Brief Summary
This video discusses the dos and don'ts of creating a work breakdown structure (WBS) for projects. It highlights the benefits of using a WBS, including breaking down deliverables into manageable chunks, identifying risks, and fostering team accountability. The video also provides best practices for creating a WBS, such as collaborating with the team, aligning it with the project scope, using verbs for level four tasks, and transferring findings to the project plan.
- Benefits of WBS: breaking down deliverables, identifying risks, fostering team accountability
- Best practices: team collaboration, alignment with project scope, using verbs for level four tasks, transferring findings to project plan
Benefits of a Work Breakdown Structure
The video starts by explaining the benefits of using a work breakdown structure (WBS). A WBS allows you to break down your project deliverables into smaller, more manageable chunks. This helps you identify potential risks and areas where you need to assign tasks to team members. By breaking down the project into smaller parts, you can better understand the overall scope and identify potential challenges.
Collaborating on the WBS
One of the key best practices for creating a WBS is to involve your team in the process. This is important because it allows team members to identify tasks that fall under their jurisdiction and take ownership of them. Collaboration also helps to ensure that all aspects of the project are considered and that the plan is comprehensive.
Aligning the WBS with the Project Scope
Another important best practice is to ensure that the WBS is aligned with the project scope. This means that the WBS should reflect the details and information outlined in the project scope statement. The scope statement provides a clear understanding of the project's boundaries and deliverables, which helps to ensure that the WBS is comprehensive and accurate.
Using Verbs for Level Four Tasks
When creating a WBS, it's important to use verbs for level four tasks. Level four tasks are the tactical tasks that need to be completed to achieve the project's goals. Using verbs helps to ensure that these tasks are clearly defined and actionable. For example, instead of simply listing "training plan," you could use "create the outline of the training plan."
Transferring Findings to the Project Plan
The final best practice discussed in the video is to transfer the findings from the WBS to the project plan. This ensures that the project plan is aligned with the WBS and that all tasks are accounted for. By transferring the level four tasks to the project plan, you can easily assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and create a schedule for the project.
