A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a project management tool that helps break down a project into smaller, more manageable components. It is a visual, hierarchical, and deliverable-oriented deconstruction of a project . The WBS chart outlines all the tasks required to complete a project from start to finish and is an essential project planning tool .
The WBS diagram is structured in a way that the final project deliverable, as well as the tasks and work packages associated with it, rest on top of the WBS diagram. The WBS levels below subdivide the project scope to indicate the tasks, deliverables, and work packages needed to complete the project .
A well-constructed WBS helps with important project management process groups and knowledge areas such as Project Planning, Project Scheduling, Project Budgeting, Risk Management, Resource Management, Task Management, and Team Management .
Creating a WBS is the first step in developing a project schedule. It defines all the work that needs to be completed (and in what order) to achieve the project goals and objectives. By visualizing your project in this manner, you can understand your project scope and allocate resources for all your project tasks .
There are several steps involved in creating a WBS. These include defining the project scope, goals, and objectives; identifying project phases and control accounts; breaking down each project phase into smaller tasks; assigning a time estimate to each task; double-checking that your tasks are unique; and sharing the final WBS with your team and gathering feedback .
ProjectManager is an online work management software with industry-leading project management tools like Gantt charts, kanban boards, sheets, etc. It can help you create a WBS in minutes . You can also use Microsoft Project or other similar software to create a WBS.