Demystifying the WBSFor Pharmaceutical

Product DevelopmentBy

Bill Carswell, Ph.D., PMPAdjunct Professor

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

&

Wanda Whyte, PMP, CSEPSr. Systems Engineer

C&W Associates

Project Scope Management

5.1 Plan Scope Management

5.2 Collect Requirements

5.3 Define Scope

5.4 Create WBS

5.5 Validate Scope

5.6 Control Scope

PMBOK 5th Edition

5.4 Create WBSOutputs

Scope Baseline

Project Document Updates

Scope Baseline

Contains three elementsScope Statement

WBS

WBS Dictionary

The WBS“Provides a vision of what has to be delivered”

The process of subdividing project deliverables and project work into smaller, more manageable components.

Deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition

Key WBS DefinitionsPMBOK 5th Ed. p. 125/6

“Work” refers to products or deliverables that are the result of activities, not the activities themselves.

The Scope Baseline (which includes the WBS) is an input to schedule development (not the other way around).

What Makes a “Quality” WBS?

“Project activities are not listed, as these are components of the project schedule, not the WBS.”

“All (WBS) elements are nouns. Verbs are not use to identify WBS elements.”

(Schedule activities are written with the verb/object sentence structure – from the PMI Scheduling practice standard)

From PMI WBS Practice Standard, 2nd Ed., Section 5.5.1

WBS “Graphical” Structure

Airplane WBS

WBS “Tabular” Structure

Airplane WBS

Airplane WBS

Services WBS

Product Development WBS

Other WBS ExamplesPMI WBS Practice Standard 2nd Ed.

Oil, Gas & Petrochemical (Appendix E)

Environmental Management (Appendix F)

Process Improvement (Appendix G)

Process Plant Construction (Appendix I)

Service Ind. Outsourcing (Appendix J)

Other WBS ExamplesPMI WBS Practice Standard 2nd Ed.

Web Design (Appendix K)

Telecom (Appendix L)

Refinery Turnaround (Appendix M)

Gov’t. Design/Bid/Build (Appendix N)

Software Implementation (Appendix O)

How Much Detail in the WBS?From PMBOK5 5.4.2.2

Deciding on a Work Package levelSome deliverables need to be decomposed only to the next level

Others need additional decomposition

As work is decomposed to greater levels, the ability to plan, manage and control the work is enhanced

Use your judgment

How Much Detail in the WBS?From PMBOK5 Section 5.4.2.2

Excessive Decomposition leads toNon-productive management effort

Inefficient use of resources

Decreased efficiency

How Much Detail in the WBS?From PMBOK5 Section 5.4.2.2

Premature DecompositionThere may be insufficient information about elements that will not be worked until far in the future

Wait until the WBS element is sufficiently understood to plan and decompose it

Use Rolling Wave Planning

The WBS is NOT a Schedule

This is not a WBS. This is a numbered schedule:•Project Activities do not belong in the WBS.•The WBS consists of nouns, not verbs. •The WBS (as part of the Scope Baseline) is an input to the schedule development processes, not an output.

Tabular WBS with Brief Dictionary

“The Golden Thread of PM”

TheDetailed WBS

Dictionary

Summary Page

The Golden Thread Detailed Worksheet

Uses of The Golden Thread

Detailed activities feed schedule

Cost numbers feed budget

Labor hours & categories feed human resource Plan

Material and subcontracts feed procurement plan.

Scope description feeds quality plan

Risk items feed risk register

WBS Development forNew Pharmaceutical Product

(Live interactive development with audience)