In: Operations Management
Week 3 Discussion: Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
* The project is building and opening up a small 24 hour coffee shop*
The work breakdown structure can be confusing, especially for new project managers. Despite its name, it doesn’t actually involve breaking down work; it involves breaking down deliverables.
This, among others, is one of several reasons why you need a thorough understanding of the work breakdown structure before you can create your own.
What is a WBS or Work Breakdown Structure?
A Work Breakdown Structure is the foundation of the project as seen through the project management professional certification training. A WBS has many benefits that will ease the project team’s work during the project life cycle. It helps to better manage, estimate, coordinate and monitor the project. But how is this achieved?
WBS Project Management subdivides project deliverables and project work into smaller and manageable components, or levels. WBS levels are branched in a hierarchical way.
* The numbers next to each item indicate the number of hours or resources required to complete the work. The sum of all these must be 100 at each level. This is the oft-quoted “100% rule” - that the sum of the work at each “child” level must be 100% of the work at the “parent” level.
WBS Levels
For This Discussion
Creation of four-level WBS - Home Improvements
WBS Dictionary
WBS Level |
WBS code |
WBS Name |
WBS description |
1 |
1 |
Home Improvements |
Improve home structure and surroundings |
2 |
1.1 |
outside work |
Improve outside area of home |
3 |
1.1.1 |
Lawn Care |
Lawn care |
4 |
1.1.1.1 |
Cutting Grass |
cutting of grass |
4 |
1.1.1.2 |
Fertilizing |
Fertilization of plants |
3 |
1.1.2 |
Gardening |
Gardeing activity |
4 |
1.1.2.1 |
Planting shrubs |
plantiing new shrubs |
2 |
1.2 |
Inside work |
doing inside home work |
3 |
1.2.1 |
Trim Work |
Trim work on walls |
4 |
1.2.1.1 |
crown molding |
crown molding for cabinets |
4 |
1.2.1.2 |
baseboards |
wooden baseboard |