Project Scope Management - Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

This process works on sub-dividing project deliverables and project work into smaller, more manageable components. Planned work is placed into the lowest level ow the work breakdown structure (WBS) comments and are called work packages.

• Work packages - refers to the work products or deliverables that are the result of activity and not to the activity itself. 

WBS Structure can be created using various approaches. 

• Top down approach 
• Organization-specific guidelines
• WBS templates
• Bottom up approach

WBS can be structures as an outline, an organizational chart or other method that identifies a hierarchal breakdown. If you decompose too much it can lead to nonproductive management effort, inefficient use of resources, decreased efficiency in performing the work and difficulty aggregating data over different levels of the WBS. 

• Rolling wave plan - the project manager will wait until a deliverable is agreed upon and until then the WBS can be developed
• 100 percent rule - the goal work at the lowest levels should roll up to the higher levels so that everything is covered

Let's take a look at the Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Outputs of this process:

1) Scope Management Plan

• Because this plan specifies how to create the WBS from the detailed project scope statement and how the WBS will be maintained and approved it is used to help create the WBS. 

2) Project Scope Statement

• Describes the work that will be performed and the work that is excluded. It will also cover the internal and external restrictions or limitations that may affect project execution. 

3) Requirements Documentation

• This will help you understand what needs to be produced as the result of the project and what needs to be done to deliver the project and its final products. 

4) Enterprise Environmental Factors

• Factors outside of anyones controls that would affect the way you create the WBS would be: 
• Industry-specific WBS standards

5) Organizational Process Assets

• Process assets that can influence the WBS are:
• Policies and procedures
• Templates for WBS
• Project files from previous projects
• Lessons learned from previous projects

6) Decomposition

• Technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, manageable parts. 

7) Expert Judgement

• Expert judgement is used to analyze the information needed to decompose the deliverables in smaller components. It could also come in the form of predefined templates and these can be industry specific. 
• The project manager in collaboration with the project team will determine the final decomposition of the project scope into work packages. 

8) Scope Baseline

• This is the approved version of the scope statement, WBS and it's associated WBS dictionary and is apart of the Project Management Plan. 
• Project scope statement - description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions and constraints
• WBS - the hierarchal decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out on the project
• WBS dictionary - document with detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component of the WBS. It may include the following:
• Code of account identifier
• Description of work
• Assumptions and constraints
• Responsible organization
• Schedule milestones
• Associated schedule activities
• Resources required
• Cost estimates
• Quality requirements
• Acceptance criteria
• Technical references
• Agreement information

9) Project Document Updates

•  Requirements documentation may need to be updated to include any approved changes that when through the Change Control Process. 

Source: PMBOK 5th ed.