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2009 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Defining Scope and Constructing
Work Breakdown Structures
(WBS)
Chapter 6
Contemporary Project Management
Kloppenborg
At the end of this chapter
Describe the scope planning and definition
processes.
Create a project scope management plan.
Create a project scope statement.
Create a change control process.
Describe what a WBS is and demonstrate why it
is vital to project planning and control.
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At the end of this chapter
Describe work packages and how they are used
for planning and control.
Compare and contrast different methods of
developing a WBS.
Given project information, individually develop a
WBS for a small sample project.
Working as a team, develop a WBS for a real
project.
Create a numbering system for a WBS.
Scope Planning
Plan the teams efforts
Scope planning the process of creating a project scope
management plan. PMBOK Guide
Scope planning the process of creating a project scope
management plan. PMBOK Guide
Project scope management plan the document that
describes how the project scope will be defined, developed,
and verified; how the work breakdown structure will be
created and defined; and how the project scope will be
managed and controlled by the project team.
PMBOK Guide
Project scope management plan the document that
describes how the project scope will be defined, developed,
and verified; how the work breakdown structure will be
created and defined; and how the project scope will be
managed and controlled by the project team.
PMBOK Guide
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Scope Planning
Scope planning = product scope + project scope
Identify and organize all project work
Use the scope management plan as the basis
for all other work
Product scope the features and functions that
characterize a product, service, or result. PMBOK Guide
Product scope the features and functions that
characterize a product, service, or result. PMBOK Guide
Project scope the work that must be performed to
deliver a product, service, or result. PMBOK Guide
Project scope the work that must be performed to
deliver a product, service, or result. PMBOK Guide
Project Scope Management Plan
Work Processes
Develop a detailed project scope statement
Create the work breakdown structure and
describe how it will be maintained and approved
Specify how formal verification and acceptance
of the completed project deliverables will be
obtained
Control how changes to the approved project
scope will be proposed, accepted, and managed
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Scope Definition
Reasons for scope definition
How to define scope
Project Scope Statement the output from
scope definition
Scope Definition
Determine deliverables
What work is necessary to create the
deliverables
What assumptions/constraints will influence the
project work
Scope definition the process of developing a detailed
project scope statement as the basis of future project
decisions. PMBOK Guide
Scope definition the process of developing a detailed
project scope statement as the basis of future project
decisions. PMBOK Guide
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Reasons for Scope Definition
All other planning is based on the project scope
Aid to preventing scope creep
How to Define Scope
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Clarify Project Objectives
Ensure the project team understands project
objectives
Review the project charter
Describe expected project benefits
Describe problems the project is attempting to
overcome
List Potential Deliverables
Clarified objectives lead to final deliverables
List intermediate deliverables
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Gather Stakeholder Input
Listen to internal and external customers
Use Voice of the Customer (VOC) techniques
Elicit benefits/features in customers language
Team member placed in the customer situation
Complete a customer needs worksheet
Ask the customer how they will judge the quality
of the project
For information systems projects, use a joint
application design (JAD) session to elicit
customer requirements
Gather Stakeholder Input
Questions to guide discussion:
What do we not understand about the request?
What is the business reason for the request?
What is the impact of not providing this feature?
What action items need to be accomplished if we do
this?
What impact will this have on other parts of the
project or elsewhere?
Create a prototype
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State Scope & Establish Project
Boundaries
Product and project scope
What is being created and what work is involved
Decide which features/work elements are in
scope and which are out of scope
Promise only what can be delivered
Clearly state project assumptions
Create a Baseline Scope Statement
Examine scope definition statements for
completeness
Validate scope with the sponsor, a customer,
and/or other stakeholders
baseline the approved time phased plan plus or minus
approved project changes Usually used with a
modifier. PMBOK Guide
baseline the approved time phased plan plus or minus
approved project changes Usually used with a
modifier. PMBOK Guide
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Project Scope Statement the output
from scope definition
Project Objectives
Why is the project being undertaken?
What is the benefit to be achieved or
problem/issue to be overcome by the project?
How will the project stakeholders decide
whether to accept the project deliverables?
What target values will the project deliverables
need to achieve?
How will the project be measured?
What tradeoffs of scope, quality, cost, or
schedule will be acceptable?
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Project Scope Description
What characteristics do the project deliverables
need to possess?
Are there appearance expectations?
Project Boundaries
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Establish Change Control
Projects are conducted in an atmosphere of
uncertainty
Document potential changes to a project with a
change request
Change control system a collection of formally
documented procedures that define how project
deliverables and documentation will be controlled, changed,
and approved. PMBOK Guide
Change control system a collection of formally
documented procedures that define how project
deliverables and documentation will be controlled, changed,
and approved. PMBOK Guide
Change request request to expand or reduce the project
scope, modify policies, processes, plans, or procedure,
modify costs or budgets, or revise schedules Only formally
documented changes are processed and only approved
change requests are implemented. PMBOK Guide
Change request request to expand or reduce the project
scope, modify policies, processes, plans, or procedure,
modify costs or budgets, or revise schedules Only formally
documented changes are processed and only approved
change requests are implemented. PMBOK Guide
Change Request Form
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Work Breakdown Structure
What is a WBS?
Why use a WBS?
WBS Formats
Work Packages
How to construct a WBS
What is the WBS?
A tool used to progressively divide project work
into smaller pieces
Identify deliverables
What work do we need to perform to create this
deliverable?
A framework used as a basis for further
planning, execution, and control
Activity definition the process of identifying the specific
schedule activities that need to be performed to produce the
various project deliverables. PMBOK Guide
Activity definition the process of identifying the specific
schedule activities that need to be performed to produce the
various project deliverables. PMBOK Guide
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Why use a WBS?
One of the most essential project management
tools
Adds discipline and visibility to project planning
Basis for planning schedule, resources, cost,
quality, and risk
Useful in determining where and why problems
occur
Helpful in project communications
WBS Formats
Indented outline form
Organizational chart format
Free format
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WBS - Indented Outline Format
WBS in Org Chart Format
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WBS in Free Format
Work Packages
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Work Packages
An element at the lowest level
The basis for all subsequent planning and
control activities
The point from which
Work activities are defined
Schedule is formed
Resources are aligned
Control features will be developed
Work package a deliverable at the lowest level of each
branch of a WBS. The work package includes the schedule
activities and schedule milestones required to complete the work
package deliverable. PMBOK Guide
Work package a deliverable at the lowest level of each
branch of a WBS. The work package includes the schedule
activities and schedule milestones required to complete the work
package deliverable. PMBOK Guide
Work Packages
How small is small enough?
Consider expected amount of time to create the
deliverable
Between 8 and 80 work hours?
Twice the reporting period?
State succinctly in very few words
WBS component an entry in the WBS that can be at any
level. PMBOK Guide
WBS component an entry in the WBS that can be at any
level. PMBOK Guide
WBS dictionary a document that describes each component
in the WBS. For each component, the WBS dictionary includes a
brief scope description, defined deliverable(s), a list of associated
activities, and may include other information. PMBOK Guide
WBS dictionary a document that describes each component
in the WBS. For each component, the WBS dictionary includes a
brief scope description, defined deliverable(s), a list of associated
activities, and may include other information. PMBOK Guide
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Work Package Detail
How to construct a WBS
Include a subject matter expert (SME) who
understands how each portion of the work will
be accomplished
Use a top down approach
Use a WBS from a previous project as a starting
point
Jump start WBS construction with brainstorming
a list of project deliverables
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Steps in WBS Construction
1. Identify major deliverables
2. Divide into smaller deliverables
3. Continue until right size
4. Review
WBS Organization Examples
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Project Phase Organization
Facilitates rolling wave planning
Rolling wave planning allows a team to get a
quick start on a project
Helps avoid:
Analysis paralysis - never starting anything because
the plan isnt complete
Ready, fire, aim not planning at all
Rolling wave planning a form of progressive elaboration planning
where the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in
detail while the work far in the future is planned at a relatively high
level the detailed planning for work to be performed in the near
future is done as work is being completed during the current time
period. PMBOK Guide
Rolling wave planning a form of progressive elaboration planning
where the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in
detail while the work far in the future is planned at a relatively high
level the detailed planning for work to be performed in the near
future is done as work is being completed during the current time
period. PMBOK Guide
Work Function Organization
Allows functions to focus on their specific
activities
Does not promote cross-functional discussion
Extra care required to establish inter-functional
communication
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WBS divide into smaller
deliverables
Brainstorm a list of interim and final deliverables
(use Post It Notes)
Assemble deliverables on a large work space
Group deliverables into related groups
Review for completeness
WBS Structure Considerations
Consider the parent-child concept
Have between 3 and 9 child elements for each parent
Uniquely name each component in the WBS
Assign a unique number to each component
Examine Exhibit 6.13
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Using MS Project for Work
Breakdown Structures (WBS)
Types of project data
Initialize the Project
Set Up the WBS
Types of Data
Task data includes WBS data and task data
Individual work activities are tasks
WBS elements are summary rows (bolded)
Resource data used by MS Project to
determine assignment load, work, and cost
The resource name field identifies the resource
Assignment data assignment units, work, and
cost data are calculated when a resource is
assigned to a task
May be viewed in Task Usage and Resource Usage
views
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Initialize the Project
1. Set the project start date
2. Enter identifying information
3. Define your organizations holidays
4. Automatically generate a project summary row
5. Hide highlighting.
1. Set the project start date
Select Start Date from the Project Information
Dialog Box
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
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2. Enter identifying information
File Properties
Summary tab
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from
Microsoft Corporation.
3. Define organizational holidays
Tools Change
Working Time
Define holidays in the
project calendar
Define resource
vacations in resource
calendars
All project calendar
content is copied into
all resource calendars
Define holidays and
vacations as
nonworking time days
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft
Corporation.
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4. Change working time details
Use to enter the day
definitions
Do not shorten the
working day hours to
compensate for
resource availability
Use the resource
definition (Max units)
for this purpose
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
4. Automatically generate a project
summary row
Tools Options View
Uses the contents of the
Title field to automatically
generate a project
summary row
Using this feature
prevents a double entry
of the project title in a
schedule that contains
inserted projects
Turn on Show project
summary
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from
Microsoft Corporation.
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5. Hide highlighting
View Hide Change Highlighting
Project automatically shows the impact of changes made
to a project schedule
Turn this function off until the project schedule is baselined
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
Set Up the WBS
1. Understand WBS definitions and displays
2. Enter summaries, milestones, and tasks
3. Create the outline for your WBS
4. Insert row number column
5. Hide (or show) desired amount of detail.
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1. Understand WBS displays and
definitions
Project refers to activities as tasks and higher
level WBS elements as summary tasks
(summaries)
Milestones are zero duration activities
Moments when progress is checked
Summaries, tasks, and milestones are displayed
to allow easy recognition
Tables as an outline
Gantt view
Network Diagram view
Gantt Chart View
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
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Network View
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission
from Microsoft Corporation.
Summary values in a task table
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
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Summary values in a task table
Cost and work field values total the underlying
tasks
Duration field values summarize the number of
working days in the project calendar spanned by
the summary
Start contains the start value for the earliest
starting task(s)
Finish contains the finish date of the latest
finishing task(s)
Some fields have no values Predecessor and
Resource Names
2. Enter the list of summaries,
tasks, and milestones
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
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2. Enter the list of summaries,
tasks, and milestones
Rearrange the list using a row drag and drop
feature
Add elements and tasks with a task insert
function
3. Create the outline (WBS)
Set up the outline structure using the Indent
and Outdent buttons on the Formatting toolbar
1. Select the Task Name field to be indented
2. Click on the Indent button
3. Decrease an indent level with the Outdent button
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4. Insert Row Number Column
Project will automatically number summaries,
tasks, and milestones
Highlight the task name column
Insert Column Field name - WBS
Ready to Insert WBS Column
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
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WBS Column Inserted
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
5. Hide (or Show) Underlying
Detail
Source: Microsoft product screen shot reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
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5. Hide (or Show) Underlying
Detail
Select summary row whose detail is to be
hidden/displayed
Click on the Hide ( - ) subtasks button or Show
subtasks button ( + )
Summary
Scope planning involves determining what interim
deliverables need to be created and what work will need
to be performed to create all of the deliverables.
The defined scope is organized into a work breakdown
structure (WBS).
The WBS progressively decomposes the project into
smaller and smaller pieces.
Each WBS component is assigned to one person for
planning and control
The WBS serves as a basis for determining project
schedule, budget, personnel assignments, quality
requirements, and risks.
The WBS can be created using MS Project