Work breakdown structure an introduction to software project. Sign up to download this project plan and get unlimited access to our. A work breakdown structure separates data, services, a product, or all three, depending on the type and scope of a project. Software development life cycle in project management is the structure of a project. Project management approach can be different in different phases of the life cycle. Software development life cycle and management phases to move from theory a bit more deeply into details, lets see how project management differs for the waterfall and agile models. The example of a work breakdown structure wbs for event planning. Application development project work breakdown structure.
The best example could be a software development project, where the project is broken down into multiple sdlc phases. The most complete project management glossary for professional project managers. The wbs is designed, formatted and managed by means of project management software for example, ms project software, vip task manager software. Work breakdown structure vs project schedule vs project plan. Identify and kick off a crossfunctional project team to define the detailed scope and requirements for the project. If you organize by phase, its important to identify the deliverables for each phase. How to create work breakdown structure wbs from project. Wbs, phases and control points, methodologies, and life. A wbs can be oriented around deliverables or around project phases and milestones for a processcentered approach. Applying work breakdown structure to project lifecycle. A wbs will typically be a phase for analysis, and others for design, development, testing, release, etc. Aside from the different kinds of projects that every project manager handles, the approach on the entire process can also impact. The primary objective is to get all of the team participants to contribute to the definition of the work. Mar 15, 2018 work breakdown structure vs project schedule vs project plan.
This is an example of a work breakdown structure wbs for a. With the help of the graphical nature of wbs, project managers can predict outcomes based on various. Software project plan example template download project. The terms work breakdown structure and task list are, in my experience, often used.
While these three things often describe the same thing what is to be achieved in the project they vary greatly in scope and details. It software development project wbs project connections. In software development, qa can contribute to high level risks list during initiating, as do all stakeholders, but their real work begins during the. Detailed planning is essential for successful deployment of custom software. Aug 21, 2018 work breakdown structure example based on phases. But to confront the challenges of working in todays volatile economic environment, project managers are increasingly using. Alpha, beta, release candidate are the stages of software development. The intention of the pmbok was that the wbs contain project phases for the purpose of defining the scope, and the activity list defines the project tasks for schedule development and control. This sdlc handbook is organized around a standard work breakdown structure wbs has been developed to describe the typical work conducted during a systems development project. Many of these phases and subtask produce interim deliverables and are the responsibility of a specialist role. Lifecycle phases at high level with component or feature.
In the above example, the complete project is decomposed into multiple project phases. This document provides project managers with a work breakdown structure wbs, which defines all of the application development project s critical deliverables. According to the project management body of knowledge pmbok, a work breakdown structure wbs is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. Work breakdown structure example template attached.
This task listing is called a work breakdown structure, or wbs. By clearly designing the projects wbs you can visualize the. Project scope document includes information such as project description, major deliverables, milestones, assumptions, cost figures, constraints and so on. This work breakdown structure example shows that all the elements are listed under wbs levels.
Level 3 shows the major deliverables and level 4 is the. All about work breakdown structures wbs smartsheet. Decomposition is the process of breaking down the work into smaller, more manageable components. Identify how team members will be involved in creating the wbs and educate them on their role. Stemming from the 50s, the waterfall model is the oldest one, and has now serious competition in form of the agile model, which has largely replaced it. Work breakdown structures wbs for software development projects.
Create a work breakdown structure outline, diagram, or dictionary template. You can see a clearly defined wbs for a project involving the development of the computer. Work breakdown structure is a project planning tool that is done after the project charter is approved. Pdf the work breakdown structure in software project. Key phases of software development projects segue technologies. This document provides project managers with a work breakdown structure wbs, which defines all of the application development projects critical deliverables. Often the wbs is organized by phases distinct periods in the life of a project such as requirements, analysis and development. Since a wbs dictionary accompanies a work breakdown structure, the latter is provided with an image which readers can reference as we proceed with the explanations. Each level of the wbs is a level of detail created by decomposition. In the tree structure of a wbs, project deliverables and activities are broken down into manageable parts, making it easier. The objective of this product development project is to increase the revenue of the organization by ten percent.
As an example here is a work breakdown structure wbs i got from the principle based project management information and training. Lets say, your task is to organize and manage a corporate outing or team building. A wbs can be oriented around deliverables or around project phases and. Software development life cycle and project management. Work breakdown structure for software testing brighthub. What is wbs in project management and how to create it. What is wbs work breakdown structure in project management.
Apr 11, 2018 using the work breakdown structure, you can break tasks down into subtasks and individual work packages. The output of the wbs development process might seem simple. In this way, each phase produces a corresponding set of major outputs or deliverables that. In project management, a work breakdown structure is a deliverableoriented decomposition of a project into smaller components. To build a realistic and robust plan, and calculate an accurate project critical path, the project manager must transform the wbs into a set of tasks in the project planning tool that accommodate the development approach. The work breakdown structure wbs has long served as a valuable tool in helping project managers plan deliverables and detail project scope. To download the above as a 20k zip file in msproject 2002. Initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling and closing. Many of the preceding terms are used by project managers to describe the approach. The wbs consists of 4 named levels of work decomposition. Work breakdown structure wbs sample skeleton wbs for software hardware system development. Introduction to work breakdown structure software testing in the pmi world, the processes or phases of a project are. The full 22page wbs file contains a complete crossfunctional work breakdown, from business process requirements definition through acceptance testing and. Its a common view that if you cant identify the deliverables for a project, you dont have a project.
Many people have mistaken wbs as a list of tasks, a schedule or an organization chart. Sign up to download this project plan and get unlimited access to our library of webinars, timesaving templates and more. Plan development task identification and work breakdown. What is a work breakdown structure in project management. A work breakdown structure wbs is a visual tool for defining and tracking a project deliverable and all the small components needed to create it. As an example, consider a construction repair project. Many of the preceding terms are used by project managers to describe the approach that is used to define and execute a project.
It develops according to the phases in which a project is organized. Work breakdown structure software development checkykey. Wbs, phases and control points, methodologies, and life cycles. Free work breakdown structure templates smartsheet. Hence, this study will address benefits of wbs, wbs process and common pitfalls. Software development life cycle and project management approaches. After that, youll get a reallife example from a small software development project. We have seen that wbs can be structured by project phases or by major deliverables. Apr 22, 2020 in project management, a work breakdown structure is a deliverableoriented decomposition of a project into smaller components.
The software development plan will be revised prior to the start of each iteration phase. Software as a service saas wbs level 1 a wbs dictionary contains more detailed information about elements within a work breakdown structure wbs. And each iteration may again follow the sdlc phases. The development of work breakdown structure involves subdividing the major project activities or subactivities into smaller, more manageable activities until the activities are defined in sufficient detail to support the management and development of project works. The lowest levels of wbs shows the project deliverables. Work breakdown structures wbs for software development. How to create a work breakdown structure projectengineer. Using the work breakdown structure, you can break tasks down into subtasks and individual work packages. For example, the iteration of sdlc activities and tasks should be represented as well as their task dependencies startto.
But its before the quality team starts testing the product. For example, a milestone such as foundation completed is more meaningful to stakeholders than construction phase 1a. Unfortunately, the business pressures driving projects have often prevented project managers from developing a comprehensive wbs. Phases the start and end of work phases such as proof of concept, design, procurement, construction, development, testing and launch. A work breakdown structure wbs is a method well known in project management for getting a complex multistep project done. Quickly get a headstart when creating your own wbs diagram. Now let me show you a wbs example with annotations. The work breakdown structure wbs is a vehicle for breaking an engineering project down into subproject, tasks, subtasks, work packages, and so on. This comprehensive plan will take you from planning through closeout without missing a beat. However, in practice these are generally one and the same. Review the overview and steps for creating a work breakdown structure starting on the next page. An important point to remember is that in design decomposition, only the lower. The wbs is a useful resource for project management and should be consulted for.
Work breakdown structure wbs sample skeleton wbs for softwarehardware system development. Wbs examples for a software project, construction projects, a conference. It may look like a hierarchical tree chart that outlines a project and breaks it down into smaller and manageable parts. Another common source of confusion for beginners is the difference between the work breakdown structure, project schedule, and project plan. Phases are selected to be meaningful to progress and stakeholder communications. Work breakdown structure example with annotations click to see a larger version. Project plan example how to plan a project, step by step. The tool can be as detailed as the it project manager wants it to be to help manage the project.
This is an example of a work breakdown structure wbs for. A free customizable wbs of software development template is provided to download and print. In reality, wbs is a simple and easy visual breakdown of deliverables for product, result, or service. In that spirit, the pmbok requires the decomposition of the project into phases and tasks also called activities. Tasks and activities will be grouped under these lowest levels. With a work breakdown structure, you can stay focused on what you need to accomplish as you move toward the project deadline. One work breakdown structure example that will make it clear. Work breakdown structure wbs software project management. Jul 30, 20 key phases of software development projects written by irma azarian on july 30, 20 the software development life cycle sdlc can be defined differently by any organization, but it usually consists of the following activities that work together to mature a concept into a software product.
Development, management, and project support tasks. Top 10 product management software top 10 task management tools. Using wbs, you can describe and divide tasks as follows. Apr 01, 2008 wbs, phases and control points, methodologies, and life cycles. Jan 12, 2015 a wbs will typically be a phase for analysis, and others for design, development, testing, release, etc.