By utilizing WBS, project management can be performed smoothly. Anyone can easily manage projects using WBS, but on the other hand, there is a risk that progress may be delayed if you do not pay attention to certain points.
In this article, we will explain the overview and benefits of WBS, and the flow of WBS creation.
If you are currently managing a project or want to know how to create a WBS, please refer to this article.
What is WBS?
WBS is an abbreviation for Work Breakdown Structure and is a method of project management. Work means “work,” Breakdown means “disassembly,” and Structure means “structure” or “mechanism.” Literally, by breaking down and visualizing individual tasks when managing a project, it becomes clear what kind of work is involved in the project as a whole, and as a result, it can be shared among all members.
It also has the advantage of making schedule management easier as the project progresses, and is often created at the project planning stage. There are several ways to write a WBS, so in addition to creating your own according to the content of the project, you can also use free templates such as Gantt charts.
Overview of two types of WBS
WBS can be divided into the following two types.
• Process axis • Product axis
I will explain each in detail.
process axis
A process-oriented WBS breaks down the project process into smaller pieces and provides a structure for what steps need to be taken to complete the project. Specifically, we break down the phases until project completion into small pieces and fill in the WBS with the verb form “to do.”
When a project is launched, such as a medium- to long-term project, where the details of the deliverables are not visible at the planning stage, a process-oriented WBS is often used. To give a simple example, if you create a process-oriented WBS for a project called “cleaning the office”, you can create “cleaning up the desk,” “inspecting and purchasing supplies,” “vacuuming windows and floors,” and “repairing the interior.” It is divided into detailed phases and expressed in verb form.
Deliverable axis
The deliverable axis WBS represents the deliverables required to complete the project in a tree format.
This type is suitable for short-term projects where the deliverables can be predicted at the planning stage, and has the advantage of making it easy to estimate budgets and resources.
In the case of the process axis, subdivided phases are expressed in verb form, while in the case of the product axis, the deliverables are often expressed in noun form. For example, when building a project called “bicycle manufacturing” using a deliverable-oriented WBS, it is represented by the deliverables “frame,” “wheel,” “tire,” “chain,” “handle,” “saddle,” and “pedal.”
Advantages of using WBS in project management
There are various project management
frameworks
other than WBS. By understanding the benefits of WBS, you will be able to find the management method that is suitable for your project. The benefits of project management using WBS include the following:
• Highly reproducible • Simple and time-consuming • Can prevent omissions in tasks • Easy for members (workers) to understand tasks
I will explain each in detail.
High reproducibility
WBS is managed by dividing and writing out project phases and deliverables, and writing down the person in charge and scheduled date (deadline).
Therefore, no matter who manages the WBS, as long as the format is determined, the WBS can be created and executed regardless of the administrator or the date and time. The appeal of WBS is that it is highly reproducible, so no matter who the administrator is, the same performance can be achieved.
It’s simple so it doesn’t take much time
WBS can be created simply by writing out the necessary work according to the format, so it is hassle-free. Another benefit is that it is highly visible, not only at the time of creation but also at the execution stage, as the person in charge can simply check and execute the work and schedule assigned to them.
You can now see at a glance what steps need to be taken to accomplish the project, who is in charge of it, and how fast the project should proceed by counting backwards from the deadline. This high level of visibility should help reduce the burden not only on administrators but also on their teams.
Prevents omission of tasks
WBS begins by writing down all the tasks that can be foreseen during the project planning stage.
In addition, newly generated tasks can be easily added, and a person in charge and deadline can be assigned to prevent tasks from being omitted.
With WBS, project members share the tasks necessary to complete the project, so if the person in charge forgets or the delivery date is not met, it is possible to set up a follow-up system within the team in advance.
It is easy for members (workers) to understand tasks
The WBS has high visibility and makes it easy for project members to understand their own tasks, which should reduce the number of inadvertent oversights. You can see not only your own tasks and schedule, but also the progress of the entire team, so even non-administrators can understand the tasks of other members and follow them as needed.
You can also share task and schedule details with the entire team during the planning stage, and each member can easily record new tasks or changes in assignee. In addition to creating a sense of unity within the team, even newcomers can grasp the schedule progress and speed of the entire project.
Process for creating WBS
The flow of creating a WBS is as follows.
• Identify the necessary work • Organize the order of work • Set due dates • Assign tasks to workers
We will explain each step in detail.
Identify the necessary work
First, decide whether to create a process-oriented WBS or a product-oriented WBS, depending on the nature and duration of the project.
We recommend a process-based WBS for medium- to long-term projects, and a deliverable-based WBS for short-term projects.
In addition, when setting tasks, the process axis is suitable if you want to proceed with the project step by step, but if you know the deliverables required to complete the project at the planning stage, the process axis is suitable. Let’s set the axis.
If it is a process-based approach, identify what tasks need to be completed before the project is completed, and if it is a deliverable-based approach, identify all the deliverables required to complete the project.
At this task identification stage, it is important to identify the tasks in as much detail as possible. If any tasks are left out during the planning stage, schedule management will be disrupted.
Organize the order of work
Once you have broken down the tasks, the next step is to assign and organize the order of each task. If it is a process axis, divide it into phases and clarify the order in which tasks are to be accomplished.
If the focus is on deliverables, export the deliverables (deliverables) in a tree format and organize them in descending order of priority.
Set due date
Once you have determined the order of tasks, set due dates for each task.
Be sure to allow some leeway in your schedule to accommodate unexpected tasks that may arise as the project progresses. When creating a WBS, create a column to write the start date in addition to the due date so that you can check the progress.
Assign tasks to workers
Assign a person (worker) to each written task.
Determine the most appropriate person to handle the task while checking the work content and deadline. At this time, share the draft with the entire team to confirm that the tasks and deadlines for each person are within reason and that no tasks are left out.
Points to remember when creating a WBS
Since the WBS is created at the planning stage of a project, if you do not pay attention to a few points, you may end up making the preparations worse.
To prevent such risks, please pay attention to the following points when creating a WBS.
• Leave some leeway in your schedule • You may not include tasks that are too detailed • Use a mind map to organize your thoughts before the WBS
I will explain each in detail.
Create a flexible schedule
WBS identifies necessary tasks and assigns due dates during the planning stage, making detailed scheduling possible.
On the other hand, if a new task arises while one task is in progress, setting a schedule that is too detailed may not be able to respond flexibly and may have the opposite effect.
At the WBS creation stage, plan your schedule with plenty of leeway, taking into account the unexpected occurrence of tasks, staff vacancies, and delays in progress. Additionally, it is important to not only allow leeway in the schedule, but also to allow leeway in deciding who will be in charge, taking into consideration sudden tasks, vacancies, and follow-up to other tasks.
Sometimes tasks that are too detailed may not be included.
Breaking tasks down too much can make the project process redundant.
For tasks that can be completed quickly or extremely detailed tasks, be sure to combine them into one task.
Also, if you absolutely have to list detailed tasks, you can avoid omitting detailed tasks by creating a tree-style WBS using the deliverable axis.
Use a mind map to organize your thoughts before WBS
The more phases and deliverables required to complete a project, the more complex the WBS will be.
In such cases, tasks are likely to be left out, and the assignment of personnel becomes sloppy, creating the risk of reducing overall efficiency.
In addition, for tasks (deliverables) where procedures are important, the deadline and allocation of personnel are important. Therefore, before creating a WBS, it is necessary to create a mind map to organize the tasks and elements required for the entire project and understand the overall picture.
If you neglect to create a mind map, inconveniences will occur, such as the order in which work begins will be out of order and the person in charge will be inappropriately assigned. As a result, the schedule may be delayed, so the entire project team should discuss their opinions and create a mind map to get an idea of how the project will progress.
summary
In this article, we explained the overview and types of WBS, the benefits of WBS, and how to create it. WBS is a highly versatile project progress management method, and its appeal is that it can be easily created and shared.
If you create a WBS without much scrutiny at the planning stage, there is a risk that progress will be delayed and teamwork will be disrupted. Therefore, be sure to take the precautions pointed out in this article into consideration when creating your own. Please refer to this article and use it for project management and WBS creation.