{"id":765,"date":"2025-01-13T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-13T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internship.infoskaters.com\/blog\/2025\/01\/13\/i-dove-deep-into-work-breakdown-structures-heres-what-ive-learned\/"},"modified":"2025-01-13T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T12:00:00","slug":"i-dove-deep-into-work-breakdown-structures-heres-what-ive-learned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internship.infoskaters.com\/blog\/2025\/01\/13\/i-dove-deep-into-work-breakdown-structures-heres-what-ive-learned\/","title":{"rendered":"I Dove Deep Into Work Breakdown Structures \u2014 Here\u2018s What I\u2019ve Learned"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s a quick truth. Before writing this article, I stumbled on Akin\u2019s laws<\/a>, which aptly summarize work breakdown structures. The fun \u201claw\u201d reads: It’s called a Work Breakdown Structure because the Work remaining will grow until you have a Breakdown, unless you enforce some Structure on it. <\/em>This law is clear and true!<\/p>\n\n

Jokes aside, while studying to acquire my project management degree, I found an instructive note in the PMBOK guide. The guide<\/a>, which is a go-to source for project managers, warns that \u201cno project should be without a WBS.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Without a work breakdown structure (WBS), your projects have a high chance of exceeding their deadlines and budgets, and not meeting stakeholder expectations. You want none of these.<\/p>\n

So, in this guide, I\u2019ll lean on my experience as a project management professional to share what I\u2019ve learned about work breakdown structures. You\u2019ll also get insights from industry experts who will help you learn about WBS.<\/p>\n

Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is a work breakdown structure?<\/a>
\n Elements of Work Breakdown Structure<\/a>
\n Benefits of Using WBS in Project Management<\/a>
\n Types of WBS in Project Management<\/a>
\n How to Use a WBS for Managing Projects<\/a> <\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

According to Jeffrey Pinto<\/a>, an author and professor, the WBS is a planning mechanism for knowing the interrelationship of various activities in a project. In its simplest form, the WBS looks like you see in the template<\/a> below:<\/p>\n\n

Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Elements of Work Breakdown Structure<\/h2>\n

Based on what I learned from Pinto, every WBS has at least four levels in project management<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, if your project is complex, you\u2019ll have more sub-deliverables, and your work package will continue increasing.<\/p>\n

Here are the four levels of a WBS for a simple project.<\/p>\n

Level<\/strong><\/p>\n

WBS Term<\/strong><\/p>\n

Description<\/strong><\/p>\n

Top-Level\/Level 1<\/p>\n

Project<\/p>\n

The overall project under \u00addevelopment<\/p>\n

Level 2<\/p>\n

Deliverable<\/p>\n

The major project components<\/p>\n

Level 3<\/p>\n

Sub-deliverable<\/p>\n

Supporting deliverables<\/p>\n

Level 4 (Activity)<\/p>\n

Work package<\/p>\n

Individual project activities<\/p>\n

To illustrate, I will explain these levels with the WBS for a marketing conference.<\/p>\n

Top-Level\/Level 1<\/h3>\n

The top level of the WBS covers the entire project scope. It\u2019s also the final deliverable, which outlines what I want to accomplish. For this project, the top level is a \u201cmarketing conference plan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Level 2<\/h3>\n

The second level of the WBS outlines the major project components. It also reduces the project scope into units that serve as deliverables.<\/p>\n

Deliverables include features for products or phases for tasks. My project is a series of eight tasks. You\u2019ll notice I numbered each deliverable at this level (and for the lower levels).<\/p>\n

This is a deliberate element, which is absent from some WBS I\u2019ve seen.<\/p>\n\n

Pro tip: <\/strong>Numbering a work breakdown structure helps with clarity, organization, and tracking. With numbering, I have a logical and visual way to know the relationship between deliverables, sub-deliverables, and work packages. This makes it easy to find a work element, especially for a large project.<\/p>\n

Level 3<\/h3>\n

The third level of the WBS is the sub-deliverable. Each sub-deliverable is a component of the main deliverable you will provide to your stakeholders.<\/p>\n

When considering an item as a sub-deliverable, a consideration is the ease of managing it. For instance, the sub-deliverable, researching potential venues (2.1), fits this bill.<\/p>\n

Why? It is manageable. I can assign some hours to it. The cost is minimal.<\/p>\n\n

If you\u2019re making your own WBS, definitely use a template<\/a> to get you started.<\/p>\n

Activities<\/h3>\n

The last level of the WBS is activities. Think of activities like atoms. They are the smallest elements within a sub-deliverable or deliverable.<\/p>\n

For instance, to deliver the event planning and strategy, I will need to execute the following activities:<\/p>\n

1.1 Define objectives and goals <\/p>\n

1.1.1 Conduct a kickoff meeting with stakeholders
\n 1.1.2 Draft a list of measurable goals
\n 1.1.3 Finalize objectives in a project charter <\/p>\n

1.2 Identify target audience <\/p>\n

1.2.1 Conduct market research
\n 1.2.2 Create audience personas
\n 1.2.3 Validate personas with stakeholders <\/p>\n

1.3 Develop event theme and branding <\/p>\n

1.3.1 Brainstorm theme ideas
\n 1.3.2 Design logo and branding materials
\n 1.3.3 Approve theme and branding with stakeholders <\/p>\n

1.4 Set a budget and allocate resources <\/p>\n

1.4.1 Identify key expense categories
\n 1.4.2 Create an initial budget plan
\n 1.4.3 Get budget approval from stakeholders <\/p>\n

1.5 Create project timeline and milestones <\/p>\n

1.5.1 Draft a detailed project schedule
\n 1.5.2 Identify key milestones
\n 1.5.3 Share the timeline with the team <\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Benefits of Using WBS in Project Management<\/h2>\n

While learning about the WBS, some of my peers didn\u2019t appear convinced. Some argued that it\u2019s great on paper but unapplicable in real-life situations. For others, its benefits outweigh the flawed thinking of not having one.<\/p>\n

So, how does a WBS actually help?<\/p>\n

A WBS prevents scope creep.<\/h3>\n

Every stakeholder is on the same page when there\u2019s a WBS.<\/p>\n

Without one, stakeholders can continue adding to the project until it becomes unmanageable. Once this happens, you\u2019ll need to revisit your timelines, milestones, budget estimates, risks, etc. I wouldn\u2019t like this to happen, especially when handling multiple projects.<\/p>\n

In the waterfall environment characterized by a sequential approach to project execution, the benefits of a WBS in avoiding scope creep will be undebatable.<\/p>\n

However, in Agile environments without fully defined end products, some experts argue stakeholders will change their minds on what they want, when, and why.<\/p>\n

While this negates the value of a WBS, one expert<\/a> argues that Agile teams shouldn\u2019t use the excuse of agile to not plan and risk having scope creep.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I get that a full waterfall style WBS would be necessary in a construction project, they [agile teams] can’t go complete no estimates on projects with inter-team dependencies, multi-fiscal-quarter delivery dates, and anything more than five team members.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt a minimum, all requirements of the end product should be documented, a roadmap of all major deliverables should be communicated, they should be doing some equivalent of a WBS for the next two weeks of work and ideally up to the end of the next milestone, and a rough outline of how everything else is going to come together,\u201d they add.<\/p>\n

A WBS aids project budget estimation.<\/h3>\n

A work breakdown structure isn\u2019t just a planning tool \u2014 it helps with budgeting. By breaking my project into detailed activities, the WBS makes it easy to assign budgets.<\/p>\n

Budget overruns remain a pervasive issue in project management. In a BCG survey<\/a> of 403 respondents, 49% said over 30% of their organization\u2019s technology development projects exceeded their budgets. Tech projects use Agile because of the flexibility and iterative progress it offers.<\/p>\n

While I understand that a pre-established budget runs against the Agile mindset, incorporating a WBS into sprint planning helps. Assigning budgets at the sprint level allows teams to remain adaptable while maintaining financial discipline.<\/p>\n

A WBS captures all work packages.<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve found that creating a WBS forces me to think critically about every aspect of a project. From major milestones to granular deliverables, each work package is accounted for. This not only helps visualize the scope of the project but also ensures nothing is overlooked.<\/p>\n

But before penning down every package, talking to stakeholders is vital. Not doing so is one reason for the recent and monumental failure of the High-Speed Rail 2 in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n

According to Tejvan Pettinger<\/a>, an economist, \u201c[High-Speed Rail 2] risks being a \u00a350 billion white elephant and a monument to poor planning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pettinger didn\u2019t suggest that the HS2 team didn\u2019t have a comprehensive WBS \u2014 however, he makes a verifiable claim of constant changes to the project scope.<\/p>\n

And as we\u2019ve established, when this happens, the project gets derailed on almost all fronts and the team has to return to the drawing board.<\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Types of WBS in Project Management<\/h2>\n

There are two types of WBS:<\/p>\n

Deliverable-based work breakdown structure.
\n Phase-based work breakdown structure. <\/p>\n

Deliverable-Based WBS<\/h3>\n

A deliverable-based WBS gets tangible outcomes (deliverables) for stakeholders.<\/p>\n

What I like about this WBS is its focus on \u201cwhat to do\u201d over \u201chow to do\u201d a task. As such, this WBS is easy to modify, simple for estimating cost, and provides a complete view of the total work scope.<\/p>\n

The deliverable-based WBS has applications in scenarios such as:<\/p>\n

Projects with clear outputs such as organizing an event or constructing a building.
\n Client-focused projects like specific marketing campaigns or design projects.
\n Projects requiring detailed scope management such as launching a new product. <\/p>\n

Phase-Based WBS<\/h3>\n

A phase-based WBS organizes work according to the sequential stages of the project lifecycle (initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, closure). With this WBS, I must detail the process for achieving specific deliverables.<\/p>\n

One of the simplest ways to explain a phase-base WBS is to consider a research writing project. Without doing an ethics review, I can\u2019t interview participants to get insights for writing my final report.<\/p>\n

With the phase-oriented WBS, I like the clear insights it gives into elements that hinder the project\u2019s progress. This WBS is also great for providing a roadmap of \u201cwhen to do\u201d tasks, ensuring each stage builds logically on the previous one.<\/p>\n

The phase-based WBS is suited for:<\/p>\n

Process-driven projects such as implementing a business system or conducting research and development.
\n Standardized lifecycle projects like those following Waterfall methodology.
\n Long-term projects with sequential progression, such as multi-year infrastructure builds or strategic planning initiatives. <\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

How to Use a WBS for Managing Projects<\/h2>\n

A WBS is excellent for chopping complex projects into the smallest bits. But beyond its core function of visualizing the project scope, here\u2019s how to use a WBS:<\/p>\n

1. Assign responsibilities.<\/strong>
\n<\/h3>\n

The WBS makes it easy to assign deliverables or tasks to team members. This helps everyone know what they\u2019re responsible for and keeps things from getting duplicated.<\/p>\n

2. Estimate time and resources.<\/strong>
\n<\/h3>\n

I use the WBS to figure out how long each task will take and what resources are needed. This makes it easier to create a realistic schedule and budget.<\/p>\n

3. Facilitate communication.<\/strong>
\n<\/h3>\n

The WBS is a great way to keep everyone on the same page. It helps align team members and stakeholders on the project\u2019s scope, responsibilities, and timelines.<\/p>\n

4. Manage risks.<\/strong>
\n<\/h3>\n

I look for potential risks in each WBS element and create plans to address them before they disrupt the project.<\/p>\n

5. Integrate with project management tools.<\/strong>
\n<\/h3>\n

I\u2019m a fan of tools like Trello and Asana. Inputting the entirety of my WBS into these tools makes it easy to help keep track of tasks, manage resources, and generate reports.<\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The work breakdown structure is a cornerstone that provides clarity on projects.<\/p>\n

While I had learned about WBS during my studies and applied it in my professional life, diving into its nuances and reflecting on its use in real-world scenarios gave me a renewed perspective.<\/p>\n

The WBS is essential not just for planning and organizing a project, but for identifying risks and maintaining control over scope and budgeting.<\/p>\n

A useful learning for me was the debate about the relevance of WBS in Agile. A product backlog in Agile projects is like a WBS, where epics or features are managed in sprints.<\/p>\n

Without putting thought into the work items, whether in Agile or Waterfall, the project is heading for the rocks.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: Successful projects start with a well-thought-out plan, and that plan begins with a work breakdown structure.<\/p>\n

\n

Not sure if you prefer to embed a table or just use a screenshot so I gave you both options for these 3 instances (namely because the third is LARGE)<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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