system: A standard convention that is used to assign and format each WBS code
Assigning attributes and codes to each work package or task will help you to:
- Provide more details and information about each work package or task
- Enhance the communication and coordination among the project team and stakeholders
- Facilitate the integration and alignment of the WBS with other project management tools and processes
Step 6: Review and validate the work breakdown structure
The sixth and final step to creating a work breakdown structure is to review and validate the work breakdown structure. This is an important step that ensures that your WBS is complete, accurate, and consistent with the project scope and objectives.
To review and validate the work breakdown structure, you can use techniques such as:
- Checklist: A list of questions or criteria that are used to verify and confirm each aspect of the WBS
- Inspection: A formal process that involves examining and evaluating each element of the WBS by a group of experts or reviewers
- Walkthrough: An informal process that involves presenting and explaining each element of the WBS by the project team to the stakeholders or customers
Reviewing and validating the work breakdown structure will help you to:
- Identify and correct any errors, inconsistencies, gaps, overlaps, or ambiguities in your WBS
- Obtain feedback and approval from your project team, stakeholders, and customers on your WBS
- Ensure that your WBS meets the quality standards and expectations of your project
Work breakdown structure example
To illustrate how to create a work breakdown structure, let’s look at an example of a WBS for a software development project. The project objective is to develop a mobile app that allows users to order food from different restaurants and track their delivery status.
Here is the WBS for this project:
As you can see, this WBS uses a product-oriented approach that breaks down the project scope into four major deliverables: app design, app development, app testing, and app deployment. Each major deliverable is further decomposed into sub-deliverables and work packages. Each work package has a WBS code, a description, a duration, a cost, and a responsible person or team.
This WBS helps the project team to plan and manage the project more effectively by providing a clear and comprehensive view of the project scope and requirements.
Conclusion
A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a powerful tool that helps you to plan and manage your projects more effectively. It is a hierarchical decomposition of the project scope into smaller and more manageable deliverables and work packages.
To create a work breakdown structure for your project, you can follow these 6 steps:
- Define the project scope and objectives
- Identify the major deliverables or outcomes
- Decompose the major deliverables or outcomes into sub-deliverables or components
- Break down the sub-deliverables or components into work packages or tasks
- Assign attributes and codes to each work package or task
- Review and validate the work breakdown structure
By creating a work breakdown structure for your project, you can:
- Define the project scope and objectives clearly
- Break down the project into manageable tasks and subtasks
- Assign responsibilities and resources to each task
- Estimate the time and cost of each task
- Monitor and control the project progress and performance
We hope this article has helped you to understand how to create a work breakdown structure for your project. If you need more help with your project management, you can check out our online project management software that helps you to plan, track, and collaborate on your projects with ease.
