Create WBS

This article contains most of the important information you need to know about Create WBS process in order to answer questions related to this topic in the PMP Exam, I recommend you review this type of articles 1 week before your exam date, all information mentioned are based on PMBOK Guide 6th edition and PMP Exam Prep 9th edition for Rita Maclhy’s, ITTO refers to Inputs, Tools & Techniques and outputs.

This process is a part of Planning Process group and Scope Management Knowledge Area with the following ITTO’s

Inputs:

  1. Project Management Plan
  2. Project Documents
  3. Organizational process assets
  4. Enterprise Environmental factors

Tools & Techniques:

  1. Decomposition
  2. Expert Judgment

Outputs:

 

  1. Scope Baseline
  2. Project Document Updates

 

  • Creating WBS is REQUIRED as part of project management, it should be created even for small projects.
  • It’s the process of subdividing the project deliverables and project work into smaller and more manageable components .
  • It is created through input from the project team and stakeholders; it is great in helping the team walk through the project to gain their buy in.
  • Work Breakdown structure ( WBS ) is a structure hierarchy created by the organization , it can be in organization chart or table form based on the project deliverables not actions and tasks. ( Nouns not actions ) , It is a decomposition tool to break down work into lowest level manageable .
  • The major tool and technique is Decomposition which divides deliverables into smaller peace’s called work packages, decomposition happens in Top-Down approach or bottom-up approach.
  • In the process of “Define activities “those resulting work packages will be decomposed into activities.
  • A group of tasks makes activity; task is a lower level than activity.
  • A higher level above the work package is the Control account , each work package can have only one control account , This tool allows aggregation and analysis of work performance data regarding time , scope and cost.
  • Work package duration varies on time , Small projects ( 4-40 hours ) , Medium Project ( 8-80 hours) , large projects ( Above 300 Hours ) .
  • Code Of accounts: Numbering system that identifies WBS components.
  • Chart of accounts: list of all account names and numbers
  • Scope Creep: Increasing scope or varying from what was planned for.
  • WBS doesn’t show dependencies between work packages but a wbs dictionary does.
  • WBS Dictionary : Mainly protects from scope creep, it provides description of the work needs to be done for each work package , it can be used in work authorization system.
  • As mentioned in Develop project management plan process, a Scope baseline contains Scope statement of work, WBS and WBS dictionary, so the Scope baseline is the main output of this process.
  • For the PMP Exam , Memorize the followings for WBS :
  1. It is a graphical picture of the hierarchy of the project.
  2. Identifies all the deliverables to be completed.
  3. The Foundation upon which the project is built.
  4. Should exist for each project, It is very important!
  5. Forces you to think through all aspects of the projects.
  6. Can be reused for other projects.
  7. Doesn’t show dependencies.
  • The Major Output of Create WBS Process is the Project Scope Baseline which contains the following :
  1. Project Scope Statement
  2. WBS
  3. WBS Package
  4. Planning Package
  5. WBS Dictionary

 

 


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