Work Breakdown Structure

The work breakdown structure is a fundamental part of defining project scope. Used to identify the project deliverables, the WBS starts at a high level and decomposes the project deliverables to a work package level. At a work package level it is possible to determine which activities are necessary to produce the deliverable and achieve the project objectives.

[@quickmake3d22]

This is one of the best examples of WBS I've seen.

[@valariegriep3843]

I love the clarity and accuracy of this explanation! I've assigned it to my University of Minnesota students to help them understand this important concept. Thanks for posting this!

[@jimcrawford8835]

My pleasure.

[@jimcrawford8835]

Pleased I could help.

[@umerk2305]

I am a current student of "project Management" class and only a minute and half into this amazing easy to understand and very detailed tutorial video. I cannot thank you enough for this master piece of invaluable tutorial. Thank you so very much Sir.

[@jimcrawford8835]

Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad I could be of service.

[@robertjennings5558]

This is the best explanation of the WBS. Thank you for commitment and this awesome video.

[@jimcrawford8835]

My pleasure.

[@anesastevenson7822]

This is Awesome. Simple and effective

[@RJuddCelisversatility]

You really explained it very well. Thank you very much! ~Greetings from the Philippines~

[@jimcrawford8835]

I'm glad I could help.

[@jimcrawford8835]

@Dizzzais - I would reply but bluefoxicy's answer nailed it. This thing is a tool to help you prevent having parts of your project falling into the cracks. Level of detail has everything to do with where your role is in the program. The older I get the more important things like this become (to help think it through and then later to help me remember)

[@bluefoxicy]

It depends, really. You will need enough levels to manage the work. A project manager may define a 4 level WBS on some legs and a 2 level on other legs; and then a Team Member may approach a Work Package by decomposing it into its own WBS. The PM may only need to manage, say, "Pour foundation"; while the team member may need to examine the footprint, prepare the plot, determine material needs, obtain the materials, mix the cement, place rebar, tie rebar, pour cement, cover, etc.

[@NevaehBeatez]

A WBS is really just a shopping list of things you need for your project

[@liyulong1632]

very well explained

[@wajay2006]

Excellent. I understood WBS now.

[@mkj2300]

Great lesson on preparing a WBS!!! I wish I had known about this much sooner. Do you have any other PM lessons beyond the Requirements and Scope ones?

[@jimcrawford8835]

I used to teach (and do) project and program management. I've since retired and stopped doing the videos but lately I've been thinking I might do some more. They seem popular.

[@akashahridzuan9023]

How to build that wbs chart? any software u used?

[@kat_inspired913]

What app do you use to construct the wbs?

[@hiepnguyen220]

Thank you very much for video. I am searching tips how to incooperate UniFormat | MasterFormat in Mw. Project. Please advise me if you have somthing in mind.

[@jimcrawford8835]

Your request went right over my head. The interweb tells me that UniFormat MasterFormat are standards used in American building design and construction. It also suggests that Mw. Project is, perhaps, a Malawi water project in Africa. Unfortunately I have a computer background (enterprise architect and program manager for a Fortune 100 company) and don't know much of anything about building standards. (Sorry).

[@king0vdarkness]

6:06 how is the restaurant design already known?

[@SurvivalEmporium]

A whole huge airport project and you managed to start talking about the burger restaurant aspect hahahahahaha! Americans really do love burgers

[@jimcrawford8835]

Well...we definitely relate to them.

[@AlergicToSnow]

@dizzzais. You clearly have never tackled a large project

[@Dizzzais]

this is too detailed. to many levels

[@jimcrawford8835]

My last big project before retiring was an intranet infrastructure for the US Navy and Marine Corps. 790,000 desktop workstations world wide. It had MANY more levels than this simple airport example. As you move on to bigger and bigger programs the extra detail becomes essential. That said, if your work requires less detail and a simpler hierarchy then feel free to use a diagram that is more simple. The approach can scale to match what you are trying to do.

[@randyranderson1621]

Could just say break down or break up, decomposing sounds weird and morbid.

[@jimcrawford8835]

Thanks for the observation. After 30 years in the IT industry I find nothing weird or morbid about process decomposition. Like in nature, decomposition is breaking big complex things down into smaller elements that are simple and much easier to understand.