Wbs, you begin with the desired outcome or product, which you then break down or. A work breakdown structure separates data, services, a product, or all three, depending on the. A work breakdown structure with common elements 70 figure 12. Format 1 defines cost and schedule performance data by productoriented work breakdown structure wbs. The aircraft modification business carries out a great.
How to create a product oriented work breakdown structure. All about work breakdown structures wbs smartsheet. The productoriented wbs begins with the end product at the highest level such as spacecraft and subdivides the work content into lowerlevel elements until sufficient detail is achieved for management or cost estimating purposes. This document is a great source of analyzing the way of work through different parts of project.
This new work breakdown structure is a crossshipyard hierarchical representation of work associated with the design and production of a ship using todays industry practice. This is a free work breakdown structure wbs template in excel and pdf. Download limit exceeded you have exceeded your daily download allowance. To put it simply, a work breakdown structure or wbs is an essential project deliverable which is used to systemize the work of the team into sections which are easier to manage. The work breakdown structure wbs provides a hierarchical structure of project activity.
This is when making a work breakdown structure or a work breakdown structure template is essential. Pdf many people have mistaken wbs as a list of tasks, a schedule or an. Covers orientation, analyzing, development and implementation phases of an engineering project to build a solar vehicle. The wbs dictionary is produced in conjunction with the wbs to store relevant detailed information in support of the planning process. Work breakdown structure an introduction to software project. It is a fundamental tool commonly used in project management and systems engineering. Applying work breakdown structure to project lifecycle. 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 a work breakdown structure permits summing of subordinate costs for tasks. W ork b reakdown s tructure a project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or productoriented grouping of project work elements shown in graphical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project. Different peoples working within the field of project management has different understanding of what wbs and pbs means. At the same time the links between the practice of wbs work breakdown structure and its intention for planning and control are in keeping with the original intent of ijpm. Without a doubt, the wbs is the cornerstone of every program. The wbs is a productoriented, hierarchical depiction of all work elements. Work breakdown structures mosaic project services pty ltd.
A wbs relates the elements of work to one another and to the end product. With uniformity of definition and a consistent approach used for development of a wbs, the result is improved communication throughout the program lifecycle process. This standard offers uniformity in definition and consistency of approach for developing all levels of the wbs. A pbs is often also called as product oriented work breakdown structure. However, there are clear analogies and rules of thumb to. The first question that someone should ask is why use a work breakdown structure at all. Work breakdown structure in project management edit, fill.
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. Thus the ideal way to subdivide ship construction work is to focus on the needed parts and subassemblies, ie. The fbs details not products, but operations or activities that should be performed. A work breakdown structure is especially useful for bigger projects that involve many elements. Work breakdown structure essay example graduateway. Pdf impact of various workbreakdown structures on project. A deliverableoriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the. The resulting briefing document produced by the apm is summarised here with some additional commentary. The functional breakdown structure fbs and its relationship. A work breakdown structure is one of the most useful things you can have on a project. To save you time and facilitate the process of creating a work breakdown structure, you can use a prebuilt wbs template. You may not believe how often i get asked that exact question. The output of scope management is a specification that may be presented as a product breakdown structure pbs showing the deliverables and a work breakdown structure wbs showing the work required to produce them long answer.
Wbs product oriented wbs parts list process oriented wbs actions use action from isom 300 at ball state university. Wbs examples for a software project, construction projects, a conference, finding a job. What is wbs work breakdown structure in project management. Wbs shipbuilding process shipbuilding process started with the design and end of with delivery to. Download now and start creating your wbs in minutes. Product breakdown structure pbs and work breakdown structure wbs are widely used in project management.
Here i give you an example and the process to understand how to create a product oriented work breakdown structure. For a project to be properly managed, there is a need to generate its work breakdown structure wbs, and to define work packages so that they can be correctly assigned to organizational units. Considerable thought and planning should be given to its development and implementation so that subsequent changes are. Work breakdown structure a work breakdown structure wbs in project management and systems engineering, is a tool that defines a project and groups the projects discrete work elements in a way that helps organize and define the total work scope of the project. A scheme to subdivide work in accordance with art interim product view, is a product oriented work breakdown structure. 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. Unlike a work breakdown structure wbs, the fbs is a functionoriented tree, not a productoriented tree. Maritime administration in cooperation with coatings. While the term work breakdown structure was not used, pert organized the activities into productoriented categories. The submission of format 1 data shall utilize a product oriented wbs at the level established by tailoring the appropriate milstd881 current version in use at time of contract award appendix by the program office and approved by an offices designated by osd policy. May 28, 20 product breakdown structure pbs and work breakdown structure wbs are widely used in project management. Even though the term work breakdown structure has been used as a label for all project scope hierarchical diagrams, there are, in practice, many types other than deliverable oriented structures. Work breakdown structures a work breakdown structure 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. A productoriented work breakdown structure 66 figure 11.
Pdf software project scope verification is a very important process in project scope management and it needs to be. The work breakdown structure, generally abbreviated wbs, is a key project deliverable that is used to manage a project works and assigning the works to teams. In this article, weve rounded up the most common wbs templates, all of which are fully customizable and free to download. It is a productoriented grouping of project scope elements shown in graphical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project. The importance of the wbs experienced project managers know there are many things that can go wrong in projects. Systemsoriented work breakdown structure the conventional systemsoriented work breakdown structures are useful for initial estimates and the early design. While the term work breakdown structure was not used, pert organized the activities into product oriented categories. The wbs was originally developed by the us department of defense, which mandated their use across the dod. A wbs is a productoriented hierarchical structure that may be composed of products, material, equipment, engineering, services, data, support facilities, and related tasks that make up a project. Today, work breakdown structures are widely used for projects of all types, both business and personal. Office of engineering and construction management work breakdown structure a project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or product oriented grouping of project work elements shown in graphical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project. P a g e 3 work breakdown structures a work breakdown structure 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. A scheme to subdivide work in accordance with art interimproduct view, is a productoriented work breakdown structure. Work breakdown structure in project management edit.
A work breakdown structure wbs is a chart in which the critical work elements, called tasks, of a project are illustrated to portray their relationships to each other and to the project as a whole. The benefit of uniformity in the generation of work breakdown. Work breakdown structure wbs template free visio excel. 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. Wbs work breakdown structure, planning and control constitute only 10. The need for a productoriented work breakdown structure which conforms with the way a ship is built was identified for u. A work breakdown structure wbs is a project management tool designed to capture project tasks in a visual, organized manner.
This paper argues that a deliverable oriented wbs is a tool for software scope verification. They are not appropriate for planning, scheduling, and executing a zoneoriented manufacturing process. This handbook is an update to milhdbk881, work breakdown structures for defense materiel items. Product versus work breakdown structure project manager. The work breakdown structure forms the basis for reporting structures used for contracts requiring compliance with the earned value management system evms criteria and reports placed on contract such as contractor cost data. Maritime administration in cooperation with coatings program. The work breakdown structure provides subdivisions of project objectives, based on a network plan linking all levels of the wbs, from the highest client to the lowest specific job. A work breakdown structure wbs provides a consistent and visible framework for defense materiel items and contracts within a program. A project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or productoriented grouping of project work elements shown in graphical display to organize and. Learn more about advantages, design principles, and download templates. Why should i use a productoriented work breakdown structure wbs. Wbs product oriented wbs parts list process oriented wbs.
Even though the term work breakdown structure has been used as a label for all project scope hierarchical diagrams, there are, in practice, many types other than deliverable oriented structures verboriented wbs. The need for a product oriented work breakdown structure which conforms with the way a ship is built was identified for u. Because the wbs will give you a view about what you need to. Unfortunately, the business pressures driving projects have often prevented project managers from developing a comprehensive wbs. Haugan, now retired, has a long history in project management starting with dod projects in 1960.
This paper reports the results of a cooperative effort on the part of shipyards, academia, and the navy to develop a generic productoriented work breakdown structure. Edit, fill, sign, download work breakdown structure in project management online on. Work breakdown structure a project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or productoriented grouping of project work elements shown in graphical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project. 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. Format 1 includes cost and schedule performance data by productoriented work breakdown structure wbs elements and includes hardware, software, and services. They could cause problems such as work packages which are too large for effective control of material, manhours, and schedules. Provides details about one work activity one particular work activity is defined provides a complete description of the work in sufficient detail to ensure a common understating among stakeholders, especially the team or individual that will perform the work wbs dictionary. See a large image and download a visio or pdf of the wbs. Free work breakdown structure templates smartsheet. I followed this process to create a work break down structure for a recommendation system this process is applicable to any kind of project how to create a product oriented work breakdown structure for a recommendation system. A scheme to subdivide work in accordance with an interim product view is a productoriented work breakdown structures pwbs.
A work breakdown structure template is a crucial document which helps to break down your work into small pieces for easily determining its procedure of completion. 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. It is the connecting point for work and cost estimates, schedule information, actual work effortcost expenditures, and accountability. With a work breakdown structure, you can stay focused on what you need to. This paper reports the results of a cooperative effort on the part of shipyards, academia, and the navy to develop a generic product oriented work breakdown structure.
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. Applying the work breakdown structure to the project. Work breakdown structure template free excel powerpoint vision format work breakdown structure template. Unlike a work breakdown structure wbs, the fbs is a functionoriented tree, not a product oriented tree. What is the difference between product breakdown structure pbs and a work breakdown structure wbs. Benefits of a deliverables based wbs vicki james, pmp. 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.
The work breakdown structure wbs has long served as a valuable tool in helping project managers plan deliverables and detail project scope. Benefits of a deliverables based wbs 1 comment posted by vicki james on july 12, 2010 there is an ongoing confusion in the world of project management regarding the work breakdown structure wbs. Aug, 2015 i was recently involved in a virtual discussion on the uks association for project management apm website around the use and differences between a product breakdown structure pbs and a work breakdown structure wbs. The need for a product oriented work breakdown struc. The following discussion will examine the current trends and practice regarding work breakdown structures. Printable and fillable work breakdown structure in project management. According to pmbok, work refers to work products or deliverables that. The graphical nature of the wbs can help a project manager predict outcomes based on various scenarios, which can ensure that optimum decisions. Product breakdown structure vs work breakdown structure. A scheme to subdivide work in accordance with an interim product view is a product oriented work breakdown structures pwbs. But to confront the challenges of working in todays volatile economic environment, project managers are increasingly using. A work breakdown structure wbs provides a consistent and visible framework for a program. The work breakdown structure wbs defines the work scope of a project. The graphical nature of the wbs can help a project manager predict outcomes based on various scenarios, which can ensure that optimum decisions are made about whether or not to adopt suggested.
Format 2 provides the same data by the contractors organization functional or integrated product team ipt structure. The way a wbs is defined depends on the person and hisher viewpoint. Doe office of management, budget and evaluation work breakdown structure project management practices guide, revision e dated june 2003. Free 30day wbs software trial pmbok work breakdown structure. Work breakdown structure relativistic heavy ion collider. The need for a productoriented work breakdown struc. Deliverableoriented wbs structures are the preferred type according to. Format 2 defines cost and schedule performance data by the contractors organizational structure e. Benefits of a deliverables based wbs vicki james, pmp, cbap. A wbs can be oriented around deliverables or around project phases and milestones for a. A sensitivity analysis that creates a range around a point estimate 150.