Utilizing a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to Address Project Challenges- Development, Organization, and Planning Strategies

Utilizing a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to Address Project Challenges- Development, Organization, and Planning Strategies

Organizations are increasingly conceptualizing the relevance of them having work breakdown structures (WBS) that are used to ensure the successful outcomes of projects. The use of a WBS to ensure projects are terminated successfully after completion has been the core focus of many researchers within the project management domain, with perspectives offered about the benefits companies accrue for using the above plan. Current research also explains the steps organizations should follow when creating a work breakdown structure so that every member assigned to complete the project is allocated adequate roles to complete these projects successfully. The designing of work packages’ essentiality in promoting positive organizational outcomes has also been studied extensively by researchers in the project management field. When organizations create work breakdown structures, it is essential that they consider the associated costs of every work package to achieve their desired project outcomes quickly. Overall, the work breakdown structure is a vital tool that helps companies plan and execute their projects effectively.

Benefits of Developing a Work Breakdown Structure

Work-based structures are beneficial to organizations for several reasons. Firstly, organizations that embrace a work breakdown structure are able to complete their projects within their predetermined deadlines. Every time an organization wants to execute a project, it requires that the team in charge of the project determine when it will tentatively end to plan appropriately on aspects, such as resource allocation. Firms that mandate their project managers to create a work breakdown structure finish their projects on time because every member or department is assigned a work package in their expertise capacity and a schedule to complete it, such as in a few days (Lestari et al., 2021). Suppose this subdivision of projects is executed well by Brian’s team. In that case, every team member or department should be able to complete their assigned roles on time, which culminates in the entire project ending within the anticipated timeframe.

Secondly, when organizations use the WBS as a project management technique, they can optimize the potential of every team member. Every team member involved in executing a project selects the area they feel they can give their best output, and then this feedback is incorporated when designing a WBS (Tereso et al., 2018). If Brian uses the WBS, he will not have to worry about how the entire project will end as he will assign every member a role in the area they are best in. Thirdly, organizations that use a WBS as a method of project management benefit from using resources effectively and efficiently and minimizing wastage. This is because as the WBS is designed and work packages are assigned to every member, the organization can plan on how to allocate the resources necessary to complete their project effectively.

Fourthly, the WBS is an excellent way to track member attendance as the project is being executed and to implement any remedy where necessary. Through monitoring the WBS progress and how team members execute their work packages, project managers can easily identify members who slack on their duties and help them to stay on the predetermined course. Lastly, the work breakdown structure is important because it helps project managers foresee risks that may affect a project’s outcome and design mitigation strategies they should undertake to achieve the same. Overall, the WBS benefits organizations by helping them to plan their resources and time and creating remedial strategies for risks they may experience as they execute their projects.

Describe the Process for Creating the WBS

The process of creating a WBS begins when an organization determines that it needs to implement a project and selects appropriate members to ensure the venture is executed successfully. During the initial meeting, the project manager gives the team members the overview of the project and then mentions the tasks they would be expected to perform. If the project manager is a transformational leader, they will request every member that has attended the meeting to share the areas they feel they can handle best within the project and then this feedback will be used to create a WBS (Cerezo-Narváez et al., 2020). The elements of a WBS will also be discussed so that the project leader can design proper work packages that every meeting attendee can implement to the best of their ability. If a project is complex, members can be assigned roles in areas such as product design, process creation, needs specification, purchasing, production, advertising, and selling. As the project progresses, work packages assigned to each member may change, and it is important for project leaders to manage this change using a proper change management model. Overall, creating a WBS begins at the first meeting project members have and ends when the project is terminated.

Create a List of the Major Deliverables for this Project. Use them to Develop a Draft WBS with at Least 3 Levels of Details

The three major deliverables for the case study’s project are:

Website design.

Project location determination.

Budget design

A WBS for the team would appear as in the image below:

Figure One: Representation of the WBS for Omega Theta Pi 5K-run project

Work Breakdown Structure

Outline Form

1.1 Initiation
1.1.1 Meeting members
1.1.2 General discussion about the event
1.1.3 Selecting a theme

1.2 Planning
1.2.1 Deciding where the event will be held
1.2.2 Checking how much the ground for the event will cost
1.2.3 Location determination

1.3 Execution
1.3.1 Deciding how much money to allocate for the event
1.3.2 Deciding how much people should pay for the event
1.3.3 Budget design

1.4 Closing
1.4.1 Creating a website for booking the event
1.4.2 Creating a website to advertise the event and to pay for it
1.4.3 Website design

Are there any Interdependencies that Need to be Considered and, If So, Which Ones?

Brian needs to consider various interdependencies that should be considered before executing the project. Firstly, the team will have to decide where they will host their event and if this vicinity will be vast enough to accommodate their anticipated attendees. After determining the event’s location the team is planning, associated elements, such as the charges for the grounds and entry and exit times, will be easily determined (Sutrisna et al., 2018). After this information is identified, the team should create a tentative budget to create fliers to advertise their event, pay for workers that will help them on the grounds, and then create and manage their website.

Lastly, the team will have to create a website that will give attendees of the planned event relevant information, such as entry fees, the theme wear for the day, and location. These work packages must be executed in the mentioned protocol as they are related. Brian’s team should locate a location it intends to use as hosting grounds for its project and then design the budget they will need to secure the location and actualize the event. The team should then conclude its WBS by creating a website to use as an advertisement platform to alert attendees of the event. Attendees can also secure tickets to the event through the website and pay through the platforms listed on it.

Assign Cost and Activity Durations to the Work Packages (Use Your Own Numbers)

Costs and Durations

Work Packages

Work breakdown structures are essential when initiating, planning, and executing projects because they help ensure projects close successfully. Through work breakdown structures, organizations can allocate resources to a project effectively and ensure that these resources are used efficiently. Overall, the creation of WBS is a necessary step for organizations that want their projects to end successfully.

 References

Cerezo-Narváez, A., Pastor-Fernández, A., Otero-Mateo, M., & Ballesteros-Pérez, P. (2020). Integration of cost and work breakdown structures in the management of construction projects. Applied Sciences, 10(4), 1386. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10041386

Lestari, A. D., Herzanita, A., & Latief, Y. (2021). Development of safety plan building based on work breakdown structure (WBS) in campus area of UI Depok to reduce work accidents. Journal of International Conference Proceedings, 4(1), 104-116. https://doi.org/10.32535/jicp.v4i1.1132

Sutrisna, M., Ramanayaka, C. D., & Goulding, J. S. (2018). Developing work breakdown structure matrix for managing offsite construction projects. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 14(5), 381-397. https://doi.org/10.1080/17452007.2018.1477728

Tereso, A., Ribeiro, P., Fernandes, G., Loureiro, I., & Ferreira, M. (2018). Project management practices in private organizations. Project Management Journal, 50(1), 6-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/8756972818810966

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Assignment Details

Projects of all sizes may seem daunting at first. Breaking the project down into smaller, more manageable pieces allows you to develop an achievable plan for completing the project. The work breakdown structure (WBS) is one of the tools that you can use to outline your project into smaller, more manageable pieces called work packages.

Utilizing a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to Address Project Challenges- Development, Organization, and Planning Strategies

Refer to Case 4.1 of your text. In this case, Brandon has been chosen to chair the 5K charity run for his fraternity, and you are presented with the details of this project. In a 5-page report, you should address the following:

How would developing a WBS help to alleviate Brandon’s problems during the initial meeting? How can the WBS be used to organize and plan the project?
Describe the process for creating the WBS.
Create a list of the major deliverables for this project, and use them to develop a draft WBS with at least 3 levels of detail.
Are there any interdependencies that need to be considered and, if so, which ones?
Assign cost and activity durations to the work packages (these may be made up).
Use either a top-down or a bottom-up approach to determine the overall cost of the project and discuss the approach used.
Be sure to cite your sources using APA; include your references and in-text citations.