Critical analysis of the use of project breakdown structures

  1. Introduction:
    This is an essay writing assignment in which the critical analysis of the use of project breakdown structures is required to be conducted. Today, Project Managers are all the more much of the time discovering high esteem in the formation of Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) as they start the procedure of venture administration. Venture achievement. As a key component of the Planning Process Group, ordinary practice is uncovering with expanding consistency that production of a WBS to characterize the extent of the venture will guarantee conveyance of the venture's targets and results. So, this analysis help us to understand how a break-down structures increase the success ratio of project management and what are the key considerations that needs to be taken into account while creating the breakdown of any project  management.
    A critical analysis of the use of the work break-down structures in the project management:
    Also, the all the more obviously the extent of the venture is explained before the real work starts, the more probable the accomplishment of the task as the keen structure of work breakdowns is a forerunner to powerful venture administration." Experienced undertaking administrators know there are numerous things that can turn out badly in activities paying little heed to how effectively they arrange and execute their work. Part or full-extend disappointments, when they do happen, can regularly be followed to an inadequately created or nonexistent WBS. An inadequately built WBS can bring about unfriendly venture results including continuous, rehashed venture re-arrangements and expansions, misty work assignments, degree creep or unmanageable, much of the time evolving extension, spending plan overwhelm, missed due dates and unusable new items or conveyed highlights. To clarify, there are numerous venture administration devices and procedures that utilization the WBS or its segments as information, for instance, the WBS uses the Project Charter as its beginning stage. The abnormal state components in the WBS ought to match, word-for-word, the things used to depict the results of the venture in the Scope Statement. Furthermore, the Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) portrays the venture's asset association and can be utilized as a part of conjunction with the WBS to characterize work bundle assignments. The WBS Dictionary characterizes, subtle elements, and elucidates the different components of the WBS. The Network Diagram is a consecutive plan of the work characterized by the WBS and the components of the WBS are beginning stages for characterizing the exercises incorporated into the Project Schedule.
    The work breakdown structure arranges and characterizes the aggregate extent of the venture. Each slipping level speaks to an undeniably meaning of the task work. The WBS is disintegrated into work bundles. The deliverable introduction of the progressive system incorporates both interior and outside deliverables. With this definition, it is clear the WBS gives an unambiguous explanation of the goals and deliverables of the work to be performed. It speaks to an unequivocal portrayal of the venture's extension, deliverables and results what of the task. The WBS is not a depiction of the procedures took after to perform the venture nor does it address the timetable that characterizes how or when the deliverables will be created, yet rather is particularly restricted to portraying and itemizing the venture's results.
    Defining WBS – In order to complete the project firstly we need to define the WBS. In case of we are going to define WBS than upper level of WBS decomposed into clustering of work. Material and content of upper level can be change based on the industry and type of project. Whereas lower management of WBS focused on the cost estimation, risk assessment and schedule development. Lower level of WBS is name as work packages and it include the work need to be done. Later on lower level of WBS can be used as supporting task for resource and milestone which can be estimated and controlled. Some characteristics of break down structure of high quality work are given below –
    ·         Main attributes of WBS is deliverable oriented approach which include the capability to complete task defined in the deliverables.
    ·         Additional attributes of WBS is “hierarchical decomposition of the work…” where decomposition is the techniques of division of project in smaller manner to accomplish work. Decomposition of work helps to understand the project the project in easy manner as small project become manageable for us.
    ·         WBS working on the 100% rules where every work of the project are defined by the deliverables in the scope hence 100% work can be accomplished with the help of project management tools.
    ·         In order to understand the project in the better manner WBS represent the work in variety of manner like tabular, graphical and textual representation which helps to accomplished work on time with proper quality.
    ·         For the release of every new project WBS provides that documentation needed for the project, training to the employee and other supporting member, project management and new inventory on product release.
    ·         WBS provides the project in tree view, centralized view, tabular view and other presentation techniques to understand the project in better manner.

    We know that WBS is initial point for every project but application of WBS in the process of project seems difficult for many managers.
    Transition of WBS to project schedule
    WBS used to prepare documentation for project schedule but once deliverable has been prepared we need to prepare schedule of the project and initiate work according to the project for timely completion of process. In order to decide schedule about the project we need to considered methodology used for completion of the project, scope of the project, task and tools for the project, and guidance about the project. In absence of information about the work breakdown structure, project manager may face attempting to the project cause obstacle of the project. Hence difficulty faced by the project manager can be mitigating by using WBS and deliverable prepared in the WBS for completion of project. For the ease of use of project deliverable we may segregate work on task oriented and process oriented.  In order to complete the project we need to set up the linkages between WBS and project schedule. Key deliverable of the WBS include -
    Activity  -  In this we will define the input for the project, tools and techniques used in the processing and output from the project as every project are initiated with some expectation of which expectation are related to the output from the project.
    Input Process Output WBS & WBS Dictionary à Decomposition à Activity/Milestone List
    Sequence – Output of the project can be achieved by timely completion of project in the sequence defined in the deliverables. In the sequencing phase of the deliverable we have defined the sequence by using project schedule network diagram in which sequence of the work are defined by way of arrow..
    Development   - once sequence of the project is decided in the process we should initiate work by way of development according to the defined schedule.
    This all the method of project can be used for the purpose of foundation development, house project, wall development and other work which  is used in the business for completion of project on time.
    Developed project of the WBS should be put in the diagram for better understanding of the user. In order to understand the WBS project management system we will apply to whole project in any one big project. For illustration of the project we have selected home project. As firstly we have segregated the project in small project for understand and manage project in  proper manager hence from decomposition of house project provides that their four sub project which we need to accomplished to complete the project related to the house –
    1.      Primary structure of the house
    2.      Electrical infrastructure of the house
    3.      Inside wall development of the house and
    4.      Plumbing infrastructure.

    Once project are segregated in small project than also it is divided in small project unless the project is manageable though it is not necessary to break down project in small amount but we should break down project if look not manageable by us.
    Identification of dependencies between WBS – Every person interested to completion of work on time and we need to accomplished the before other begin. In order to complete the house project we need to prepare foundation first. Than after wall development of house will be initiated. Once the foundation, wall and roof are completed we will move towards the construction of interior of the home. But before completion of interior work we need to complete the electrical and plumbing work otherwise we need to break down many things in the interior which cause wastage of material and time. Therefore by using WBS project manager will prepare whole diagram for the house construction work by using pencil as all the project are depend on one another.
    In the diagram I is shown that the way of completion of work by the project manager. All the sequence of work will be identified by the project manager. Diagram shows the dependency of the project.  As exterior development of house project depends on the foundation development and roof development of house project depend on the exterior wall. In the same manner whole project f house work depend on the one another.
    Scope relationship diagram – In order to ease of project and understanding of the deliverable of the project we may use scope relationship diagram, in which we can refine main process of diagram by understanding of the relationship and scope of the project schedule. In order to prepare diagram we have to show the order and precedence. Without showing order and precedence one cannot prepare network diagram. Any additional process found during the diagram we will change the process accordingly.  Inclusion of the additional process causes articulation of WBS.  For example addition of process in the house project includes the some more process i.e. Primary structure, foundation development, layout, excavation, concrete pour, exterior wall, roof development, electrical infrastructure, plumbing work and interior wall development. As in whole project some of the process are additionally introduces whereas some of the process are sub divided for the ease of project.
    Now all the process can be shown by the different diagram by project manager. Like relationship diagram, WBS elements, scope relationship diagram, graphical presentation and other presentation techniques for ease of project.  Of which scope relationship diagram shows the 100% of the work of project in different elements used by them. Illustration and presentation by way of WBS is very easy as in case of WBS we can easily define which processes are parent process and which are child. Any child process can be completed once parent process completed fully. In WBS we can move the process in logical movement and some dependency line can be added for completion of parent process first. By this project manager can complete the step wise work based on linkages of the diagram. One more thing from the representation by this technique simplifies the project transmission from one process to next process.
    From the whole research and analysis we conclude that presentation in this way make whole project easy to understandable which has direct benefit on the cost of project by saving non valued added steps in the process and removal of unnecessary process from the project. Use of WBS approach in the project life cycle makes the whole project in effective manner by use of scope analysis of the project. WBS and WBS tools help in the completion of project in timely manner with quality of work. It also help to the project manager for completion of work in phases hence waste of material and time can be saved. WBS breaks down the whole project in the subordinate activity hence at a time project manager need to concentrate on one activity of the parent activity. Some time in urgency the project, project manager may initiate more than one process but concentrate only on one small activity which helps to quality work on timely manner.
    References –
    Critical tool, N.D., “WBS Project Management” Reviewed on 10th December, 2015 <http://www.criticaltools.com/wbsmain.htm>
    Critical tool, N.D., “WBS Project Management” Reviewed on 10th December, 2015 <http://www.criticaltools.com/>
    Dennis Reilly, 2013, “5 Free mind mapping tools to create a work breakdown structure” Reviewed on 10th December, 2015 <https://www.captechconsulting.com/blogs/5-free-mind-mapping-tools-to-create-a-work-breakdown-structure>
    matchware, N.D., “WBS tools” Reviewed on 10th December, 2015  <http://www.matchware.com/en/products/mindview/mindview2_be/wbs.htm>
    edrawsoft, N.D., “WBS Software” Reviewed on 10th December, 2015  <https://www.edrawsoft.com/workbreakdownstructuresoftware.php>

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