WBS Examples - Overview (2.1.5.1 P1)

Remember that the WBS is the first step toward creating the project schedule. It is not the schedule itself. It is important to use the WBS to identify all the major work to be done. It is not important to break the work down into levels or patterns that provide a sense for the timing and sequencing. This will all be done later.

There are a number of ways to create the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Here are some examples of how the WBS can be structured.

Generic (Classic) WBS

This example shows a generic example of breaking down a deliverable into work packages, and then breaking work components into activities, and then breaking activities down into tasks. Remember that you can break the work into deliverables first or into other categories first. However, regardless of how you start the top level WBS, you will have to transition to deliverables and then to activities. The activities of the project are usually for the purpose of building deliverables, so at some point this deliverable activity breakdown needs to occur. Notice that the Work Package level and the Task level are both optional. Your WBS may go from deliverable to activities and stop there.

WBS by Major Project Phase or Stage

This example shows the major phases required for a project. They do not have to be in the correct time-sequence. Just determine what the major pieces of work are and break each one down further. (Many of these boxes will be broken down much further into the activities required to execute the work.)

WBS by Timeline

In this example, the WBS is based on the order the major work components should be performed. This may be easier to think through in some projects where there is some experience in knowing how the timeline will lay out.

WBS by Deliverable

First determine all the deliverables that the project will produce, and then break them down into the work required. Again, this does not imply sequencing. Many of these activities may end up being executed in parallel.