For example, placing, The activity should be measureable. Are you looking for a Work Breakdown Structure example?. WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE WITH ACTIVITY LIST Instructions: You will use the Week 2 Business Case project to complete the WBS Structure with Activity List exercise (copy and paste the Business Case as usual). "max-width": "150px", This is usually practiced by project managers to simplify the process of execution of tasks during the scope of the project. The home repair hobbyist does it himself, but doesn't do carpentry. Create Work Breakdown Structure process is the 4th process of the Scope Management according to the online PMP course. Put on one hat to listen to customers and do design, and a different hat to be alone and plan the activities of your work. The dinner menu example just made it so clear...i didnt even need to see the one about the shelves..good super article..ill come back for more ..im preparing for my pmp exam. Often, a WBS has a graphical design so that it is clear to everyone in a project what has already been done and what sub-activities should still be done to bring the project to a successful conclusion. A WBS, therefore, is a map/outline of a specific project. Let us take a look at two examples to understand the difference further. But if it’s not well understood: Often there will be a well defined point during the project execution where an activity will transition from “not well understood” to “well understood.”  Maybe some contingencies are needed to get to that point. "margin-left": "0px", } Think this way, and they sound pretty much the same . Activity list of a project shows which activities to perform throughout the project to complete the project scope. Activities should be between 8 and 80 man-hours of labor. The D-I-Y (do it yourself) list can be done by someone with carpentry skills. The activity list is a comprehensive list including all schedule activities required by the project. The resultinginformation from this process is used next to organize the activities into aspecific sequence. The activity attributes can be thought of as an extension of the activity list. With a work breakdown structure, you can stay focused on what you need to accomplish as you move toward the project deadline. Creating a WBS calls for a lot of customer input. Hire a handyman to install the shelves and clean up after himself. The measurable activities thus created are sometimes termed as work packages and one of the principles of a WBS is that the requirements need to be continuously decomposed till we arrive at a final list of work packages that could be monitored. “Define Activities” under Project Time Management. I love your analogy using the utility shelf. a network diagram) and use it to create the schedule. It is a common occurrence that a project manager feels a task is finished but subsequently sees time and materials charged to the activity related to closing it. To begin with, the WBS is created before the activity list or the Gantt. script.onload = ShopifyBuyInit; }, }, }, "padding-top": "14.5px", options: { For instance, instead of describing a detailed activity as “meeting,” a better description is “schedule a weekly meeting,” and instead of having a detailed activity as “testing plan,” a better approach is to list it as “create testing plan.” . } On the other side, talking about RBS, you must know that … (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0] || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(script); The output is a task list. If they describe how they will do their own work, then the Activity List is more accurate. } else { “Create WBS” under Project Scope Management (whose output is the Work Breakdown Structure), “Define Activities” under Project Time Management (whose output is an activity list). Decomposition: Decomposition is the primary tool for the process of Create WBS in Project Scope Management. Team Building Activity: The process of creating a WBS should be considered as a team building activity. The WBS defines all the work that the project will deliver, while the activity list and the … T he WBS can be used to determine the critical path … (function () { } Work Breakdown Structures. } The WBS is created as the finest level detail of defined project scope, after progressive elaboration. } And the work of building the WBS is done primarily by the project manager or by designers who know how to elicit customer requirements. When Do We Make the WBS and the Activity List? In practice, the terms Work Breakdown Structure and activity list are often used interchangeably, although the PMBOK distinguishes between them. The creation of the Work Breakdown Structure and the Activity List are a turning point in project planning. Great article. "count": { In reality, WBS is a simple and easy visual breakdown of deliverables for product, result, or service. I am not familiar with many of the terms, and this was a clear example that helped me to understand the concepts! Drill 6 holes, and place 6 anchors in walls. }, Milestones: List any milestones associated with the work package. . } What is more, the WBS is an input to the Define activities process. "padding-bottom": "14.5px" Building Construction Project – Let us assume that project team has created a WBS with building floors as work packages. He lives in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and two kids. WBS (work breakdown structure) is a method to make complex projects more manageable. "font-size": "13px", Those parts are called phases and tasks. "padding-left": "23px", What is more, the WBS is an input to the Define activities process. Your email address will not be published. So one WBS element can be achieve by two different ways of getting there, two different activity lists. Here is the WBS: 3 wood shelves, 3' x 8" x 3/4"6 braces, 9" long, two to hold each shelf2 adjustable wall mounts to hold the braces6 screws to bolt shelves to the wall6 anchors to hold screws into the wall. (Activity List), refer back to this WBS and develop the missing levels. /*]]>*/, Project Engineer has collaborated to provide the latest covid-19 stats and prevention methods. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is widely used by project managers and stakeholders, yet the purpose and content of this important tool is widely misunderstood. The list presents the activity number or identifier, the name of the activity, and a detailed description of the activity. Regardless of format, a WBS will typically include outline numbering to represent the sequential order of each level and activity. This method is frequently used in project management to break a project down into activities, tasks and subtasks. So, the lesson is: Keep your WBS and your activity list separate, and keep them straight. "styles": { "padding-right": "23px" A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) best practice is to make the detailed activities derived from summary activities action oriented. }, } }); "imgWithCarousel": true, } This is okay on small, simple projects. "contents": { Work Breakdown Structure is abbreviated as WBS and Create Work Breakdown Structure process mainly aims to produce the WBS of the project. Your shelf building example is excellent, too - for large-scale projects, it is essential to understand the difference! But, as things get more complicated, it's crucial to understand the difference, and to do a good job creating each one. The Activity list must be prepared so that we can create our PERT chart. "font-size": "13px", ID: Enter a unique activity identifier—usually an extension of the WBS code of accounts. Three sources that should be considered for every project are: Each activity should have written completion criteria which defines the completion of the task. } Many project managers use the terms Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Activity List interchangeably. "button": "Add to cart" Activity list of a project shows which activities to perform throughout the project to complete the project scope. "text": { PMI Project Knowledge Areas, Video 1: Project Integration, Implementing Six Sigma in Your Organization, Concrete finishing complete and concrete covered, All work complete and Tools & Equipment put away, The activities should be of a size and complexity that allow them to be reliably estimated. this post is really the most clearer explanation. Summary Remember this: Creating WBS requires the tool of “Decomposition” and yet “Decomposition” will also break down the lowest level of WBS (i.e. The activity list and the related activity attributes are created by (outputs from) the define activities process, and both are inputs to the sequence activities, estimate activity durations, develop schedule, and estimate activity resources processes.. If you do this type of work - and I do - it is a good idea to picture yourself changing hats. The output is the Work Breakdown Structure. Thanks, Robert. "product": { } "quantityInput": { Your email address will not be published. It means breaking down a project into tasks and subtasks so that there is no room for confusion in the future.