A solid project schedule is the backbone of any successful project. A solid schedule helps you visualize how long it will take you to complete your project and helps you define both the tasks and the milestones. The chance that you’ll have a successful event is high if you have a well-structured plan, but it’s important that this plan be accompanied by a strong work breakdown structure. Everyone has an idea of what a good project schedule looks like, from architects to accountants to the proverbial man down the street. In general, a work breakdown structure provides a snapshot of the tasks involved in completing a project. It helps people see how each piece fits into a larger puzzle, because they’re able to visualize all the tasks next to each other in one place. It also makes it easier for people to anticipate how long things will take and how much money they may cost them.
It is crucial to know about the work breakdown structure. Making a solid project schedule without having the knowledge of work breakdown structure is not an easy task. Here in this article, I am going to share the importance of work breakdown structure in making projects successful and how to create a professional work breakdown structure for a solid project schedule. Before going ahead, I feel it is compulsory to define the work breakdown structure.
What is the Work Breakdown Structure?
A work breakdown structure is a hierarchical list of all the tasks required to complete a project. It’s also called an activity list, job breakdown structure, or WBS for short. It’s used as a planning tool to break down large projects into smaller, more manageable chunks. This helps you to manage your time and resources more effectively by breaking down complex projects into smaller activities. The WBS was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense in the 1950s as part of its CPM development process. The WBS has since been adopted by other industries and disciplines, including software development and construction management, etc.
The Benefits of Creating a Professional Work Breakdown Structure
The main purpose of a work breakdown structure is to define every aspect of your project so that you can estimate costs and determine what deliverables will be required at every level of detail. The WBS also helps keep track of all the tasks involved in completing each deliverable, making it easier for you to identify potential issues before they arise. Here are some benefits of creating a work breakdown structure.
- Better estimate timelines and budgets
- Determine the interdependence of various tasks
- Improve communication with all stakeholders and team members
How to Create a Professional Work Breakdown Structure for a Solid Project Schedule
Creating a work breakdown structure is the first step towards creating a functional project schedule. The WBS is the foundation of your schedule, so it’s important to create it correctly. The WBS can be developed in different ways, but the most common approach is to use a graphical tool that shows the hierarchy and relationships between tasks. The WBS should include all of the tasks that need to be completed in order to achieve your overall goal. For example, if you want to create a book, then your goal is to write the manuscript, edit it, design the cover and interior layout, format the text according to whatever specifications are required by your publisher, and so on—all of these tasks would be included in your WBS. Here are some points to follow while creating a work breakdown structure.
- Start with the end in mind.
- Break down your project into smaller tasks.
- Think about what needs to happen first and second in order for everything else to come together successfully.
- Organize your project by defining components and determining how long each component will take to complete.
- Determine the resources needed for each task or component.
- Identify the risks associated with completing each task or component.
Final words
Great work breakdown structures organize and delineate a project into the overall activities required to finish it. They can be used in the context of software development, construction, and countless other forms of work that require a project to be completed. Creating a project schedule from a work breakdown structure will help you manage your tasks and keep you on track for completion.
While there is no one way to create a work breakdown structure, the end result should always be the same; you should have all of the tasks grouped into their respective components. The WBS will then serve as a road map for those responsible for completing specific actions that are required for the completion of the project.