Planning phase

Identifying the Work to be

Done
Chapter Three
Methods for Describing Tasks and
Work Flow

Once the goals of a project are clearly

defined, planning can begin.

The project plan forms the baseline for
making project decisions.

The project plan is central to the whole
project management methodology.

MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management

A key component - the

work plan

The first step in the planning stage of the
project management process is the
description of the actual work that needs
to be done to accomplish the goals.

This task breakdown forms the basis of
the work plan.

MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management

Work Plan

The development of the work plan is an
attempt to eliminate future crises by
preventing required activities from falling
through the cracks.

It answers:
What will be accomplished?
How it will be accomplished?

MEM 612 - Project Management

PM Tasks

PM Tasks (continued)

The project manager must accomplish six

things when developing the work plan:
1. Break the work into manageable tasks
that can be assigned to appropriate people
and resources
2. Define the work as independent elements
that can be sequenced, scheduled, and
monitored.
MEM 612 - Project Management

First step toward a work plan

Develop a Work Breakdown Structure to
identify the tasks in a project

The concept of the WBS is simple: in
order to manage a whole project, one
must manage and control each of its
parts.

MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management

3. Integrate the work elements into a total

system with a beginning and an end.
4. Present the sequence of tasks in a form
that can be easily communicated to people
involved in the project.
5. Define the tasks at a level of detail
appropriate for the length and complexity of
the project.
6. Verify that the completion of the tasks
will result in the attainment of the project
goals.
MEM 612 - Project Management

What is a Work Breakdown

Structure?

The WBS is a graphical display of the
project.

WBS is a hierarchical listing of the subcomponents of a project.

MEM 612 - Project Management

What is the purpose of the

WBS?

WBS components

The purpose of the WBS is to divide the

total project into small pieces, sometimes
called work packages.

Dividing the project into work packages
makes it possible to prepare project
schedules and cost estimates and to
assign management and task

responsibility
MEM 612 - Project Management

How should the project be

broken down?

No magic formula!! Breakdown by:
Functional or technological disciplines
design/manufacturing/marketing/sales/finance

Organizational structure
Vendor/subcontractor responsibilities
Physical location
Systems and subsystems
Or any combination, but generally endproduct or hardware-oriented.!!
MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management

Other WBS breakdown points

May proceed top-down or any way that
gets the job done

Need not be symmetrical

MEM 612 - Project Management

WBS levels?

At what level do you stop?

Typically 6 or fewer

Stop when you reach a point at which you can

estimate required resources to the desired
degree of accuracy

Or when the work will take an amount of time
equal to the smallest units you want to schedule
days, weeks, months, etc.

Or stop when the element is .5 to 2.0% of the
project.

Or stop once youve identified a work package

1
2
3
4
5
6

Total project
Sub-project
Combination of tasks
Task
Sub-task
Individual processes or actions

MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management

A WBS planning key!!

Basic guidelines

REMEMBER the rule that the people who

work described in a higher level must be

the sum of all the work in the next lower
level

definitions of work should be usable as
communications tools so results can be
compared with expectations for the work
when the project is implemented

must do the work should participate in

planning it.

Different levels may be done by different
groups
Top management may do the first level or
two and pass it on down to the operating
levels for further amplification
Software can help
MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management

Basic guidelines (continued)

Finished product

work that will be performed by different

people should be clearly differentiated

WBS should define measurable
deliverables for each work component of
the project

WBS should be flexible enough to allow
for changes
MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management

MEM 612 - Project Management