Sometimes, you may have more information about each work package, that you wanted to record. Many people have mistaken wbs as a list of tasks, a schedule or an organization chart. The wbs dictionary includes entries for each wbs component that briefly defines the scope or statement of the work, defines deliverables, contains a list of associated activities, and provides a list of. A work breakdown structure dictionary entry of the work package not only enables you to identify and track the work package, but also provides complete information about the work package to the team. A clearly defined work breakdown structure allows you to make sure every detail and phase of a project is accounted for before you begin. Difference between a wbs element and a work package. So, in other words, every wbs package is a wbs element, but not every wbs element is a wbs package. The work breakdown structure in software project management. A wbs dictionary is a document that provides detailed information about each element in the wbs, including work packages and control.
A deliverable or project work component at the lowest level of each branch of the work breakdown structure. The wbs dictionary includes entries for each wbs component that briefly defines the scope or statement of the work, defines deliverables, contains a list. Work breakdown structure wbs different approaches for developing a wbs notations for work breakdown structures heuristics and examples starting with templates how to identify work what. A wbs dictionary is a document that provides detailed information about each element in the wbs, including work packages and control accounts. A workbreakdown structure wbs in project management and systems engineering, is a. The work package is that level of work that can be reliably estimated by the project manager.
This work package includes all engineering, planning, and. This type of dictionary is often recommended as a reference resource material for taskoriented projects comprising several work phases. A work package is a portion of the work breakdown structure that allows project management to define the steps necessary for completion of the work package. As with other concepts in project management, such as the objective and the work breakdown structure, the focus with a work packages shouldnt be the activities that create it, but the outcome, the product, or the deliverable. Sep 06, 2017 the number of the levels required for the wbs project management template xls will be depend on the characteristics of the project, but the levels must be sufficient to meet the project managers needs for the accurate estimating and the effective project monitoring. Similar to the product log, a wbs dictionary can be produced in conjunction with the wbs to store relevant detailed information in support of the planning process. A scope definition is necessary to decide what all should and should not be covered with in the project. According to pert which developed the wbs, a work package is the work required to complete a specific job or process, such as a report, a design, a. Continue adding and indenting list items until you reach the work package level. Check the capital project delivery website to ensure this is the current version. When complete, the work breakdown structure lowest level components called work packages can be. The wbs is key to project planning and increases visibility once work gets. The project management body of knowledge defines the.
Because they look like projects themselves, they are often thought of as subprojects within a larger project. It organizes and defines the total scope of the project. Nov 28, 2018 the main application of the wbs dictionary is that it helps to create the product that will be obtained with the execution of the project work packages are the lowest level of the wbs. Wbs package id an identifier to identify the work package. A work package represents one component of the product that the project aims to deliver. Work breakdown structure dictionary was controlled and tracked. Work packages are in the third wbs level and they are very small parts of the wbs. Work breakdown structure rev e, june 2003 work breakdown structure a project work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable or product oriented grouping of project work elements shown in graph ical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project. It follows the same structure as your hierarchies and should include a brief description of each work package so there are no miscommunications.
Create a work breakdown structure outline, diagram, or dictionary template. The wbs dictionary, in addition to expanding on the simple one line description of the wbs elements, connects the wbs. Defining a work breakdown structure wbs dictionary. Ultimately, for each work package that exists in our wbs, we should maintain a corresponding wbs dictionary. In project management, wbs stands for work breakdown structure. Its an important part of the scope management plan which is a subsidiary of the project management plan. A wbs dictionary provides a highlevel visualization of your wbs. The work breakdown structure provides a common framework for the natural development of the overall planning and control of a contract and is the basis for dividing work into definable increments from which the statement of work can be developed and technical, schedule, cost, and labor hour reporting can be established. It serves as a more detailed supporting document and crucial reference to the visually centered wbs. A work breakdown structure is a key project deliverable that organizes the teams work into manageable sections. In wbs there are levels and wbs dictionary is associated with the work packages level of a work breakdown structure. Work breakdown structure information, software and wbs samples. Use the table below to provide the version number, the author implementing the version, the date of the version, the name of the person. This objective could be anything from developing a new software feature to building a missile.
Hence, this study will address benefits of wbs, wbs process and common pitfalls. For each wbs element, the wbs dictionary may include a brief definition of the scope or statement of work, defined deliverable s, a list of associated activities, and a list of milestones. How to create your project work breakdown structure. Oct 04, 2019 it is a good practice to include the wbs and the wbs dictionary in the same document. A work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable oriented grouping of the work involved in a project that defines its total scope 11. Difference between a wbs element and a work package project. They represent the list of tasks in order to produce the particular unit of work. T he wbs dictionary is a project management document that provides detailed information about each component in the work breakdown structure wbs. Wbs is a hierarchical and incremental decomposition of the project into phases, deliverables and work packages. What is a wbs dictionary and why you need one pm certification. Ms project 20 work breakdown structure wbs youtube.
In the work breakdown structure wbs, each work package is mentioned very precisely. The work breakdown structure wbs has long served as a valuable tool in helping project managers plan deliverables and detail project scope. All about work breakdown structures wbs smartsheet. The wbs dictionary contains all the details of the work breakdown structure which are necessary to successfully complete the project.
What is wbs dictionary in project management wbs dictionary contains all the details of each of the work packages in the project. In order to understand the difference between work package and planning package, first we need to realize the concept of progressive elaboration of scope. Work packages are the smallest unit of work that a project can be broken down to when creating your work breakdown structure wbs. The wbs is developed during the create wbs planning. Element level wbs title description 1 6500m hov a4500.
The work breakdown structure wbs is a vehicle for breaking an engineering project down into subproject, tasks, subtasks, work packages, and so on. In the similar vein, the level of the detail will vary, but one the option. Work breakdown structure wbs project management docs. When documenting a project, a wbs dictionary is often included in addition to a visualization of.
In order to understand the difference between work package. Rational unified process, rational software corporation 19872001. It relates the elements of work to be accomplished to each other and to the end product. It displays and defines the product, or products, to be developed andor produced. What is work breakdown structure in project management.
In the project scope management knowledge area, the scope baseline is said to be a combination of the project scope statement, the work breakdown. The work represented by the activities in each work package must add up to. Most importantly it contains a definition of each work package which can be thought of as a mini scope statement. In reality, wbs is a simple and easy visual breakdown of deliverables for product, result. Most importantly it contains a definition of each work package which can be thought of as a. You might have noticed that work breakdown structure has bare minimum information such as work package id and the work package name in it. Creating and maintaining a wbs dictionary simplilearn. How to use work breakdown structure wbs in microsoft project 2016 part 1 duration. The work package level is the lowest level of a work breakdown structure wbs. The wbs dictionary, in addition to expanding on the simple one line description of the wbs elements, connects the wbs to the statement of work sow. As with other concepts in project management, such as the objective and the. Dec 26, 2019 a work breakdown structure wbs milstd881d is a tool used to define a project in discrete work elements in a hierarchical format. A work package is a group of related tasks within a project. Work breakdown structure element dictionary final design procedures are subject to change without notice.
Applying work breakdown structure to project lifecycle. The terms work package and activity are often used interchangeably, although on the exam, they are very distinct concepts and should not be confused. The work package represents the list of tasks or todos to produce the specific unit of. A wbs dictionary is merely a supporting document, which provides the definitions for each component contained in the work breakdown structure. A work breakdown structure is an outline of key project deliverables and the work needed to get there.
This work package includes all work required to generate, administer and implement project control functions and reporting tasks including risk mitigation, scheduling. The work breakdown structure dictionary is a useful resource for project management, and should be consulted for relevant information on each component of the work breakdown structure wbs. Dec 22, 20 explanation and examples of work package and activity. A wbs dictionary provides supporting information to the work. The tool can be as detailed as the it project manager wants it to be to help manage the project. Explanation and examples of work package and activity. The main application of the wbs dictionary is that it helps to create the product that will be obtained with the execution of the project work packages are the lowest level of the wbs. A wbs package is usually estimated in cost and time and assigned to one or more.
The wbs dictionary is usually a spreadsheet that lists the wbs, the wbs element name, a description of the work in that element at a minimum. The wbs forms the basis of the project plan, decomposing the main project into stages, then workpackages then into subactivities per work package. It will also try to demonstrate on how to develop a simple and easy wbs to implement for software development projects. Developing wbs dictionary in a project reflects an advance project management practice for this project. If the wbs element names are ambiguous, a wbs dictionary can help clarify. Wbs work breakdown structure is a deliverableoriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables.
Work breakdown structures wbs for software development. Completion of work packages can be dependencies for other work packages. The number of the levels required for the wbs project management template xls will be depend on the characteristics of the project, but the levels must. How to create a work breakdown structure lucidchart blog. The wbs is key to project planning and increases visibility once work gets underway. What is wbs work breakdown structure in project management. Assign each work package to a specific team or individual. User acceptance testing uat is the last phase of software testing, in which.
Keep reading for practical tips to create your wbs to get tasks under control. What are the differences between work package and planning. The work breakdown structure wbs has long served as a valuable tool in helping. What is a work breakdown structure in project management. What is the difference between a wbs and a work package. A wbs dictionary describes the scope of each work element, and includes a brief description of each work package. The wbs is a method for getting a complex, multistep project done.
So it will have the sufficient information of our wbs. This way, the project team, and stakeholders will not be compelled to search for any information. How to create a work breakdown structure workfront. If they are looking at the wbs, all the information that the wbs holds will be available to them in the wbs dictionary, right there, inside the same document. Applying work breakdown structure to project lifecycle pmi. Unfortunately, the business pressures driving projects have often prevented project managers from developing a comprehensive wbs. The work package includes the schedule activities and schedule. If you are a project manager and you want to stretch your tasks correctly, then you need to create what is known as a work breakdown structure for your project. Free work breakdown structure templates smartsheet. Learn how to create compelling work breakdown structure wbs.
It visually communicates the big picture, and helps everyone stay on. A wbs element is any element in the wbs, a work package, on the other hand, is a leaf element in the wbs an element belonging to the last level in the wbs. One work breakdown structure example that will make it clear. A work package can be thought of as a mini project, that when combined with other work package units, form the completed project. Work breakdown structure dictionary project management. A work breakdown structure wbs is a key project deliverable that organizes the teams work into manageable sections.
A work breakdown structure wbs is a deliverable oriented grouping of the work involved in a project that. Its origins stem from us military defense projects. According to pert which developed the wbs, a work package is the work required to complete a specific job or process, such as a report, a design, a documentation requirement or portion thereof, a piece of hardware, or a service. Use the table below to provide the version number, the author implementing the version, the date of the version, the name of the person approving the version, the date that particular version was approved, and a brief description of the reason for creating the revised version. Its a way to divide and conquer large projects so you can get things done faster and more efficiently. Element level wbs title description 1 6500m hov a4500 2 project management 3. The wbs dictionary contains all the details of the wbs which are necessary to successfully complete the project. Work breakdown structures wbs for software development projects. Jun 02, 2014 if you are a project manager and you want to stretch your tasks correctly, then you need to create what is known as a work breakdown structure for your project. Software as a service saas wbs level 1 a wbs dictionary contains more detailed information about elements within a work breakdown structure wbs.
The wbs is a useful resource for project management and should be consulted for. Work breakdown structure relativistic heavy ion collider. Aug 21, 2018 wbs package id an identifier to identify the work package. Once you have all the work packages and wbs dictionary, its time to create the wbs. Wbs package name name of the work package in a precise and simple readable form.