What is a work breakdown structure (WBS)?

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a project management technique to complete complex projects. It uses the divide and conquer principle—the project is broken down into small deliverables to make things easier and faster.

The project becomes manageable, and different people can work on various aspects of the project at the same time. Before forming a WBS, one must curate its project scope statement.

Note: To learn more about the project scope statement, click here.

Characteristics of a WBS

A WBS is a convenient gadget for project managers due to its exceedingly valuable characteristics. Some of which are as follows:

• Each task in the project is broken down into small pieces.

• Once the scope and requirements of a project are formulated, a complete road map is created where everything is managed according to a schedule.

• Each team member works independently and focuses on only the tasks assigned. This ensures that no conflicts occur in the workflow.

• Each component is assigned a particular share of the budget.

• The project manager can monitor the project completion gauge and make things speed up if the team is behind schedule.

The 100% rule

The WBS makes use of the 100% rule, which states the following:

A WBS confines all the aspects of a project and all the people involved in it.

Structure of a WBS

A WBS consists of the following structure:

1. Define the project: This is the initial step where the project's ground is made.

2. Set boundaries: Determine what is to be included in the WBS and what is not.

3. Define the main components: The higher level components are defined first, basically the main areas of the project.

4. Decompose each main component: Each main component is divided into several other components.

5. Form deliverables: Keeping in view each component, deliverables are formed.

6. Assign team members to deliverables: Teams are formed and assigned to different deliverables.

Example

The following is a rough WBS for a software development project that has a graphical user interface:

Conclusion

A WBS can be as complex and detailed as one would want. This means every main component can be broken down into smaller tasks or only a few crucial components.