

The levels of detail are dependent upon the complexity of the project. The WBS forms the basis of the Project Plan, decomposing the main project into stages, then workpackages then into sub-activities per work-package. Similar to the Product Log, a WBS Dictionary can be produced in conjunction with the WBS to store relevant detailed information in support of the planning process.

If you like it represents the project “to do list.” Its focus is on “work” not “things.” In contrast to the PBS the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) provides a hierarchical structure of project activity. Again, internal and external products are differentiated in the diagram. Notice that the ordering of delivery differs in this case from the PBS structure. This helps define the logic of the delivery plan. This enables quality expectations and responsibility for approval to be clearly identified at an early stage in the project life cycle.įrom the PBS a Product Flow Diagram can be produced to represent the order in which sub-products build into the main project product. The PBS is supported by a Product Log (list of products) and associated Product Descriptions that describe individual products in more detail. Once completed the PBS gives confidence that what is required is clearly understood and that the relationship between a product and its constituent parts has been defined. Note also that products are couched either as nouns or as an outcome described in the past tense - E.g. Notice that “internal” products (those built by the project) are differentiated from “external” products (those either supplied by another project or bought in). The diagram below illustrates a typical PBS for a simple project. It decomposes a "Main Project Product" into its constituent parts in the form of a hierarchical structure. It can be thought of as the project “shopping list.”

What is a Product Breakdown Structure?Ī Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) is a hierarchical structure of things that the project will make or outcomes that it will deliver. The intent of this simple project structure is to illustrate use of the diagram techniques not to offer a complete model for the implementation of third party software.
#Wbs chart pro 4.7 product id software
To illustrate the use of each diagram type a simple “Third Party Software Installation Project” has been drawn up. The purpose of this web briefing is to clarify the purpose of each of these planning tools and to offer some standard guidance for their use. It is quite common for misunderstandings and the loose use of language to blur the edges in these two diagram types causing them to lose effectiveness. Product Breakdown Structures and Work Breakdown Structures look very similar and both have important roles to play in the project planning and control process. Use of product breakdown structures and work breakdown structures Introduction
