Work Breakdown Structure

Abstract

It is beyond any reasonable doubt that the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the foundation of planning, estimating, scheduling, and monitoring any kind of activities. With its contribution an outline of common reference for all schedules and better estimates is ensured. A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the process of subdividing project deliverables and project work into smaller, more manageable components. More specifically, it 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.

The purpose of this wiki-article is not only to thoroughly describe the capabilities and restrains of this method but also to provide guidance concerning the techniques that can be used for the effective implementation of project Work Breakdown Structures.

Introduction

Historical Retrospection

The first forms of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) were developed by the U.S. Department of Defense with a view to improving their missile systems at mid-1960s. The fundamental concept of the WBS and the practices around its use were initially established by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the purpose of planning and regulating broad procurement projects whose primary objective was the development and delivery of weapons and space systems respectively. These projects generally involved a lot of industrial contractors each with responsibility for independent segments of the system and were also managed by a central administrative office. In this environment, the WBS was used to “…ensure that the total project is fully planned and that all derivative plans contribute directly to the desired objectives” (NASA, 1962).