A great project manager must be able to use Work Breakdown Structure, the most important tool in project managing.
It’s a complex tool, let’s face the facts. It requires creativity, knowledge, experience.
You should read the Work Breakdown Structure and take the time reading the notes. It will improve your project management skills.
WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) is “A deliverable-oriented hierarchical structure of the work to be completed by project team in order to achieve project objectives and create the required deliverables.” It organizes and defines all aspects. Each level is a more detailed description about the project work…
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Example of a Work Breakdown Structure in Software Projects
Example of a Work Breakdown Structure in a Construction Project
WBS Dictionary Example + Real-life WBS Examples
In-depth Guide to Work Structure Breakdown
Example of a Work Breakdown Structure in Software Projects
Click to see a larger version. Annotation to Work Breakdown Schema for Software Development Project
Let me briefly highlight key concepts in this WBS. Next, I’ll show you the WBS Dictionary.
Point 1: Product Vision at the Top
The top of any structure is where you will find the final product, service, or result. It should reflect your vision for the entire scope.
All deliverables must be combined into one cohesive product/service.
Point 2: Phases & Major Deliverables
At the second level, your major deliverables must be completed. These elements have 1-7 WBS codes.
This level can also be used for describing the phases of a project such as Initiation or Requirements.
They are also a product of the project’s lifetime.
However, I do NOT recommend phases for software development projects. The only exception is when you have a fixed-price contract.
Let me elaborate…
These are the stages in software development. These stages represent the current state of the product.
Alpha is, for example. It’s the state in which developers have completed their implementation and tested their work. It is also the state in which the quality assurance team has started testing the product. It is an interim deliverable.
Logistically, it may seem convenient to place Alpha and Beta, RC, and other major deliverables at a second level. You’ll then decompose them all, and work towards delivering Alpha.
However, it will mean that any feature or requirement will be included in all major deliverables.
There is, for example, development work in Alpha and testing in Beta. Beta also fixes bugs. RC final testing is the last. It will be difficult for these work packages to be tracked and decomposed.
Here’s another catch!
What about requests for changes?
For example, you might have delivered an Alpha product to a customer.
Later, he requested modification and added a new feature. What do you do now? What can you do now?
I don’t recommend listing life cycle stages as major deliverables. This will create chaos in project execution. Below is an example of the stages of the life cycle.
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These “Back End”, Infrastructure, and “Mobil App” elements are obvious. They look like deliverables.
But what about the “Integration?” thing (rightmost portion).
A quality WBS can contain information about the project’s lifecycle or specific elements that describe it. It is one of them.
You must create.
