Work Breakdown

Structure Trees

by Spencer Hill
 What will be covered
• Work Breakdown Structure Trees (WBST) defined
• A brainstorming exercise: How can WBST be used in your
organization?
• Nuts and Bolts: WBST explained
• How it works
• A real world example
• An exercise
• Summary
• Suggested reading
 WBST are instrumental in. . .
• Identifying all the tasks for a particular project
• Organizing those items into levels (categorized as
phases, deliverables, activities, and tasks)
• Creating a framework as the first step in
constructing a detailed project plan and schedule
 WBST defined
Work Breakdown Structures Trees function as
a hierarchical framework to organize a
project
Level 1

Level 2 Level 2

Level 3 Level 3 Level 3

Level 4 Level 4
 WBST benefits
WBST can eliminate problems before they
occur
 WBST benefits
WBST are instrumental in creating an
organized structure of a complex project,
which may include:
• Multiple phases
• Several team members working together
How can Work Breakdown Structure
Trees benefit your organization?
Nuts and Bolts: WBST explained
Level 1  Phases

Phase
Nuts and Bolts: WBST explained
Level 2  Major deliverables and related
milestones

Phase

Deliverable Milestone
Nuts and Bolts: WBST explained
Level 3  Activities

Phase

Deliverable Milestone

Activity Activity Activity

Nuts and Bolts: WBST explained
Level 4  Tasks

Phase

Deliverable Milestone

Activity Activity Activity

Task Task
Nuts and Bolts: WBST explained
More detail levels are required for projects that are:
• Complex
• Larger in scope
• New to your group (or organization)
• More susceptible to change
Nuts and Bolts: WBST explained
When do you know when you have enough detail?
• When one owner can be assigned
• When clearly defined outputs exist on the task
level
• When quality can be monitored based on the
criteria established on the lowest level
• When each task is small enough that realistic time
requirements can be applied
Nuts and Bolts: WBST explained
A general rule:

The lowest level tasks should each have a duration

of 2-20 days and an effort level that requires no
more than one week of one person’s time
Nuts and Bolts: WBST explained
Possible omissions from your WBST that could lead
to delays:
• Project review and approvals
• Testing
• Training
• Meeting with management
• Meeting with customers
• Quality review and troubleshooting
 How it works
To create to a work breakdown structure tree:
• Involve the entire project team
• Create each level collaboratively
• Publish a draft for the team to review
• Solicit feedback
 A real world example

Creating a promotional DVD

 Creating a promotional DVD
For creating a promotional DVD one might
choose these Level 1 phases:
• Creating the concept
• Designing the DVD
• Creating the DVD prototype
• Selecting a vendor
• Producing and mailing
 Creating a
promotional
DVD

LEVEL1

Creating the
Creating the Designing Selecting a Producing
DVD
concept the DVD vendor and mailing
prototype
 Creating a promotional DVD
Level 2. Deliverables and Milestones.

If we focus on the third Level 1 item: “Creating the

DVD prototype”, we find that there are two Level
2 deliverables/milestones:
• Content creation and editing
• DVD testing
 Creating a
promotional
DVD

Creating the
Creating the Designing Selecting a Producing
DVD
concept the DVD vendor and mailing
prototype

Content
LEVEL2 creation and DVD testing
editing
 Creating a promotional DVD
Level 3: Activities.

For example, “Content creation and editing” includes

these activities:
• Developing the video
• Developing the narrative
• Reviewing the prototype
 Creating a
promotional
DVD

Creating the
Creating the Designing the Selecting a Producing
DVD
concept DVD vendor and mailing
prototype

Content
creation and DVD testing
Content Creation
editing
and Editing

LEVEL3 Developing the Developing the Reviewing the

video narrative prototype
 Creating a promotional DVD
Level 4: Tasks.

“Developing the video” may include:

• Filming
• Reviewing the filmed scenes
• Editing the filmed segments
• Compiling the edited segments together
 Creating a
promotional
DVD

Creating the
Creating the Designing Selecting a Producing
DVD
concept the DVD vendor and mailing

Developing
prototype

Content
the video
creation and DVD Testing
editing

Develop- Develop- Reviewing

ing the ing the the
video narrative prototype

Compiling
Reviewing Editing the
the edited
Filming the filmed filmed
segments
scenes segments
together
Compiling
Reviewing Editing the
the edited
Filming the filmed filmed
segments
LEVEL4 segments segments
together
 An exercise
Create the first two levels of the Work
Breakdown Structure Tree for creating a
website
 Summary
• Work Breakdown Structure Trees are instrumental
in creating an organized project
• Level 1  Phases
• Level 2  Milestones and Deliverables
• Level 3  Activities
• Level 4  Tasks
• Make sure the amount of detail fits with the
overall complexity of the project
 Suggested reading
• 'Breaking Down' The Work Breakdown Structure. By: Clark, James J.;
Littrel, Philip D.. Program Manager, Mar/Apr2002, Vol. 31 Issue 2,
p104, 4p, 3 diagrams, 1c
• Significance of WBS in Contingency Modeling. By: Zhao, John
Gengxin. AACE International Transactions, 2006, p5.1-5.5, 5p
• The Keys to Forecasting--#2 Work Breakdown Structure. By: Baar,
James E.; Jacobson, Stephen M.. Cost Engineering, Mar2004, Vol. 46
Issue 3, p12-14, 3p
• Work Breakdown Structures. By: Winn, Michael Tim. Contract
Management, May2007, Vol. 47 Issue 5, p16-21, 6p, 1 chart, 1
diagram;
 Suggested reading (continued)
• Use of a WBS Matrix to Improve Interface Management in Projects.
By: Chua, David K. H.; Godinot, Myriam. Journal of Construction
Engineering & Management, Jan2006, Vol. 132 Issue 1, p67-79, 13p,
1 chart, 10 diagrams; DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-
9364(2006)132:1(67);
• Work and Resource Breakdown Structures for Formalized Bottom-Up
Estimating. By: Rad, Parviz F.; Cioffi, Denis F.. Cost Engineering,
Feb2004, Vol. 46 Issue 2, p31-37, 7p
• Managing the Project. By: Linton, Jonathan. Circuits Assembly,
Jun2006, Vol. 17 Issue 6, p12-14, 3p
 Suggested reading (continued)
• Haugen, Gregory T. (2002). Effective Work Breakdown Structures.
Management Concepts.
• Project Management Institute (October 2006). Project Management
Institute Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second
Edition. Project Management Institute.
(optional CD-ROM available)

• Online: Project Management Institute (www.pmi.org)

• Online: http://www.projectconnections.com/templates/detail/plan-
development-work-breakdown.html