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Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

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The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of the project scope into smaller, manageable components called work packages. It is a graphical representation that shows how the project deliverables are organized into a hierarchy. The WBS serves as a foundation for project planning, estimating, scheduling, and control activities. Each work package represents a specific portion of the project scope and includes the activities, resources, and timelines required to deliver it. The creation of the WBS involves breaking down the project scope into smaller, manageable pieces and assigning responsibilities and resources to each work package. Outputs from this process include a WBS dictionary, which provides detailed information about each WBS element, and the Scope Baseline, which is a combination of the project scope statement, the WBS, and the WBS dictionary.

Guide on Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

What is WBS?
WBS, or Work Breakdown Structure, is a hierarchical and incremental decomposition of the project into phases, deliverables, and work packages. It is a critical project management tool that breaks the project work into more manageable sections.

Why is it Important?
WBS helps in clearly defining the project's scope by breaking down its overall mission into a cohesive set of synchronous, increasingly specific tasks. It provides a clear vision of what has to be delivered which leads to better understanding and accuracy in project estimates.

How Does WBS work?
WBS starts at the highest level with the project itself and then successively breaks down the project into major deliverable or project phases. Each phase is then further divided into sub-tasks, continuing to break down until each work package contains a group of tasks that can be assigned, controlled, and tracked.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Create WBS
Understand the concept thoroughly before attempting to answer. Remember, WBS is not a project schedule or a detailed plan of tasks, but a decomposition of the scope. Make sure to understand that WBS works on the '100% rule', which means that the WBS includes 100% of the work defined by the project scope and captures all deliverables. Also, real-world examples often help in understanding the concept better.

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PMP - Scope Planning Example Questions

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Question 1

In a software development project, a project manager is working on creating the WBS. She wants to ensure effective time management for the project. Which of the following approaches would be most suitable for creating the WBS?

Correct Answer: Decomposition

Decomposition is the best answer. In project management, decomposition is the process of breaking down the project work into manageable tasks. It plays a significant role in creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), which is essentially a roadmap for the project that breaks the project's objectives into definable, manageable tasks with specifiable deadlines. PERT, Gantt Chart and Resource Leveling are also important for project management, but they are tools to schedule and monitor project progress rather than to create a WBS. PERT stands for 'Program Evaluation Review Technique' and is used to analyze the tasks involved in completing a given project. A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule, while Resource leveling is a technique used to adjust the project schedule and ensure that the use of project resources are balanced out.

Question 2

A team member proposes to use a WBS from a previous project as a starting point for creating the WBS of a new, similar project. What is the best course of action for the project manager in this scenario?

Correct Answer: Utilize the previous WBS as a template but ensure customizing it for the current project

The best course of action in this scenario would be to use the previous WBS as a template, but also ensure it is customized to suit the requirements and specifics of the current project. This is because while it is useful to leverage existing plans such as the WBS from previous projects, every project is unique and has its own unique elements that must be considered. Therefore, while using the previous WBS as a starting point can save time and effort, it shouldn't be copied word for word. Instead, it should be modified according to the new project's needsAs for the other answers:1. Rejecting the proposal and starting a new WBS from scratch: While it's true that every project is unique, it's also true that there can be similarities in projects, especially if they fall under the same domain or type. Therefore, using a previous WBS can give a good starting point and can save much time and effort that would otherwise be spent in creating the WBS from scratch2. Accepting the proposal without any modifications: This would not be the best course of action because, as stated earlier, every project is unique and has its own unique specifics and needs to be considered. Simply copying the WBS from a previous project might overlook some of the unique elements of this project, leading to potential problems down the line3. Using the previous WBS but updating it after project completion: This also would not be the best action. The purpose of the WBS is to guide the project work, so updating it after the project is completed really defeats the purpose. The WBS should be updated and customized to the current project before the project work begins, not after it ends.

Question 3

A project manager receives feedback that the team does not understand their role in the WBS development. What could happen if this problem is not addressed?

Correct Answer: Poor formulation of the WBS leading to planning and execution issues

The best answer is 'Poor formulation of the WBS leading to planning and execution issues'. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a key project deliverable that organizes the team's work into manageable sections. If the team does not understand their role in the WBS development, it can lead to poor formulation of WBS. This in turn can result in planning and execution issues, as work not properly defined can lead to gaps in task assignments, unclear responsibilities and subsequently project delays. Let's go through other options - The 'Overestimation of each work package duration' is not a direct consequence of the team not understanding their role in the WBS development. It could happen due to several reasons such as lack of experience, poor estimation techniques etc. The 'Minimal impact on the project plan' is not correct, as poor understanding of WBS roles directly impact the project planning and can cause serious execution errors. The 'Poor team morale' might be a side-effect of many project issues but it generally doesn't directly link with understanding team's role in WBS development.

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