The product breakdown structure makes it easy to discuss the scope and. Each one is overseen by the project manager and approved by the project board. Name of the project describes the context or the content, memorable, short 2. Creating a work breakdown structure is a team effort and is the culmination of multiple inputs and perspectives for the given project. In project management under the prince2 methodology, a product breakdown structure pbs is a tool for analysing, documenting and communicating the. So this book is meant to be and is an easy introduction to prince2 is quickly and. Breakdown structure pbs and work breakdown structure wbs.
The purpose of the pbs is to dissect a complex project into smaller. Few project managers use the productbased planning technique, especially the. Apm web briefing use of product breakdown structures and work breakdown structures introduction. The work breakdown structure wbs is the foundation for project planning and control. Think of the wbs as a visual model of the project that identifies each piece of the scope of. The intent of this simple project structure is to illustrate use of the diagram techniques not to offer a complete model for the implementation of third party software.
What an organization needs to do to adopt prince2 as its corporate project management. In your project you will want to develop them down to a much more detailed level using the 8 to 80 rule where the wbs is broken down to where a work package contains between 8 and 80 hours of work to complete. What is work breakdown structure in project management. Pbs pm is the product breakdown structure for project management. The resulting briefing document produced by the apm is summarised here with some additional commentary. Development of hybrid product breakdown structure for. Project teams can use lowtechnology tools like a white board, note cards, or.
Wbs produces a detailed list of tasks to be performed for a project, helping to. A product breakdown structure pbs is an essential part of this, its purpose being to define the products deliverables of a project and how they. Focused on software development, xp was the beginning of the agile revolution in software project management. How to develop work breakdown structures michael d. The prince2 project management method mandates the use of product based planning, part of which is developing a product breakdown structure. An introduction to the prince2 project methodology by ruth court from ftc kaplan of interest to students of paper p5 integrated management. Im putting together the product breakdown structure and ive got to a point where a product in one branch has a component that is a product of another. For project management simulations specifically aimed at students of project management, visit. I believe there is nothing wrong with this practice, as there only needs to be one official breakdown of the project work. One effective technique is to organize a brainstorming session with the various departments that will be involved with the project. Project team assignments tend to change as team members learn different project tasks and project managers assess their strengths and weaknesses.
The treediagram pbs may look identical to the work breakdown structure wbs but it performs an entirely. Applying work breakdown structure to project lifecycle. A work breakdown structure is a tool used to define and group a projects discrete work elements or tasks in a way that helps organise and define the total work scope of the project it provides the framework for detailed cost estimating and control along with providing guidance for schedule development and control. The 7 principles, themes and processes of prince2 prince2. Easy access to axelos guidance is vital if you are looking to embed our best practices, processes and thinking into your organization. The wbs serves to organize and define the total scope of the project. The structure of the project plan university of oulu. The most complete project management glossary for professional project managers. The subdivision of project deliverables into smaller, more manageable components until the work and deliverables are defined to the activity, subactivity or task level i work breakdown structure wbs is a hierarchical breakdown of elements of the logic model. Mar, 2020 prince2 is a business approach that suggests a structure to be followed while managing projects towards effective results. Chapter of project management tools and techniques 7.
How to create a work breakdown structure projectengineer. It is the cornerstone of effective project planning, execution, controlling, statusing, and reporting. A project schedule communicates what work needs to be performed, which resources will perform the work, and the timeframe in which that work needs to be completed. Starting up a project su create a project mandate, which answers logistical questions about the project. Association for project management apm, nor should any formal endorsement by. It is the connecting point for work and cost estimates, schedule information, actual work effortcost expenditures, and accountability. Engineering, subcontracts p is the product deliverable. Prince2 is a business approach that suggests a structure to be followed while managing projects towards effective results. Prince2 2009 projects focus on the definition and delivery of products, in particular their quality requirements.
Pmbok work breakdown structure your project manager. The work breakdown structure presented here represents all the work required to complete this project. It is widely used in government agencies, private companies and has emerged as a standard in managing projects. The methodology describes the principle of setting a project in prince2 project management. Unfortunately, the business pressures driving projects have often prevented project managers from developing a comprehensive wbs. The project manager should also feel comfortable to ask for guidance from project assurance. There is no reading time and the prince2 manual is the only reference.
It project governance and prince2 project management. The work breakdown structure wbs is a powerful tool for project management. Work breakdown structure examples from real world projects. It is a methodology of project management which is adapted for any project kind and size.
A wbs shows the complete scope of the project broken down into manageable deliverables. The scope baseline is the approved version of a scope statement, work breakdown structure wbs, and its associated wbs dictionary, that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison. The development of work breakdown structure involves subdividing the major project activities or subactivities into smaller, more manageable activities until the activities are defined in sufficient detail to support the management and development of project works. How to create a wbs in ms project 20 with tips on how to involve the team first. How to do a wbs work breakdown structure with projectlibre in a simple way. The project product description describes what the project has to deliver and defines the acceptance criteria. It covers the management, control and organization of projects. Available as a free pdf download for members see next page. Prince2 product breakdown structure example work breakdown. Download this project management work breakdown structure by clicking the image below or this link. It perfectly matches the requirements of a project governance regime by delivering the following attributes to any project.
Project issues need to be dealt with by the appropriate project team members, and project work needs to be actively managed. Project management templates project management help. Overview if your are familiar with prince2 pre2009 1, youll know that it recommended the use of a number of techniques, one of which is product based planning. This is the product based planning step, that you should take most time with. The wbs is a method for getting a complex, multistep project done. A product breakdown structure is a hierarchical representation of the projects product and its subproducts in other words, a userfriendly way of illustrating everything thats in scope of the project. Lets have a look at the structure of prince2 and its advantages in project management. Work breakdown structure wbs a work breakdown structure is the core of project planning, resource management and helps to prevent project scope creep. Find out more by downloading the maximizing access official publisher brochure pdf 531kb. The items at the lowest level of a branch are known as work packages. Apm web briefing use of product breakdown structures and. Often the product breakdown structure is called the work breakdown structure. Read more on uk product description vs project product description prince2 blog.
This widely used project management method provides all of the essentials for managing a successful project. You can also export your work into image jpg, png, pdf, svg, etc and share it. Prince2 practitioner anyone got a pdf copy of the 2017. Prince2 refers to the product flow diagram which is often referred to as a project schedule when presented in. An introduction to the prince2 project methodology by ruth. Assess, explain and justify the need what is the theoretical background, which learning theories can be connected to it. Work breakdown structure or wbs is a hierarchical tree structure that outlines your project and breaks it down into smaller, more manageable portions. A successful project is outputoriented not activity. Prince2 is one of the most popular project management methods widely used in projects across the globe. Defined organisation structure for the project management team so people know what is expected from them.
What is different is that the breakdown structure now includes a cost component. The terms work breakdown structure and task list are, in my experience, often used interchangeably. The development of the wbs has been noted to be one of the most. How does a stage product breakdown structure assist in planning. Perhaps chapter 5 of the pmbok guide and the prince2 manual should both be revised to suggest an ini. Following the pattern of the wbs definition above, the rbs is defined here as a sourceoriented grouping of project risks that organizes and defines the total risk exposure of the project. A subsea field development project can be organized and comprehended in a visual manner by breaking the tasks into progressively smaller pieces until they are a collection of defined tasks, as shown in figure 69. See a large image and download a visio or pdf of the wbs. This will obviously be the cost for the component e.
Productbased planning is a technique described in the prince21. Project delivery team pdt 56 corps of engineers, chicago district 57 planning, programs and project management division pm 57 technical services division ts 57 office of counsel oc 58. The work breakdown structure wbs is a graphic family tree that captures all of the work of a project in an organized way. For a project to be properly managed, there is a need to generate its work breakdown structure wbs, and to define work packages so that they can be correctly assigned to organizational. One planning tool under the prince2 method is the product breakdown structure. In practice there is very little difference between a pbs and a wbs, both systems define the full extent of the work required to complete the project.
Work breakdown structure part 1 project management. Productbased planning approach product breakdown structure and good product descriptions emphasis on dividing the project into manageable and controllable stages making the project easier to plan and control. Product versus work breakdown structure project manager. Schedule a project with a work breakdown structure project service 8032018. The wbs is used to organize the work into manageable sections, often measured in time, for example, two weeks. Schedule a project with a work breakdown structure. Creating a product breakdown structure to show the products within scope note. In project management under the prince2 methodology, a product breakdown structure pbs is a tool for analysing, documenting and communicating the outcomes of a project, and forms part of the product based planning technique. The official prince2 manual for the project manager is an excellent reference manual but can be rather difficult to pick up and read if you are new to both project management and prince2. Themes in prince2 are those areas of project management which must be. Work breakdown structure use this work breakdown structure to strategically break down your upcoming projects into manageable tasks.
Prince2 sample foundation exam prince2 sample foundation exam. Work breakdown structure example for a prince 2 stage plan. In prince2 the pbs or more specifically the project log also forms the. When it comes to project planning methods, many project managers refer to prince2 projects in controlled environments. The prince2 manual for the project manager is an excellent reference manual, but can be rather difficult to pick up and read if you are both new to project management and to prince2. Like wbs, a product breakdown structure serves to reduce a complex project, or product, into manageable components. A cost breakdown structure cbs is not that different from a pbs product breakdown structure or wbs work breakdown structure. The work breakdown structure wbs has long served as a valuable tool in helping project managers plan deliverables and detail project scope. Prince2 offers standard roles for its project management team. Learning prince2 poster 28 the product breakdown structure. The best online training for serious project managers. The concept of a pbs is integral to the prince2 methodology.
In project management, a product breakdown structure pbs is a tool for analysing, documenting and communicating the outcomes of a project, and forms part. So this book is meant to be an easy introduction to prince2, as it is quickly becoming the most. A fundamental requirement for effective project control is that the whole project is systematically decomposed into smaller, manageable units, creating a hierarchical structure generally referred to as the work breakdown structure wbs. This represents a series of tasks identified in a schedule leading to the completion of the project. There is a perceived urgency to start entering activities and tasks into a gantt chart. Jan 21, 2020 the work breakdown structure wbs the first step in scheduling your project. A product breakdown structure pbs is a hierarchical structure of things that the.
As a result, teams can obtain a clear understanding of a product, its components, and what is required to provide those components. Im working on a much bigger project at the moment than what ive been involved with before. Download a pdf version instead finding a job work breakdown structure in pdf. Distributing a draft copy of the project product description, and via a flipchart or overhead projector, refine the information in that document. Work breakdown structure certified associate in project. These are referred to in the prince2 manual as minimum. Project assurance persons should support the project manager, that is, to make them aware of standards which they should use in the project.
Xp, aka extreme programming, was the first agile framework widely used after the publication of the agile manifesto. Cost breakdown structure matched back to the wbs this can provide a useful connection. Prince2 project management uses a structured methodology, which means managing a project in a logical and organised way, following clearly defined steps and wellunderstood roles and responsibilities. Gain agreement from the user on the what they want projects scope define the customers quality expectations so the project can deliver a fit for purpose product. Lets take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each so you know what youre up against when you join a new structure. Each descending level represents an increasingly detailed definition of. In project management under the prince2 methodology, a product breakdown structure pbs is a tool for analysing, documenting and communicating the outcomes of a project, and forms part of the product based planning technique the pbs provides an exhaustive, hierarchical tree structure of deliverables that make up the project, arranged in wholepart relationship haughey, 2015. The pbs provides an exhaustive, hierarchical tree structure of deliverables that make up the project, arranged in. The project program is a plethora of information in addition to a checklist. Aug, 2015 i was recently involved in a virtual discussion on the uks association for project management apm website around the use and differences between a product breakdown structure pbs and a work breakdown structure wbs. Therefore, this manual includes a simple example and shows how you can use. The product breakdown structure pbs is a hierarchical structure of things that the project will.
In xp, the project manager is not seen as an enemy of the agile development team, and traditional roles are still present. Wbs examples for a software project, construction projects, a conference, finding a job, selling a house, planning. For more information on how to apply prince 2 in your organisation. How to do a wbs work breakdown structure with projectlibre. Figure 1 below is a sample product breakdown structure. The main aim of the paper is to implement prince2 methodology to be used in an enterprise in the service. Impact of various workbreakdown structures on project. Apm web briefing use of product breakdown structures and work. Defining a work breakdown structure a work breakdown structure wbs is defined as a hierarchy of tasks that are representative of the real work flow of a construction project. There are three common organizational structures, and project managers work in all of them. Under the prince2 methodology, a product breadown structure pbs is a tool used for. Project management wbs template excel and free work breakdown structure templatessmartsheet. Pdf application of prince2 project management methodology.
A work breakdown structure wbs is a fundamental project management technique for defining and organizing the total scope of a project, using a hierarchical tree structure. Project product description defines what the project must deliver in order to gain acceptance and it is used to. Productbased planning part 2 project management basics. Im putting together the product breakdown structure and ive got to a point where a product in one branch has a component that is a product of another branch of the pbs. Prince 2 was introduced by the uk government central computer and telecommunications agency ccta in october 1996. Increasingly, there seems to be a greater recognition of the importance and value of effective project management both as a communication and organisation tool, but. A project will take longer than the scheduled time if a wbs is not available. In prince2 the pbs or more specifically the project log also forms the basis of the quality. The prince2 method also separates the running of a project into 7 processes. No project can be carried out until foundational information of the project is defined aims to prevent any poorly conceived projects being taken forward objective there is a business justification for initiating the project all the necessary authorities exist for initiating the project. A work breakdown structure wbs proposes a graphical nature that helps project managers predict results based on various scenarios.
Oct 27, 2016 a work breakdown structure wbs is a chart where the project tasks are illustrated to reflect their relations to each other and the project in general. Gain agreement from the user on the what they want project s scope define the customers quality expectations so the project can deliver a fit for purpose product. A product breakdown structure pbs is a hierarchical structure of things that the project will make or outcomes that it will deliver. Understanding breakdown structures in project management. Prince2 practitioner anyone got a pdf copy of the 2017 manual. It must exist before the project manager can plan these related and vital aspects of the. Pros and cons of 3 project organizational structures. But to confront the challenges of working in todays volatile economic environment, project managers are increasingly using. The emphasis of prince2 is on dividing larger project into more easily manageable and controllable parts and stages. Prince2 is a processbased approach for project management providing an easily. The costs of these tasks are clear and easy to estimate. Dec 08, 20 create a work break down structure by using a project tool. Use a risk breakdown structure rbs to understand your risks.
Its a way to divide and conquer large projects so you can get things done faster and more efficiently. For example, an operations manual may have an english variant and a. In a functional organization structure, the project. All the work contained within the wbs is to be identified. A product breakdown structure is a hierarchical representation of the project s product and its subproducts in other words, a userfriendly way of illustrating everything thats in scope of the project.