Definition: A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of a project into smaller, manageable components. It breaks down the project scope into deliverables and tasks, making it easier to plan, execute, monitor, and control the project. Each level of the WBS provides increasing detail about the work required to achieve the project objectives.
Purpose of the WBS
Scope Clarity: Clearly defines the project scope by outlining all deliverables and tasks.
Manageability: Divides the project into manageable sections, making it easier to assign responsibilities and track progress.
Baseline for Planning: Provides a framework for scheduling, budgeting, resource allocation, and risk management.
Communication Tool: Enhances communication by presenting the project structure visually.
Structure of a WBS
The WBS is typically visualized in a tree-like diagram or outline format with multiple levels:
Level 1: The Project Name or overall deliverable (e.g., “New Office Construction”).
Level 2: Major deliverables or phases of the project (e.g., “Design,” “Construction,” “Move-In”).
Level 3 and Beyond: Breaks down deliverables into smaller, detailed tasks (e.g., “Order Furniture,” “Install Wiring,” etc.).
Key Characteristics of a WBS
Deliverable-Oriented: Focuses on outcomes rather than activities.
100% Rule: All work required for the project must be included in the WBS, ensuring nothing is missed.
Mutually Exclusive: Each WBS element should be distinct to avoid overlap or redundancy.
Hierarchical: The structure progresses from high-level deliverables to more detailed tasks.
Steps to Create a WBS
Define the Project Scope: Understand the goals, deliverables, and requirements of the project.
Identify Major Deliverables: Break the project into high-level components or phases.
Decompose Deliverables: Divide each deliverable into smaller, more detailed components until manageable tasks are identified.
Assign Unique Codes: Assign identifiers to each WBS element for tracking (e.g., 1.1, 1.2.1).
Validate the WBS: Ensure all project work is accounted for and follows the 100% Rule.
Formats of WBS
Tree Diagram: Visual hierarchical structure.
Outline/Tabular Format: Indented list showing the hierarchy.
Mind Map: Creative and visual representation of deliverables.
Example of a WBS
Project Name: Office Relocation
Level 1: Project
Level 2: Major Deliverables
Level 3: Subtasks
Office Relocation
1. Design
1.1 Finalize Floor Plan
1.2 Obtain Necessary Approvals
2. Construction
2.1 Demolish Existing Partitions
2.2 Install Wiring and Networking
3. Move-In
3.1 Pack Existing Office Materials
3.2 Transport and Set Up Equipment
Benefits of WBS
Improved Planning: Provides a clear roadmap for project execution.
Better Resource Allocation: Helps allocate resources effectively by breaking down tasks.
Enhanced Monitoring: Enables tracking of progress and performance against deliverables.
Reduced Risks: Identifies potential risks by detailing all work elements.
WBS vs. Project Schedule
WBS focuses on breaking down deliverables into tasks.
Project Schedule focuses on the timing and sequencing of tasks.
Conclusion
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a foundational tool in project management. It ensures clarity, structure, and organization, allowing project teams to manage scope effectively and deliver results on time and within budget.
Nominal Group Technique (NGT) and Delphi Technique are structured group decision-making methods used to gather information and prioritize ideas.
Definition Nominal Group Technique (NGT)
The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a structured group decision-making process used to generate and prioritize ideas. It emphasizes equal participation, ensuring that all members contribute without the influence of dominant personalities.
Definition Delphi Group Technique
Delphi Technique is a structured decision-making and forecasting process that gathers input from a panel of experts anonymously. It uses multiple rounds of questionnaires to refine ideas and achieve a consensus without direct interaction among participants.
NGT is ideal for in-person, small group interactions with immediate results.
Delphi is suited for expert-driven, remote, and anonymous input that requires more time to achieve consensus.
Collect Requirements Process in Project Management
The Collect Requirements Process is a critical step in the Project Scope Management knowledge area. It involves determining, documenting, and managing stakeholder needs and requirements to meet project objectives. This process ensures that the project deliverables align with stakeholder expectations and business goals.
Definition
The Collect Requirements Process is the systematic identification and documentation of:
What the project must deliver (functional and non-functional requirements).
Who the stakeholders are and their expectations.
Why the requirements are necessary to achieve project objectives.
Purpose of Collect Requirements
Define Scope: Establishes a clear understanding of what is included in the project.
Align Expectations: Ensures that all stakeholders’ needs are captured and agreed upon.
Set the Foundation: Provides the baseline for creating the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and planning project activities.
Minimize Risks: Reduces the risk of missed requirements or scope creep.
Inputs of the Collect Requirements Process
Project Charter: High-level project goals, constraints, and deliverables.
Project Management Plan: Relevant components like the Scope Management Plan, Requirements Management Plan, and Stakeholder Engagement Plan.
Project Documents:
Stakeholder Register: Identifies stakeholders and their influence or interest in the project.
Assumptions Log: Lists assumptions that may influence requirements.
Business Documents:
Business Case: Justifies the project and its alignment with organizational goals.
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs): Includes market conditions, regulations, and organizational culture.
Organizational Process Assets (OPAs): Includes templates, lessons learned, and existing requirement standards.
Tools and Techniques
Interviews: One-on-one discussions with stakeholders to elicit detailed requirements.
Example: Interviewing department heads to understand system needs.
Focus Groups: Engaging a group of stakeholders to discuss and refine requirements.
Example: A workshop with end users to explore user interface preferences.
Workshops: Collaborative sessions with stakeholders to gather and document requirements.
Example: A brainstorming session with cross-functional teams.
Surveys and Questionnaires: Collecting structured responses from a large group of stakeholders.
Example: Sending a survey to customers to gather feature preferences.
Observations: Watching how end users interact with current systems to identify improvements.
Example: Observing how employees process orders in an inventory system.
Prototypes: Developing a preliminary version of the product to gather feedback.
Example: Creating a mockup of a mobile app for user feedback.
Group Decision-Making Techniques: Consensus-building among stakeholders.
Techniques: Voting, prioritization, or Delphi technique.
Document Analysis: Reviewing existing documentation for relevant requirements.
Example: Analyzing past project reports or regulatory guidelines.
Mind Mapping and Affinity Diagrams: Organizing ideas and identifying relationships between requirements.
Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM): Linking requirements to their sources and project deliverables.
Outputs of the Collect Requirements Process
Requirements Documentation:
A detailed description of all project requirements, categorized as:
Functional Requirements: Specific functionalities or features.
Example: “The website must support online payments.”
Non-Functional Requirements: Performance, security, or usability standards.
Example: “The system must handle 1,000 concurrent users.”
Business Requirements: High-level business goals.
Example: “Increase sales by 15% within 6 months.”
Technical Requirements: Hardware, software, or system-related needs.
Example: “The system must be compatible with Windows 11.”
Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM):
A table that links requirements to their sources, project deliverables, and test cases.
Benefits of the Collect Requirements Process
Clarity: Reduces misunderstandings by documenting detailed stakeholder needs.
Alignment: Aligns project objectives with organizational goals and stakeholder expectations.
Risk Mitigation: Identifies gaps or conflicts in requirements early, preventing costly changes later.
Improved Communication: Fosters collaboration and transparency among stakeholders.
The Plan Scope Management process is a critical component of the Scope Management Knowledge Area in project management, as outlined by the PMBOK Guide (Project Management Body of Knowledge). It focuses on creating a clear plan for defining, managing, validating, and controlling the project scope to ensure that the project’s objectives are met.
Definition
The Plan Scope Management Process involves developing two key documents:
Scope Management Plan: Details how the project scope will be defined, validated, and controlled.
Requirements Management Plan: Explains how project requirements will be collected, analyzed, and tracked.
This process is performed during the planning phase of the project lifecycle.
Why the Plan Scope Management Process Requireor Importance of Plan Scope Management Process
Ensures Clarity: Reduces ambiguity about what is included (and excluded) in the project.
Aligns Stakeholders: Aligns expectations among stakeholders early in the project.
Prevents Scope Creep: Provides a clear framework for evaluating and controlling scope changes.
Improves Project Success: By defining and tracking scope effectively, the project is more likely to meet its objectives on time and within budget.
What Steps Need To Be Taken Care For – Plan Scope Management Process
Steps in the Plan Scope Management Process
Understand Project Objectives:
Review the project charter to understand high-level objectives and constraints.
Define the Approach to Scope Management:
Decide how to define the scope (e.g., tools, methods, stakeholder involvement).
Outline procedures for managing scope changes.
Involve Stakeholders:
Conduct meetings with stakeholders to gather input on scope management needs.
Ensure alignment on scope definition and control strategies.
Develop the Scope Management Plan:
Document the processes and approaches for handling scope-related activities.
Develop the Requirements Management Plan:
Detail the methods for gathering and managing project requirements.
Ensure alignment with project deliverables and success criteria.
Key Inputs of the Process
Project Charter: High-level project description, objectives, and constraints.
Project Management Plan: Includes relevant elements like the quality and risk management plans.
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs): Organizational culture, market conditions, regulations, etc.
Organizational Process Assets (OPAs): Templates, historical data, and lessons learned.
Tools and Techniques For Plan Scope Management Process
Expert Judgment: Involving experienced professionals to guide the process.
Meetings: Stakeholder and team discussions to align expectations.
Data Analysis: Using tools like alternatives analysis to evaluate scope management approaches.
Example of Plan Scope Management Process
website redesign project. During the Plan Scope Management Process, you:
Create a Scope Management Plan that outlines how you will define the scope (e.g., through stakeholder meetings and mockups), and how scope changes will be handled.
Develop a Requirements Management Plan that details how you will gather user requirements (e.g., through surveys and focus groups) and prioritize them (e.g., based on critical business needs).
Project definition is the process of clearly outlining what the project aims to achieve and its boundaries. It sets the stage for detailed planning by ensuring all stakeholders have a shared understanding of the project.
Project Definition ensures everyone understands the purpose and boundaries of the project.
Features of Project Definition:
Objectives: What is the project trying to accomplish?
Example: Increase website traffic by 20% within 6 months.
Scope: What is included and excluded in the project?
Example: For a website redesign project, the scope might include the homepage and product pages but exclude backend systems.
Deliverables: What are the tangible outputs of the project?
Example: A fully functional e-commerce website.
Stakeholders: Who is involved or impacted?
Example: Clients, project team, end users.
Constraints: What are the limitations (time, budget, resources)?
Example: A $50,000 budget and a 3-month timeline.
Assumptions: What are the conditions considered true for planning?
Example: Key resources will be available throughout the project.
Success Criteria: How will the project’s success be measured?
Example: Achieving user satisfaction ratings of 90% or higher.
Outcome of Project Definition:
A Project Charter or similar document that outlines the above details and provides formal approval to proceed.
2. Project Planning
Project planning is the process of detailing how the project objectives will be achieved. It translates the high-level project definition into actionable steps and strategies.
Project Planning ensures the objectives are met through structured, detailed steps.
Features of Project Planning:
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Breaking the project into smaller, manageable tasks.
Example: For a website project, tasks may include design, development, testing, and deployment.
Timeline and Schedule: Estimating how long each task will take and organizing them in a sequence.
Example: Gantt charts or project schedules.
Resource Allocation: Identifying the team members, tools, and materials needed.
Example: Assigning a designer, developer, and QA specialist.
Budget Planning: Estimating costs and setting a budget.
Example: Allocating funds for software, hosting, and personnel.
Risk Management: Identifying potential risks and planning mitigation strategies.
Example: Risk of delays due to resource unavailability.
Communication Plan: Defining how and when information will be shared with stakeholders.
Example: Weekly status updates via email.
Quality Assurance Plan: Ensuring deliverables meet the required standards.
Example: Testing website performance before launch.
Tools Used in Project Planning:
Project management software (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Asana).
Scheduling tools (e.g., Gantt charts).
Risk management matrices.
Outcome of Project Planning:
A Project Management Plan (PMP) that includes schedules, budgets, resource plans, risk management strategies, and more.
Differences Between Project Definition and Planning
Aspect
Project Definition
Project Planning
Focus
Establishes “what” the project is about.
Details “how” the project will be executed.
Output
Project Charter or Objectives Document.
Project Management Plan (PMP).
Timeline
Early phase of the project lifecycle.
After definition, before execution.
Level of Detail
High-level overview.
Detailed and specific action plans.
Relationship Between Project Definition and Planning
Project Definition Leads to Planning: You cannot plan effectively without clearly defining the project.
Iterative Process: Planning may refine or adjust the definition as more details emerge.
The product scope defines the features, functionalities, and characteristics of the final product or deliverable that the project is meant to create. It answers the “what” question: What does the product include?
Product Scope: Focuses on what the product will be (the end result)
Features of Product Scope:
Focus: On the product itself.
Defined By:
Functional requirements (e.g., “The website must support online payments”).
Non-functional requirements (e.g., “The app must load within 3 seconds”).
Features, quality, and performance criteria.
Validation: Measured by whether the product meets the specified requirements (e.g., user acceptance testing, feature testing).
ExampleofProduct Scope
For an e-commerce website project:
Product Scope Includes:
A fully functional website with online payment capability.
A product search feature.
Integration with an inventory management system.
2. Project Scope
The project scope defines all the work required to deliver the product. It focuses on the “how” question: How will the product be delivered?
Project Scope: Focuses on how the product will be created (the process).
Features of Project Scope:
Focus: On the work and processes involved in creating the product.
Defined By:
Activities, tasks, and deliverables needed to complete the project.
Resource allocation, timelines, and constraints.
Processes for risk management, quality assurance, and communication.
Validation: Measured by whether the project achieves its objectives on time and within budget (e.g., project completion review).
Project definition refers to the process of clearly outlining the purpose, objectives, deliverables, and boundaries of a project. It serves as the foundation for planning, execution, and monitoring. A well-defined project includes the following elements:
Objectives: Clear, measurable goals that the project aims to achieve.
Scope: The specific tasks, activities, and deliverables that the project will include.
Constraints: Limits on time, budget, and resources.
Stakeholders: Identification of those impacted by or involved in the project.
Risks: Potential challenges or issues that might arise.
Success Criteria: Benchmarks to measure project success.
Requirements: are gathered from all stakeholders ,
• Requirements gathering can take a long time • While project is completed, only the work in PM plan should be done
Project Management Terms (Gold Plating, Scope Creep) of Project Definition
Gold Plating in Project Definition
Gold plating refers to delivering more than what is required or adding extra features or functionality that were not initially part of the project’s agreed-upon scope. It is done without formal approval and often stems from an overzealous desire to exceed expectations.
Examples of Gold Plating:
Adding extra software features to a product beyond what the client requested.
Delivering additional marketing materials that were not in the original plan.
Risks of Gold Plating:
Increases project costs and time.
May lead to dissatisfaction if the additional features create complications or deviate from the client’s needs.
Diverts resources from critical tasks.
How to Avoid Gold Plating:
Stick to the defined project scope.
Obtain formal approval for any scope changes.
Regularly communicate with stakeholders about deliverables.
Scope Creep in Project Definition
Scope creep refers to uncontrolled or unauthorized changes and continuous expansion of a project’s scope without adjustments to time, cost, or resources. Unlike gold plating, scope creep often arises from external factors, such as changing client demands or poorly defined project boundaries.
Examples of Scope Creep:
Adding additional deliverables because the client requests them midway through the project without formally adjusting the project scope.
Extending deadlines to accommodate newly introduced tasks.
Risks of Scope Creep:
Delays project completion.
Leads to budget overruns.
Causes team burnout due to unforeseen workload.
Risks project failure due to loss of focus.
How to Prevent Scope Creep:
Clearly Define the Scope: Develop detailed project requirements in the planning phase.
Establish Change Control Processes: Require formal approvals for scope changes.
Communicate Boundaries: Ensure stakeholders understand the agreed-upon scope.
Regularly Monitor Progress: Use project management tools to identify deviations early.
There are two basic types of project selection models, numeric and non-numeric. Both are widely used. Many organization use both at the same time or they use models that are combinations of the two
1. Numerical Models
Numerical models are quantitative methods that use numerical data and calculations to evaluate and compare projects.
Characteristics:
Relies on measurable data (e.g., costs, revenues, time).
Objective and data-driven.
Focuses on financial or quantifiable outcomes.
Types of Numerical Models:
Profitability Models:
Evaluate financial viability.
Examples:
Net Present Value (NPV): Measures the present value of cash flows against investment costs.
Internal Rate of Return (IRR): Calculates the discount rate where NPV equals zero.
Payback Period: Time required to recover the project investment.
Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR): Ratio of benefits to costs; a higher BCR is preferred.
Scoring Models:
Assigns weights to criteria based on importance and scores projects accordingly.
Example:
Weighted Scoring Model: Combines scores across criteria (e.g., risk, ROI, alignment with strategy).
Advantages:
Provides clear, comparable metrics.
Helps assess financial feasibility and return on investment.
Disadvantages:
May overlook non-quantifiable benefits (e.g., reputation, employee satisfaction).
2. Non-Numerical Models
Non-numerical models are qualitative approaches that rely on subjective assessments and strategic considerations.
Characteristics:
Focuses on alignment with organizational goals and priorities.
Emphasizes qualitative factors like innovation, market trends, or social impact.
Less dependent on numerical data.
Types of Non-Numerical Models:
Checklist Model:
Projects are evaluated using a checklist of criteria (e.g., “Does it align with organizational goals?”).
Simple “yes” or “no” answers determine project viability.
Strategic Alignment Model:
Assesses how well a project aligns with the organization’s strategic objectives.
Profile Model:
Compares projects based on risk and return profiles.
Helps visualize trade-offs between risk and potential benefits.
Sacred Cow Model:
Projects are selected based on leadership preferences or strategic directives, regardless of other factors.
Organization: The highest level of the hierarchy. Defines strategic goals, vision, and mission.
“Allocates resources to portfolios, programs, and projects to achieve business objectives”
Portfolio: Portfolio is collection of Programs & Projects
Portfolio is A collection of programs, projects, and operations grouped together to align with organizational strategy.
Program: Program is collection of Projects.
Program is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to achieve benefits not achievable individually.
Project: Project is collection of Products.
A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. It is defined by specific goals, a start and end date, and constraints such as time, cost, and resources.
Products are often managed over their lifecycle to provide ongoing value to the organization.
Product: Product is The final deliverable or result of one or more projects, it’s both services or goods.
Products are often managed over their lifecycle to provide ongoing value to the organization.
