work breakdown structure

When creating a WBS, the project manager defines the key objectives first and then identifies the tasks required to reach those goals. A WBS takes the form of a tree diagram with the "trunk" at the top and the "branches" below. The primary requirement or objective is shown at the top, with increasingly specific details shown as the observer reads down.

When completed, a well-structured WBS resembles a flowchart in which all elements are logically connected, redundancy is avoided and no critical elements are left out. Elements can be rendered as plain text or as text within boxes. The elements at the bottom of the diagram represent tasks small enough to be easily understood and carried out. Interactions are shown as lines connecting the elements. A change in one of the critical elements may affect one or more of the others. If necessary, these lines can include arrowheads to indicate time progression or cause-and-effect.

A well-organized, detailed WBS can assist key personnel in the effective allocation of resources, project budgeting, procurement management, scheduling, quality assurance, quality control, risk management, product delivery and service oriented management.

Learn more about Software project management methods and approaches

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Accelerating businesses with agile development: Want to become a better leader in agile development projects? This chapter from Stand Back And Deliver, will teach you excellent approaches to everyday programming issues.
Agile software development tutorial: Agile project management, tools: Learn tips for successful agile project management as well as how to choose the right agile tools, from requirements management to bug tracking to unit testing tools.
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More resources from around the web: - James R. Chapman outlines the basic principles of a WBS. - The U.S. Department of Energy employs a WBS for project planning, execution and reporting.

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