Project Management - Work Breakdown Structures

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Work Breakdown Structure Claudio Gamez Colorado Technical University Project Management Theory Maurice Ivy November 3, 2009 Work Breakdown Structure Project managers have a lot of responsibility when managing projects that there are certain things that need to be done in order to help the manager breakdown the work that needs to be done. One these tools are a Work Breakdown Structure also referred to as a WBS. A WBS is defined as a “chart in which the critical work elements, called tasks, of a project are illustrated to portray their relationships to each other and to the project as a whole” (Tech Target, 2009). A WBS will help make complex projects much more manageable by listing the tasks needed to successfully complete the project in a diagram or list form. Similar to an outline the WBS will provide a sort of map for the project manager and those involved in completing the project. Tasks will be defined as those that can be completed without the need for others to be completed, the placement of resources, assigning responsibilities and the control and measurement of the project. (Net MBA, 2009). A work breakdown structure is greatly suggested and even needed for any project manager, as it will provide an outline on how to best complete the project. The WBS is made up of different components that will make up the outline of the project. The primary tasks will usually appear on the left or on the top depending on the layout chosen and the steps to follow in that level or category will appear indented to the right or directly below the initial task. It will have a cascade type look to it with the main tasks always being to the left with the sub task below it indenting out. Or again depending on the layout it can look like a chart. Sometimes the WBS will even indicate which specific contractors will be called in to perform the given task. It is

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