2/26/2015

Lesson 12:
Project planning and
Time management
WORK BREAK DOWN STRUCTURE (WBS) AND GANT/BAR CHARTS

D R .C H O

Project Planning Process

Follows these basic stages:
Initiating
◦ define the project objective
Planning
◦ scope management
◦ create WBS & estimation
◦ develop project schedule & budget
◦ identify and manage risk
Executing & Controlling
◦ monitor and control project progress
Closing
◦ formal acceptance & transfer of control from project team to client
◦ evaluate project success

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Project Time Management Processes

Project time management involves processes required to ensure timely
completion of a project
Processes include:
◦ Activity definition
◦ Activity sequencing
◦ Activity duration estimating
◦ Schedule development
◦ Schedule control

Planning & Scheduling Method I:

WBS definition

“Project best understood by breaking it down into its parts”

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

◦ Hierarchical listing of tasks and deliverables (not just a task list)
◦ defines the total scope of the project
◦ fundamental to much of project planning & tracking

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Work Breakdown Structure

WBS - Levels
§ Level n – Overall Project Definition
o Highest-level entry corresponds to the overall project deliverable. e.g., Project Title

§ Level n+1 – Identify and define all deliverables

§ Start with high-level outcomes, e.g., Project life cycle ( plan, design, construction, commission)

§ Level n+2- Decompose deliverables into high-level activities

§ Level n+3- Continue breaking down the project until you reach what are called work
packages; pieces that:
§ Can be realistically and confidently estimated
§ Cannot be logically subdivided further
§ Can be completed quickly
§ Have a meaningful conclusion and deliverable

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Who Creates The WBS?

§ Project Manager and ..
§ Stakeholders
§ Team members
§ Input from subcontractors
§ Input from customers
§ WBS can best be thought of as an effective aid for stakeholder
communication

Advantages of the WBS

§ Total project can be thought out in advance
§ Facilitates communication and cooperation between and among the project
team and other stakeholders
§ Helps prevent work from slipping through cracks
§ Helps prevent changes
§ Provides a basis for staff, cost and time
§ Responsibility assignments can begin to take shape
§ Can be used to begin putting together schedule

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Building a WBS
Armed with the basics of the WBS, it is time to examine them in more detail and to
begin to understand how to build one. To do this, let’s look at building a WBS for
the construction of a single family home. First, take a moment to familiarize
yourself with some background information about the construction company,
which appears on the next page.

Example from Hamilton, B.A.

WBS: Structure
The ACME Housing Corporation, which you own, has been contracted to build its
first house. You want to be able to manage your projects effectively and
efficiently, so you charge your project managers to develop an appropriate
WBS. You decide to manage the project by the individual tasks necessary to
complete the house.
You hope that this is the first of many houses that ACME will build, so you start
the WBS with ACME in the highest position, or Level 1. Accordingly, Level 1 is
given a WBS code of 1. You assign the WBS code of 1 to the highest level
because all future projects (houses) will be summarized at Level 1.
NOTE: For ease of explanation, our
example will assume the following:
• Design is complete Level 1 à
• All permits issued
• All Material ordered
• Inspection happens

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WBS: Structure
With Level 1 established, you can begin to complete the WBS. But what should
the next level be?
The logical next level for ACME is the project level. Level 2 is the level for each
individual project, or house, that ACME undertakes. As the chart shows below,
Level 2 is identified at the project level: House.
Appropriately, the code for Level 2 corresponds to Level 1. In this case, the code
is 1.1.

Level 1 à

Level 2 à

WBS: Structure
Now the WBS for the housing project is complete, right? Actually, no, the WBS is
not complete. At this point you determine that you want to divide the work into
the major elements needed to build a house. You choose to divide Level 3 into
six elements: concrete, framing, plumbing, electrical, interior and roofing. You
realize that these are both major deliverables and milestones for managing the
project. They also enable you to get to your goal of managing the project by
task.
Notice the WBS codes at level 3. Each is unique to the project and starts with the
WBS code from the level above (1à1.1à1.1.1). Now lets look and see if
another level is needed.
Level 1 à

Level 2 à

Level 3 à

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WBS: Structure
The ACME WBS is taking shape, but it does not quite define the project at a level that
shows needed tasks for completion. To do this, one more level needs to be included.

Level 4 of the WBS will enable us to manage the

project as desired. All of our contractors fit into
specific elements at level 4, and so do all specific ß Level 1
departments. As with the previous Levels, note the
WBS codes that have been assigned to the tasks ß Level 2
and their relationship to the previous Level.

Level 3 à

Level 4 à

WBS: Structure
What do you think? Is the WBS complete? Does it enable the manager to
manage at the task level?
After a review to make sure that only approved scope is included, our WBS is
complete. It does include the necessary components to manage the project by
task.

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Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Tree

1 ACME Housing Corporation
1.1 New Home Construction
1.1.1 Concrete
The graphical structure of the WBS is an easy way to 1.1.1.1 Pour Foundation
identify the project components and relationships of 1.1.1.2 Install Patio
those components; however, the WBS can be 1.1.1.3 Pour Stairway
1.1.2 Framing
displayed in another format as well: the Tree format. 1.1.2.1 Frame Exterior Walls
Both formats are acceptable. The graphical format is 1.1.2.2 Frame Interior Walls
at times easier to understand, but can take up 1.1.2.3 Install Roofing Trusses
1.1.3 Plumbing
considerable space in a report. The tree is not as 1.1.3.1 Install Water Lines
easy to understand but is more easily incorporated 1.1.3.2 Install Gas Lines
into a report format. 1.1.3.3 Install B/K Fixtures
1.1.4 Electrical
1.1.4.1 Install Wiring
Note the WBS codes and the structure of the Levels 1.1.4.2 Install Outlets/Switches
in the Tree format mirror the graphical format. The 1.1.4.3 Install Fixtures
content has not changed; only the way the content is 1.1.5 Interior
1.1.5.1 Install Drywall
presented has changed. 1.1.5.2 Install Carpets
1.1.5.3 Install Painting
1.1.6 Roofing
1.1.6.1 Install Felt
1.1.6.2 Install Shingles
1.1.6.3 Install Vents

WBS Dictionary
Once the WBS is complete, the WBS dictionary needs to be the next item developed. The WBS dictionary is a narrative
documentation of the effort needed to accomplish all work defined in the WBS. The WBS dictionary is developed for the
lowest level element in the WBS only.
To better understand how a WBS and a WBS dictionary work, let’s compare it to a book and the book’s table of contents:
• The WBS is the table of contents for the project. It captures the contents in an organized fashion (chapters,
subchapter).
• The WBS dictionary is the book itself. It tells the story. In our case the
story is what work will be accomplished and what outputs will be
produced in each of the WBS elements. The total of these descriptions is
how a house will be built and what is needed to build the house.

The WBS dictionary will often lead to the development of the statements of work
(SOW) for the project.
The WBS dictionary contains:
• A number identifier
• Related control account (for cost)
• A statement of the work to be done
• Who is responsible for doing the work
• Any schedule milestones

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Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)

Now that our WBS is developed, the appropriate resources and responsibilities need to assigned.
The first step in doing this is developing the Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) for the
project. The OBS indicates the organizational relationships and is used as the framework for
assigning work responsibilities. Below is an example of the OBS for the ACME house building
project. The OBS is structured by Responsible Department and then by Performing Department at
the lowest level. This Performing Department level is were the responsibility and resource needed
to accomplish the project will be assigned.
PROJECT OFFICE
RESP DEPT
With the relationships and B. Smithers

responsibilities defined, the CIVIL STRUCTURAL ELECTICAL PLUMBING

RESP DEPT RESP DEPT RESP DEPT RESP DEPT
second and final step is to R. Kelly P. Tate J. Sims R. Lee

merge the WBS and OBS. CONCRETE CARPENTRY WIRING WATER/SEWER

PERF DEPT 6010 PERF DEPT 5010 PERF DEPT 4010 PERF DEPT 3010
Take a look on the next M. Manning R. Sites S. Johnson K. Wells

page. MASONRY
PERF DEPT 6020
ROOFING
PERF DEPT 5020
HOOKUP/TIE-IN
PERF DEPT 4020
GAS
PERF DEPT 3020
T. Greams Y. Taylor P. Ottis R. Oriely

TEST DRYWALL
PERF DEPT 6030 PERF DEPT 5030
K. Neumann D. Smith

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

Merging the WBS and OBS, the
project manager creates a
Responsibility Assignment Matrix
(RAM). The RAM displays the
lowest level of both the WBS and
the OBS. The integration identifies
specific responsibility for specific
project tasks. It is at this point that
the project manager develops
PERF DEPT 3010

PERF DEPT 3020

WATER/SEW ER

R. Oriely

control accounts or work package.

PLUMBING
RESP DEPT

K. Wells

GAS
R. Lee

Lets look at what the RAM may

look like on the ACME house
PERF DEPT 4010

PERF DEPT 4020

HOOKUP/TIE-IN
S. Johnson

Responsibility
RESP DEPT
ELECTICAL

WIRING

P. Ottis
J. Sims

construction project on the next

PROJECT OFFICE

Assignment Matrix
B. Smithers

page.
RESP DEPT

PERF DEPT 5010

PERF DEPT 5020

PERF DEPT 5030

CARPENTRY
STRUCTURAL

DRYWALL
ROOFING

D. Smith
Y. Taylor
R. Sites
RESP DEPT
P. Tate

PERF DEPT 6010

PERF DEPT 6020

PERF DEPT 6030

K. Neumann
CONCRETE

M. Manning

MASONRY

T. Greams
RESP DEPT

TEST
R. Kelly
CIVIL

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Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

Below is part of the RAM for the ACME
housing project. CONCRETE
1.1.1
FRAMING
1.1.2
PLUMBING
1.1.3
Frame Frame Install Install
◦ The lowest level of the WBS appears Pour Pour
Foundation Install Patio Stairway
Exterior
Walls
Interior
Walls
Roofing
Trusse
Water
Lines
Install Gas Install B/K
Lines Fixtures
across the top Performing Dept.
CONCRETE
Manager 1.1.1.1 1.1.1.2 1.1.1.3 1.1.2.1 1.1.2.2 1.1.2.3 1.1.3.1 1.1.3.2 1.1.3.3

DEPT 6010 X X X
◦ The lowest level of the OBS appears MASONRY
Manning

X
DEPT 6020 Greams
on the vertical axis TEST
X X X
DEPT 6030 Neumann
CARPENTRY
X X X
An “X” appears at the intersection of the DEPT 5010
ROOFING
Sites

X
WBS task and OBS personnel. The “X” DEPT 5020
DRYWALL
Taylor

X
defines the specific performing DEPT 5030
WIRING
Smith

department (from the OBS) assigned to DEPT 4010

HOOKUP/TIE-IN
Johnson

complete a task (from the WBS). DEPT 4020

WATER/SEWER
Ottis

DEPT 3010 Wells X X

GAS
DEPT 3020 Oriely X X

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

Alternatively, hours and dollars may CONCRETE FRAMING PLUMBING
1.1.1 1.1.2 1.1.3
be used in the RAM rather than an Frame Frame Install Install

“X”. Using our ACME House Pour Pour

Foundation Install Patio Stairway
Exterior
Walls
Interior
Walls
Roofing
Trusse
Water
Lines
Install Gas Install B/K
Lines Fixtures
example, the “X” was replaced with Performing Dept.
CONCRETE
Manager 1.1.1.1 1.1.1.2 1.1.1.3 1.1.2.1 1.1.2.2 1.1.2.3 1.1.3.1 1.1.3.2 1.1.3.3

200 125 85
the hours needed to complete the DEPT 6010
MASONRY
Manning

task. Now we see that Mr. Sites DEPT 6020 Greams 50

TEST
has 300 hours to frame the exterior DEPT 6030 Neumann 20 10 5
CARPENTRY
walls, 250 hours to frame the DEPT 5010 Sites 300 250 175
interior walls and 175 hours to ROOFING
DEPT 5020 Taylor 100
install the roofing trusses. DRYWALL
DEPT 5030 Smith 275
WIRING
DEPT 4010 Johnson
HOOKUP/TIE-IN
DEPT 4020 Ottis
WATER/SEWER
DEPT 3010 Wells 100 15
GAS
DEPT 3020 Oriely 125 25

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Planning & Scheduling Method II:

Bar or Gantt Chart
• Created 1910 by Henry Gantt
• Standard format for displaying project schedules
• activities, durations, start/end finish dates displayed in calendar format
• Graphic presentation of project activities in a time-scaled bar line with no links
shown between activities
• Broken into smaller, components called activities or tasks
• Loaded with resource or budget numbers
• Compare as-planned vs. as-built (y-axis shows budget, person hours, %-complete)
• Sometimes show “necked” bars as interruptions occur

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Bar or Gantt Chart

Advantages:
• Easy to create and understand
• Simple to construct
• Good for conceptual planning/estimating
• Preferred for summary/exec-level information

Limitations:
• Not help organize the project as effectively as a WBS or network diagram do
• Difficult to follow the logical sequence
• Hard to deal with large number of activities

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Gantt Charts (cont.)

Symbols include:
◦ Black diamond: milestones
◦ Thick black bars: summary tasks
◦ Lighter horizontal bars: tasks
◦ Arrows: dependencies between tasks

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Sample Project Gantt Charts

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Sample Tracking Gantt Chart

- white diamond: slipped milestone

- two bars: planned and actual times

Milestone Charts
• Similar to bar charts but only show major events
• No duration
• Good tools for reporting to management senior and the customer

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Exercise:
Under what circumstances • To track progress, to report
to the team
would you use a network
diagram instead of a bar chart?
Under what circumstances would • To show interdependencies
you use a milestone chart instead between activities

of a bar chart?
Under what circumstances would
• To report to the senior
you use bar chart instead of a management
network diagram?

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