Have you ever started work on a project only to look at it and have your brain nearly explode from the sheer amount of data, tasks and deliverables that need to be completed and handed over to stakeholders and clients? If so, you could benefit from a work breakdown structure (WBS), which takes large, complex projects and turns them into smaller, more manageable phases and tasks that wonβt take your lunch and eat it.
In this handy guide, Iβll explain what a work breakdown structure is, as well as common WBS terminology and why they are important in the world of project management. Iβll also break down how to create your own WBS, offer WBS best practices and recommend some project management software that can help you get a handle on the most complex projects.
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What Is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?
A work breakdown structure is a tool that helps project managers take large projects and break them down into small, manageable parts. Work breakdown structures, which are championed by many project leaders using predictive project management methodologies, feature hierarchical structures. As you move down each layer of the structure, more detailed project information is revealed.
Work breakdown structures are typically made up of a few parts:
- Project baseline, which includes the project plan or scope
- List of the projectβs key stakeholders
- Detailed and organized project schedule
- List of the projectβs deliverables and supporting tasks
WBS Terminology
To help demystify work breakdown structures, Iβll cover some WBS terminology that youβll need to understand to get the most out of this tool:
- Deliverables. This refers to the service, product or item that is developed during the project.
- Work package. The lowest level of the structure that represents tasks and activities that a project team must complete to create the deliverable.
- Levels. As mentioned above, a WBS features many levels. The higher the level, the broader the scope or less detailed the information is. The lower the level, the more detailed the information is.
- Milestone. An important date during the project that indicates the start or end dates of project phases.
- Acceptance criteria. Created by a person with authority, the acceptance criteria are the minimum that must be met for a task to be considered completed.
- Control accounts. The part of the work breakdown structure that integrates project schedules, costs and the project scope.
- Settle agreements. A list of contracts, agreements and other project-related documents that are important parts of the project.
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Why Is a WBS is Important in Project Management?
Work breakdown structures are important in project management because they can help project managers break large projects into easy-to-digest portions of work that wonβt overwhelm their team. In project management, a WBS helps a project manager:
- Define and organize the project scope
- Create better plans and schedules
- Improve resource planning and resource management
- Enhance communication and collaboration
- Better control scope creep (if updated frequently)
Types of Work Breakdown Structures
During a career in project management, youβll come across two types of work breakdown structures: deliverable-based and phased-based.
Deliverable-Based WBS
A deliverable-based work breakdown structure, or a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of work lets project managers take a project scope and break it down into smaller deliverables and tasks that support the projectβs overall goal. This approach is better suited for short-term projects that have a very clear outcome.
Phase-Based WBS
A phase-based work breakdown structure is an approach that will see the project manager create project phases, each of which hold groups of tasks that must be completed in order before moving on to the next phase. The most classic example of this the waterfall method, which is commonly used during complex construction projects.
Work Breakdown Structure Charts
Once you have chosen between a deliverable-based or phase-based approach, itβs time to choose the type of work breakdown chart you want to use to visualize your project.
Gantt Charts
The Gantt chart is one of the most popular tools to visualize projects. Its ability to show all project tasks on a timeline that spans the project, as well as start and end dates, project baselines, milestones and task dependencies, make it an invaluable tool. When asked about Gantt charts, Cristiano Bellucci, a technology and innovation strategy lead at Fujitsu, an information and communication technology company, says:
βThe major benefit of a Gantt chart is to have a visual tool that represents the status of the project. Every stakeholder can immediately understand the health of the project. Gantt helps project managers follow up with the proper teams or suppliers in order to get the deliverable ready on time. It provides an easy way to discuss the issues and risks of the project.β
Tree Diagrams
Tree diagrams are the most common type of work breakdown chart. These charts look like an organizational structure, but instead of listing employee names and titles, they list the name of the project, project phases and their associated tasks. They can be made in software such as ClickUp, which offers mind maps and whiteboards. You can learn more about ClickUpβs features in our full ClickUp review.
Work Breakdown Structure Lists
Many of the best project management software suites make it easy to create work breakdown lists. Even the best free project management software allows you to configure simple lists that break projects down into phases and individual tasks. Lists are clean and easy to follow. While Gantt charts and tree diagrams have their place, thereβs something to be said for keeping things simple.
How To Create A Work Breakdown Structure
Now that you know what a work breakdown structure is and the various types of approaches and charts that can be taken and created, itβs time to take a look at how to create a WBS. I know creating a WBS may sound daunting, but I can assure you that itβs quite straightforward.
Define the Project Scope
The first step of any project is to create a project scope (also known as a project charter) that lists the projects goal, key date, stakeholders, team members, project budgets and objectives. You can create a project scope on a pad of paper, a whiteboard or you can lean on AI to help you create a sound project scope in platforms such as ClickUp.
Identify Project Phases
Once the project scope has been written and approved by key stakeholders and the client, itβs time to start breaking down the project into phases. The phases should span from the projects start date to the day the deliverable is due. During this phase, you can also create control accounts that can help track various areas of work and their related budgets. Software such as Teamwork.com can help you keep track of finances. You can learn more about this software in our full Teamwork.com review.
Identify Project Deliverables
Once the scope and phases have been set, you must write down what the project deliverables are, and what your team or responsible party will need to do to ensure the deliverables meet client and stakeholder demands. Itβs a good idea to be as specific as possible here to avoid confusion about task and deliverable acceptance criteria.
Breakdown the Deliverables
Once the deliverables have been set, you need to break down the deliverables into tasks and subtasks that will lead to the completion of the deliverable. You can list tasks on tree diagrams, lists or Gantt charts found in the best Gantt chart software. Agile or hybrid teams may prefer to use kanban boards, as they allow everyone to see every task for every deliverable.
Assign Project Tasks and Set Due Dates
Once the project tasks have been plotted on your preferred chart, you need to assign each task to a team member. You can reference your project scope or RACI chart to see who is on your team and best suited to each task. You should also assign task due dates and create any sub tasks and dependencies. From here on out, the project runs and tasks are completed during each project phase until the project deliverable is ready for the client.
Work Breakdown Structure Best Practices
A well-thought-out work breakdown structure will help your project team, key stakeholders and clients visualize the project at hand. After looking at the WBS, there should be no doubt about what needs to happen, when and by whom. To ensure that your WBS finds favor with everyone involved ensure that:
- No tasks are omitted. Do not omit any tasks from your WBS. This is known as the 100% rule. Basically, if something needs to be done during any phase of your project, list it, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. If you skip over anything, you may as well not produce a WBS to begin with.
- All tasks are manageable. The last thing you want to do is create tasks with unrealistic, impossible to meet deadlines and budgets. Doing so will cause team morale to drop, which will have an impact on productivity and efficiency.
- Phases and tasks arenβt too complex. You should use the five-level rule to ensure that no task has more than five levels, or five sub tasks. Adding more than three to five levels will just cause confusion.
- Work is mutually exclusive. When creating work packages, ensure that there is no overlap between the projectβs deliverables. No overlap reduces confusion and adds accountability.
- Stakeholders and clients are involved. To ensure the work and deliverables meet stakeholder and client expectations, ensure they are part of the WBS creation process.
- Refine the WBS. Projects are always subject to change, which means that you should be prepared to refine and update your WBS any time changes are requested.
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WBS Pros and Cons
As with any process, work breakdown structures have pros and cons.
Pros:
- Enhances communication and collaboration
- Improves resource planning and management
- Refines project budgets and cost estimates
- Can lead to better defined schedules and easier to manage workloads
- Increases individual and team accountability
Cons:
- Can take considerable time to create
- Can become overly complex and cause confusion
- Needs to be updated frequently or it can lead to scope creep
- Can lead to creating overly rigid projects with little room for change
- Tasks can become a fixation point, meaning teams can lose sight of the big picture
The Bottom Line
A work breakdown structure can become an invaluable tool, especially for project teams using predictive methodologies, such as the waterfall method and the critical path method. They can help plan projects down to the smallest of tasks, which can lead to on-time deliverables. However, they arenβt ideal for agile teams who need to course correct quickly due to their rigidity and reliance on information from the original project scope.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you create a work breakdown structure?
To create a work breakdown structure (WBS), you must define the project scope, identify project phases, identify all project deliverables, breakdown the deliverables into tasks, assign the tasks and set due dates.
What are the benefits of using a work breakdown structure?
The benefits of a WBS include enhanced communication and collaboration, better resource planning and resource management, more accurate project estimates and increased accountability.
What are the common mistakes to avoid when creating a work breakdown structure?
Common mistakes to avoid when creating a work breakdown structure include adding too many layers or subtasks, which can cause confusion; overlapping tasks for multiple deliverables and losing sight of the big picture by hyperfocusing on tasks.
How does a work breakdown structure differ from a project plan?
A project plan or scope is a document that describes the entire project, its goals, budget, milestones and key players, whereas a work breakdown structure helps break the project down into small, manageable tasks.
