1. Work Breakdown Structure and Activity List Workshops

2. Today’s Agenda
Converting Project Charters and Scope Statements into Work Plans
Creating a Work Breakdown Structure – The “Nouns”
Creating an Activity List – The “Verbs”
Next Steps

3. Nouns & Verbs
(or . . .converting project charter and scope statement into work plans)

4. Converting Charters into Work Plans
From the project charter and scope statement, create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
From the WBS, identify the activities needing completion
From the activity list, develop a network diagram, identifying the sequence of activity completion
From the network diagram, develop a preliminary project schedule and assign resources
Iterate the above with key stakeholders until acceptance (a set of baselines) is agreed upon.
Our Focus Today
You
Your WBS
Our Focus Next
Week

5. Nouns & Verbs
Nouns
Verbs =

6. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
The WBS = your “Nouns”
WBS = The things being delivered
Hierarchical representation of work elements needing completion—deliverables themselves or deliverable components
Single most important tool in scope definition, scope control, and communications
“Divide and Conquer”

7. The Noun Workshop Goal Materials:
Develop hierarchical definition of the project
Materials:
Sticky Notes
Tape
Wall
Faith that in lieu of a perfect project definition you, your teammates, and your customer will iterate the WBS to a satisfactory conclusion
You’ve gone deep enough in the hierarchy when:
Bottom level work—the work package level—requires ~ 8 to 80 total hours to complete

8. WBS Template

9. Tips for Creating the WBS
Start with the major work of the project first (top down)
This is level 1, then proceed downward; this level establishes the framework for the entire project so be smart here
Figure out if the project is analogous to something else and cherry-pick the approach to the project
Use the Internet or other available expertise
If you’re tempted to think at the activity level (bottom up), that’s ok
Find a common theme to multiple activities, then convert to one or more nouns
Start an Open Items log now
No “Gold Plating”
Make sure to complete the work necessary to achieve the level of scope, quality, time and cost expected, no more and no less
100% Rule
Child elements within a single parent element should represent 100% of the work envisioned in the parent
Continually ask: “What work is missing”?
All projects should include “Project Management” as a Level 1 work package

10. The Activity List Activities = your “Verbs”
List of things to do to complete the work packages
Feeds into activity sequencing (network diagrams), scheduling, and resourcing process
Have durations, owners, and specified outputs
An activity should not be performed within your project unless it is specified
Note: Activities are defined only at the lowest level of the WBS

11. The Verb Workshop Goal Materials:=
Goal
Capture as many project activities as possible
Materials:
Stickies
Tape
Wall
Faith that in lieu of a perfect project definition you, your teammates, and your customer will iterate the WBS to a satisfactory conclusion
Reminder: Activities should be placed only below the lowest level of your WBS

12. Activity Template (Work Package)

13. Tips for Activity Definition
Look Out!!
You will likely find a need for additional WBS elements through the activity definition process
All activities must fit logically into the WBS
Identify good opportunities to insert major milestones, which are defined as zero-duration activities
Indicates that a major block of work has been completed. Milestones are also good status reporting mechanisms when talking to customers
Consider strongly the role that quality and risk should play in activity definition
Update your Open Item log with issues
Exclude incidental or trivial activities

14. Next Steps
Ensure that today’s WBS and activities have numbers assigned
Scope Iterations
Complete the first version of the WBS and Activity List as a team
Share WBS and optionally the activity list with customer to confirm scope
Re-define scope until complete
Schedule Iterations
As scope is progressively elaborated, continue to add appropriate activities
Use activity definitions to sequence activities (network diagrams)
Apply the concept of “critical paths”
Keep an eye out for new WBS or activities that might crop up
Assign dates and owners to activities
Share schedule (milestone-level) w/customer
Re-define until complete
Lock down scope and schedule; manage risk, quality, and change aggressively