DEVELOPING THE PROJECT PLAN:

WORK BREAKDOWN
STRUCTURE
SP 04
 WHAT IS PROJECT
PLANNING?
Construction project planning is the act of creating a
development plan for a construction project.

• Define the work tasks of each entity involved in the project.

• Illustrate the relationship between different work tasks and the
individual entities that are performing those tasks.
• Make decisions about which technologies will be used to bring
about the successful completion of the project.
• Provide a comprehensive assessment of all resources required to
complete a project.
• Use the plan to arrive at a timeline and budget for the project.
 WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE

IN GENERAL: FOR PROJECTS: TYPES:

Breaking work into smaller tasks It is the tool that utilizes this 1. Deliverable-Based Work
is a common productivity technique and is one of the most Breakdown Structure
technique used to make the work important project management
more manageable and documents. It singlehandedly 2. Phase-Based Work
approachable.  integrates scope, cost and Breakdown Structure
schedule baselines ensuring that
project plans are in alignment.
 Deliverable-Based Work
Breakdown Structure

A Deliverable-Based Work
Breakdown Structure clearly
demonstrates the relationship
between the project deliverables
(i.e., products, services or results)
and the scope (i.e., work to be
executed). Figure 1 is an example of
a Deliverable-Based WBS for
building a house.
 Phase-Based Work
Breakdown Structure

A good WBS is simply one that

makes the project more
manageable. Every project is
different; every project manager is
different and every WBS is
different. So, the right WBS is the
one that best answers the
question, “What structure makes
the project more manageable?”.
 How to Make a Work Breakdown Structure?

1ST STEP 2ND STEP 3RD STEP

GATHER CRITICAL IDENTIFY KEY TEAM DEFINE LEVEL 1
DOCUMENTS MEMBERS ELEMENTS
a) Gather critical project documents. a) Identify the appropriate project a) Define the Level 1 Elements.
team members. Level 1 Elements are summary
b) Identify content containing
deliverable descriptions that must
project deliverables, such as the b) Analyze the documents and
capture 100% of the project
Project Charter, Scope Statement identify the deliverables.
scope.
and Project Management Plan
(PMP) subsidiary plans. b) Verify 100% of scope is captured.
This requirement is commonly
referred to as the 100% Rule.
 How to Make a Work Breakdown Structure?

4TH STEP 5TH STEP 6TH STEP

DECOMPOSE CREATE WBS CREATE GANTT CHART
(BREAKDOWN) ELEMENTS DICTIONARY SCHEDULE
a) Begin the process of breaking a) Define the content of the  a) Decompose the Work Packages to
the Level 1 deliverables into WBS Dictionary. The WBS Dictionary activities as appropriate.
is a narrative description of the work
unique lower Level covered in each Element in the WBS. b) Export or enter the Work
deliverables. This “breaking The lowest Level Elements in the WBS Breakdown Structure into a 
down” technique is called are called Work Packages. Gantt chart for further scheduling
Decomposition. b) Create the WBS Dictionary and project tracking.
descriptions at the Work Package Level
b) Continue breaking down the
with detail enough to ensure that 100%
work until the work covered in of the project scope is covered. The
each Element is managed by a descriptions should include information
single individual or such as, boundaries, milestones, risks,
organization. Ensure that all owner, costs, etc.
Elements are mutually
exclusive.
 How to Use a Work Breakdown Structure?
WORK PACKAGES
Figure 3 shows the House Project
Work Breakdown Structure expanded
to Level 1, 2, and 3 Elements. The
PLANNING PACKAGES
lowest Levels of each Leg and Branch•
When the project management
of the WBS are called Work
plan is approved, scope is known,
Packages. Work Packages cover
but not necessarily all of the
information related to the deliverable,
details. In order to apply the 
such as owner, milestones, durations,
100% Rule and capture all of the
resources, risks, etc.
scope, Planning Packages are
created. It is understood that as
CONTROL ACCOUNTS details are defined, the Planning
Packages eventually evolve to
The other application of the WBS is Work Packages.
as a monitoring and controlling tool.•
This planning process is call
This is accomplished by defining
Rolling Wave Planning and is a
Control Accounts. Control Accounts
from of Progressive Elaboration.
are WBS Elements at which the
project plans to monitor and report
performance