DEVELOPING A WBS

The WBS represents a logical decomposition of the work to be performed that focuses on how the product, service, or result is naturally subdivided. It is an outline of the specific work to be performed.

Development of a WBS requires knowledge of not only what the output or deliverable components of a project will be, but also how they will be assembled, integrated, or summed to form the final product. The planner also needs knowledge of the major areas of work or access to subject-matter experts. This knowledge is required for every type of project—reports, airplanes, buildings, electronic systems, computer programs, weddings, conferences, culture changes, or any other endeavor that meets the definition of a project. This is why the project team and other stakeholders need to be involved in the development of the WBS. These fundamentals apply universally and are independent of the customer, industry, country, culture, or geography.

The requirement to be knowledgeable about the output before you start the project may seem daunting at first, but your organization would not have the project if it didn’t know something about the expected product, service, or result. For research projects, the WBS is structured around the work to be performed—the process, not the product. (Actually the final product of a research program is known; it is a report or paper describing the results and conclusions of the research.) For other projects where the final deliverable is a service that is being performed, such as putting on a conference or wedding, the planner must have a good understanding of the major tasks to be performed. In all cases, it is possible to find knowledgeable subject-matter experts to assist in the development of the WBS; these experts frequently can be found within the organization.