Breaking tasks down into smaller segments to make them easier for teams to achieve is an important part of project management. These methods are called work breakdown structures, and they can play a key part in the success of a project.
Just as you might break down your shopping list into categories like frozen foods and produce, project managers must separate their team’s work into digestible jobs.
This process makes complex projects easier to complete in a timely manner, helping project managers meet their deliverables. If you want to become a project manager, you should learn WBS.
What Is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?
A WBS is a hierarchical structure composed of smaller parts. It is used to streamline the process of delivering a product or service to the end-user. A project manager uses a WBS to decide how they will assign tasks to individual team members, based on the scope of the project. A typical WBS looks like a tree diagram.
You must follow five steps to create a useful WBS, which we’ll look at below. A WBS model follows the 100 percent rule. This means that the structure needs to contain all of the work laid out in the scope of the project and achieve all of the deliverables.
Elements of a Work Breakdown Structure
To break a project down and assign tasks to team members, you must carefully decide how it should be separated. It is suggested that project managers follow the 80-hour rule, in which no one task should require more than 80 hours of effort.
Take the elements below into consideration when deciding how to assign duties.
- Task number and description. One key to a successful WSB involves associating a number and description with each task. These will give direction to the person who is assigned the duty.
- Task owner. The person or group overseeing the task is the task owner. This could be a department or an individual. They will complete the task according to the original project description.
- Task status. The owner of the will keep track of whether the task has been completed, or if it is late.
- Task dependency. Some tasks will depend on whether other team members have completed their jobs.
- Start, finish, and estimated completion of the task. It is important to include these points in the management plan. Adding a start and end date will make deadlines clear.
Four Work Breakdown Structure Variations
There are several different ways to organize a WBS structure. Most project management bootcamps will teach you how to use a variety of software to design a WBS. A few of the most common ways to draw up a structure are listed below.
Work Breakdown Structure Spreadsheet
A classic WBS has only one main topic, with smaller branches reaching out representing tasks. If you are displaying this in a spreadsheet, the smaller branches will be separated into different rows and columns. Titles could include different phases, tasks, deliverables, etc.
Work Breakdown Structure Gantt Chart
A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that can be described as a combination of a timeline and a spreadsheet. With a Gantt chart, you can set milestones and even link dependent tasks.
Work Breakdown Structure Flowchart
This is the tree version of a WBS mentioned above. This type of diagram is similar to a list but is adjusted to better show workflow. One of the more popular visual aids used by project managers, it breaks tasks down into the smallest possible pieces.
Learning Work Breakdown Structure
As a project manager, you will be in charge of carrying out entire projects and assigning them to relevant team members. You must be sure to plan your breakdown in a way that will meet deliverables.
You will need to be in control and organized if you want your WBS to be a success. To learn the hard skills you will need, you can take an online management course, or if you have already decided to specialize in project management, you can become an Agile project manager.
There are many ways you can learn WBS both online and offline. Choose the one that is in line with your capabilities, preferences, and availability.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Work Breakdown Structure?
The amount of time it takes will depend on the method you choose and how dedicated you are to learning. If you choose to complete WBS training online, make sure that you are motivated and can put the necessary time and effort into it. If you choose in-person studies, you will gain valuable first-hand experience from industry experts.
How to Learn Work Breakdown Structure: Step-by-Step
Below are some of the steps you can take to start learning WBS.
- Gain soft and hard skills. Mastering WBS is about both soft and hard skills. As a project manager, it is essential that you have leadership and organization skills, as well as a firm grasp of numerical concepts. You can learn hard skills by getting a project management degree online, and learn soft skills through online videos, books, or blogs.
- Attend online courses. If you know what career you want to enter, it is advisable to pursue a bachelor’s degree in that field. This will ensure that you meet the requirements for any future position you will seek in the field. You can even go all-out and get a PhD in project management.
- Specialize. As a project manager, you can choose to work in a variety of fields, such as business or construction. Employers are looking for workers who have specialized in one area. If you know where your passion lies, you should focus on that industry.
- Get certification. Getting a bachelor’s or master’s degree is a great start, but you shouldn’t stop there. There are many certifications available in the project management field, such as the PMI and PMP and CAPM certificates.
The Best WBS Courses and Training
Since there are so many free and paid online WBS courses and training programs to choose from, we have helped narrow down the selection. Below are some of the best project manager courses.
The Best Project Management WBS Courses
If you’re looking for basic project management skills and certificates, these online training options will help you get started.
Engineering Project Management: Scope, Time and Cost Management
- Provider: coursera
- Duration: Approx. 23 hours
- Prerequisites: None
- Price: Free
Any successful project management task requires three things: Scope, time, and cost management. This is what this course teaches. By the end of the course, you will have learnt everything about work breakdown structures and how to create a WBS, develop critical path schedules, and review budgets.
Project Management Cornell Certificate Program
- Provider: Cornell University
- Duration: 3 months
- Prerequisites: None
- Price: Free
In this certificate program, you will learn the strategies businesses use to drive successful projects. By studying three to five hours per week, you will gain insight into scoping projects, learn how to work with budgets, and set milestones. Workflow using Gantt charts is also explained.
Certified Associate in Project Management – Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
- Provider: Grey Campus
- Duration: Self-paced
- Prerequisites: None
- Price: Free
No matter what project you work on, you will most likely require a work breakdown structure for its successful completion. This course teaches you everything you need to know about WBS. It teaches you about the huge advantages of using a WBS, how to create one, the rules of any WBS, and how to implement it as a project manager.
Work Breakdown Structure
- Provider: Project Management Academy
- Duration: 6 months digital access
- Prerequisites: None
- Price: On-Demand Video & Registration $49
The foundation to most project execution is a great work breakdown structure. This course teaches you everything you need to know about this subject and how to use it to benefit business requirements, constraints, goals, and assumptions.
This course was made for anyone looking for a better understanding of how to work on projects and keep them within budget, scope, and time.
Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management
- Provider: Coursera
- Duration: 9 hours
- Prerequisites: None
- Price: Free
This is a beginner-level online course that you can complete on your own time. It will teach you how to organize a project using a WBS and manage risks using an earned value approach.
Work Breakdown Structure Books
Picking up a book can help you gain a much better understanding of a new concept. Check out some of the suggestions below to brush up on your WBS knowledge as you work on your online training.
Work Breakdown Structures: The Foundation for Project Management, Eric S. Norman
WBS has become an essential project management tool. Learn more about it in this book by three industry experts. By the time you’re done, you will have a better idea of the key concepts of WBS, and how to initiate a project using it.
Effective Work Breakdown Structures (Project Management Essential Library), Gregory T Haugan
This practical guide to WBS offers crucial new perspectives on how to apply WBS concepts and theories to modern projects in a way that will produce strong results. Learn how to plan, control, and communicate effectively using the suggestions listed in this text.
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Online Work Breakdown Structure Resources
There are several additional online resources that you can browse to help round out your understanding of WBS.
VisualParadigm.com
Having the right tools can make work tasks much more manageable. This website offers various templates for WBS diagrams that can cut the time you spend designing projects in half.
Creately.com
Upon registration for this website, you can check out their templates and sample diagrams to learn how to create your own WBS. These editable templates will make it much easier to kick start a new project. You can export the diagrams in formats such as PNG, PDF, or JPEG.
Should You Study Work Breakdown Structures?
We hope this guide on WBS has helped bring you up to speed on why these diagrams are essential to project management. To learn how to use them effectively, sign up for some of the courses above.
If you’re set on becoming a project manager, then practicing WBS will allow you to set your teams up for success. They will be able to achieve all project deliverables if their tasks are set out clearly in a WBS.
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