Work breakdown structures : the foundation for project management excellence

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) has emerged as a foundational concept and tool in Project Management. It is an enabler that ensures clear definition and communication of project scope while performing a critical role as a monitoring and controlling tool. Created by the three experts who led the development of PMI®'s Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures , Second Edition, this much-needed text expands on what the standard covers and describes how to go about successfully implementing the WBS within the project life cycle, from initiation and planning through project closeout.

Filling the gap in the literature on the WBS, Work Breakdown Structures: The Foundation for Project Management Excellence gives the reader an understanding of:

The background and key concepts of the WBS WBS core characteristics, decomposition, representations, and tools Project initiation and the WBS, including contracts, agreements, and Statements of Work (SOW) Deliverable-based and activity-based management Using the WBS as a basis for procurement and financial planning Quality, risk, resource, and communication planning with the WBS The WBS in the executing, monitoring, and controlling phases New concepts regarding the representation of project and program scope Verifying project closeout with the WBS

Using a real-life project as an example throughout the book, the authors show how the WBS first serves to document and collect information during the initiating and planning phases of a project. Then, during the executing phase, the authors demonstrate how the WBS transitions to an active role of project decision-support, serving as a reference and a source for control and measurement.

(PMI is a registered mark of Project Management Institute, Inc.)

Author Notes

Eric S. Norman, PMP, PgMP, is a strategic project and program management consultant
Shelly A. Brotherton, PMP, is a senior project and program management leader
Robert T. Fried, PMP, is a director responsible for project and program management with a globally recognized enterprise management software company

Preface	p. vii
Foreword	p. xv
Part I Introduction To WBS Concepts	p. 1
1 Background and Key Concepts	p. 3
Chapter Overview	p. 3
Work Breakdown Structures	p. 4
Defining Work Breakdown Structures	p. 5
Importance of the WBS	p. 7
WBS Lesson Learned: A Brief Illustration	p. 8
WBS Concepts	p. 12
Describing the WBS	p. 12
The House Metaphor-A Consistent Example	p. 14
Chapter Summary	p. 15
2 Applying WBS Attributes and Concepts	p. 19
Chapter Overview	p. 19
WBS Attributes	p. 19
WBS Core Characteristics	p. 20
WBS Use-Related Characteristics	p. 25
WBS Decomposition	p. 28
WBS in Projects, Programs, Portfolios, and the Enterprise	p. 30
WBS Representations	p. 32
WBS Tools	p. 36
Chapter Summary	p. 38
Part II WBS Application In Projects	p. 41
3 Project Initiation and the WBS	p. 43
Chapter Overview	p. 43
Project Charter	p. 44
Preliminary Project Scope Statement	p. 46
Contracts, Agreements, Statements of Work (SOW)	p. 49
Chapter Summary	p. 50
4 Defining Scope through the WBS	p. 53
Chapter Overview	p. 53
Product Scope Description	p. 53
Project Scope Statement (Scope Definition)	p. 54
Work Breakdown Structure	p. 55
Beginning with the Elaborated WBS	p. 60
Use-Related Characteristics	p. 62
WBS Dictionary	p. 65
Deliverable-Based Management	p. 67
Activity-Based Management	p. 67
Scope Baseline	p. 68
Acceptance Criteria	p. 68
Chapter Summary	p. 70
5 The WBS in Procurement and Financial Planning	p. 75
Chapter Overview	p. 75
Build versus Buy Decisions	p. 75
Cost Estimating	p. 77
Cost Budgeting	p. 79
Cost Breakdown Structure	p. 80
Chapter Summary	p. 81
6 Quality, Risk, Resource and Communication Planning with the WBS	p. 85
Chapter Overview	p. 85
Approaching Quality, Resource and Risk Planning	p. 87
Using Existing Templates and Processes	p. 89
Creating Processes to Support the Project	p. 92
Utilizing the WBS as a Basis for Process Development	p. 92
Employing the WBS and WBS Dictionary	p. 94
The Whole is not Greater than the Sum of its Parts-it Equals Precisely 100% of the Sum of its Parts	p. 94
Examining Process Considerations	p. 96
Communications Planning Using the WBS as a Foundation	p. 99
Developing the Communications Plan	p. 101
The Communications Matrix	p. 102
The Hierarchy of Information	p. 103
The Meeting Matrix	p. 107
Chapter Summary	p. 109
7 The WBS as a Starting Point for Schedule Development	p. 111
Chapter Overview	p. 111
Demystifying the Transition from the WBS to the Project Schedule	p. 113
Putting These Concepts to Work	p. 117
The WBS in Hierarchical Outline Form	p. 118
Identifying Dependencies between Scope Elements	p. 119
Representing Scope Sequence and Dependency	p. 119
Creating a High-Level Scope Sequence Representation	p. 120
The Concept of Inclusion	p. 121
The Scope Relationship Diagram	p. 125
Creating a Scope Dependency Plan	p. 129
Chapter Summary	p. 132
8 The WBS in Action	p. 137
Chapter Overview	p. 137
Acquiring the Project Team	p. 138
Directing and Managing Project Execution and Integrated Change Management	p. 140
Performing Scope Management	p. 141
Scope Management and the Triple Constraint	p. 142
Reviewing the Relationship with Other Project Management Processes	p. 143
Performing Quality Assurance	p. 144
Performing Scope Verification	p. 144
Chapter Summary	p. 145
9 Ensuring Success through the WBS	p. 147
Chapter Overview	p. 147
Project Performance Management	p. 148
Scope	p. 149
Schedule	p. 149
Cost	p. 150
Planned versus Actual	p. 151
Stakeholder Management	p. 152
Chapter Summary	p. 153
10 Verifying Project Closeout with the WBS	p. 155
Chapter Overview	p. 155
Project Closeout	p. 155
Acceptance / Turnover / Support / Maintenance	p. 156
Contract Closure	p. 156
Project Closeout	p. 157
Chapter Summary	p. 157
Part III WBS For Project Management Decomposition	p. 159
11 A Project Management WBS	p. 161
Chapter Overview	p. 161
Organization Options for a Project Management WBS	p. 162
Project Management WBS Components Aligned with the PMBOK Guide-Third Edition	p. 165
Project Management WBS Lite	p. 168
Chapter Summary	p. 170
A Final Word	p. 170
Appendix A Project Charter Example	p. 173
Appendix B Project Scope Statement Example	p. 179
Appendix C Project Management WBS Examples	p. 187
Appendix D Answers to Chapter Questions	p. 253
Index	p. 275

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Table of Contents