WBS, Work Breakdown Structure
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| + | This article examines the WBS, an acronym for Work Breakdown Structure. As a project manager it is important to possess certain competencies and qualities to achieve a successful project. However, personal skills such as communication, conflict management and being motivational are not sufficient on its own to make a project successful. As a project manager it is crucial to be aware and recognize the usefulness of various tools and concepts to help consider all aspects of a project, ranging from purpose, risks and planning. | ||
| + | The Work Breakdown Structure is a common tool used in project management to establish an overview of the project and to divide tasks into smaller and more manageable sections. This is a powerful concept when planning complex projects because it visualizes the scope of the project in a hierarchical way, and furthermore because it helps identify key process groups, such as Project Planning, Scheduling, Risk- and Resource Management, Team Management, etc. | ||
| + | This article aims at providing an overall understanding of the WBS, including its purpose, different types, various levels and specific elements. Constructing a detailed WBS is essential to create the best project overview, however, it is equally crucial to go just deep enough, so that the WBS does not get confusing. Examples of a Work Breakdown Structure and illustrations are included to emphasize the theory and solidify its purpose. | ||
| + | Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of the Work Breakdown Structure are presented to clarify the strengths and weaknesses of using this tool. | ||
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| + | == Introduction == | ||
| + | “The art of simplicity is a puzzle of complexity” (Douglas Horton) | ||
| + | A puzzle consists of many small pieces that together create art. Likewise, a project also consists of many small tasks executed by many different people. Separating the project into smaller pieces of doable tasks makes it possible to delegate. Coordinating these smaller tasks, so that they together contribute to the purpose of the project, as the small puzzle pieces fit together, makes every piece integrated. As the project evolves it needs to be able to adapt to changes. | ||
Revision as of 15:02, 20 February 2022
Abstract
This article examines the WBS, an acronym for Work Breakdown Structure. As a project manager it is important to possess certain competencies and qualities to achieve a successful project. However, personal skills such as communication, conflict management and being motivational are not sufficient on its own to make a project successful. As a project manager it is crucial to be aware and recognize the usefulness of various tools and concepts to help consider all aspects of a project, ranging from purpose, risks and planning. The Work Breakdown Structure is a common tool used in project management to establish an overview of the project and to divide tasks into smaller and more manageable sections. This is a powerful concept when planning complex projects because it visualizes the scope of the project in a hierarchical way, and furthermore because it helps identify key process groups, such as Project Planning, Scheduling, Risk- and Resource Management, Team Management, etc. This article aims at providing an overall understanding of the WBS, including its purpose, different types, various levels and specific elements. Constructing a detailed WBS is essential to create the best project overview, however, it is equally crucial to go just deep enough, so that the WBS does not get confusing. Examples of a Work Breakdown Structure and illustrations are included to emphasize the theory and solidify its purpose. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of the Work Breakdown Structure are presented to clarify the strengths and weaknesses of using this tool.
Introduction
“The art of simplicity is a puzzle of complexity” (Douglas Horton) A puzzle consists of many small pieces that together create art. Likewise, a project also consists of many small tasks executed by many different people. Separating the project into smaller pieces of doable tasks makes it possible to delegate. Coordinating these smaller tasks, so that they together contribute to the purpose of the project, as the small puzzle pieces fit together, makes every piece integrated. As the project evolves it needs to be able to adapt to changes.
