1WBS 4b

Work Breakdown Structure - WBS

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2WBS 4b

Project planning

• One of the first tasks is to break the large tasks into small tasks. • find identifiable parts of the tasks• find deliverables and milestones

• measure progress.

3WBS 4b

WBS – Tree Structure

• usually a tree structure. • top level matches the life cycle model • next level should match model • further levels may be used to partition large

tasks

4WBS 4b

WBS Tree Structure

LC model

PM

tasks

5WBS 4b

Rule 1- clarity

• Every task and deliverable description must be understandable and un-ambiguous

• The purpose of a wbs is communication with team members. If the team members misinterpret what the task or deliverable is supposed to be, there will be problems.

6WBS 4b

Rule 2 - completion

• Every task must have a completion criterion (often a deliverable) 

• There must be a way to decide when a task is completed, because subtasks that have no definite ending encourage false expectations of progress.

• It may be a deliverable, for example, a complete design for the project and then a peer review can decide if it is complete.

7WBS 4b

Rule 3 - artifacts

• All deliverables (artifacts) must be identified 

• A deliverable must be produced by some tasks or it won’t be produced.

8WBS 4b

Rule 4 – whole task

• Positive completion of the tasks must imply completion of the whole task 

• The purpose of the wbs is to identify the subtasks necessary to complete the whole task. If important tasks or deliverables are missing, the whole task will not be accomplished

9WBS 4b

Bread Making Example• Tasks for Making Bread• Choose ingredients, Check on ingredients, Assemble ingredients, Add liquids, Add yeast, Add small amount of flour, Make sponge (yeast and liquids), Let rise first time, Add remaining flour, Knead, Let rise second time, Form into loaves, Let rise third time, Bake, Slice, Butter, Eat, and Clean up

10WBS 4b

LC Model

select food

cook food

assemble ingredients

eat food

clean up

11WBS 4b

Process Model

recipe

food

ingredients

mix

cook

uncooked food

cook

12WBS 4b

WBS TreeSelect food Choose ingredientsCheck on ingredients Assemble ingredients Assemble ingredients Cook food mix Add liquids

Add yeastAdd small amount of flourMake sponge (yeast and liquids)Let rise first timeAdd remaining flourKneadLet rise second timeForm into loavesLet rise third time

Cook Bake Eat Slice

ButterEat

 Clean up Clean up

13WBS 4b

L4bS13 - WBS• Determine the list of tasks for the following problem – 15

pts, due Thursday, 6/21• Tom and Sue are starting a bed-and-breakfast in a small

New England town. They will have 3 bedrooms for guests. They want a system to manage the reservations and to monitor expenses and profits. When a potential customer calls for a reservation, they will check the calendar and if there is a vacancy, they will enter the customer name, address, phone number, dates, agreed upon price, credit card number and room number(s). Reservations must be guaranteed by one day’s payment.

• Reservations will be held without guarantee for an agreed upon time. If not guaranteed by that date, the reservation will be dropped.