5.6 Step by Step Procedure of How to Develop a Work Breakdown Structure

Step 1: Gathering critical documents

n

The first step of developing a Work Breakdown Structure is gathering all the necessary project documents. The gathered documents must prove vital to the management of the given project. It is then followed by identifying the content of the projects, such as those containing the project deliverables, for instance, the project charter, project scope, and the project management plan. 


n

Step 2: Identification of the key team members

n

The project team is critical to the successful accomplishment of the project and the efficacy of the project management. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the appropriate and necessary team members. The team members in this stage are responsible for the identification of the project deliverables. 


n

Step 3: Defining the Level 1 Elements

n

The Level 1 elements are those that depict the summary of the deliverable description. The summary must capture or otherwise depict 100% of the project scope. In this stage, it is vital to ensure the capture of the 100% project scope per the 100% Rule dictated by the PMBOK Guide. 


n

Step 4: Decomposition (Breakdown) of Elements

n

Decomposition denotes the planning approach that supports the subdivision of the project scope and deliverables into smaller, manageable, and achievable components. The hierarchical decomposition comprehensively and clearly defines the project scope into individualized deliverables that the project stakeholders or team can easily understand. Therefore, this stage denotes the beginning of the decomposition of Level 1 deliverables into smaller and manageable lower-level deliverables. The breakdown should be absolute until every deliverable is covered. The elements from the breakdown must all be mutually exclusive. 


n

Step 5: The Creation of the Work-Based Structure Dictionary

n

The WBS Dictionary denotes a narrative description of the work within each element. The lowest-level elements in the WBS (work packages) must all adhere to the 100% Rule. 


n

Step 6: Creating a Gantt Chart Schedule

n

The final step denotes the decomposition of the work packages into activities. The WBS is then entered into a Gantt chart to facilitate further scheduling and promote project tracking. 

Back to Lesson
Emmanuel Addo
Founder
Facebook Youtube Instagram

Emmanuel Addo is the founder of the Young Global Leaders Network, an international non-governmental organization registered in six (6) countries namely, Ghana, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan and has a membership strength of over 15,000 young black professionals, students, graduates, and aspiring leaders.

The organization also operates in 25 other African countries. Emmanuel also doubles as the chief convener and founder of the Young African Leaders Summit, one of the largest continental youth summits in Africa.  

Currently works at Kingston University as a Business Engagement Team Member in their Partnerships and Engagement Department. 

He characterizes energy, integrity, result-oriented, and ground-breaking service in each detail of strategic management, change management, stakeholder management, and leadership acquaintances.
Emmanuel owns a core background in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Ghana.

Leveraging his experience as a youth activist and a dynamic young man, Emmanuel founded the Young Global Leaders Network, a youth organization that comprises young diplomats, young politicians, and aspiring politicians, business/entrepreneurial business leaders with the aim of championing a mutual agenda for the African youth and promoting youth participation in governance as well as promoting entrepreneurial culture.
Emmanuel nurtures an environment of teamwork and has expertise in data collection and analysis as well as both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Emmanuel worked as an Associate Lecturer at the London College of Advanced Management where he delivered a wide range of business management courses that involved principles of marketing, leadership, operation management, and research methods. Emmanuel has always maintained high teaching and learning standards to ensure that his students’ stand out in academic achievements and successful progression. As a stout believer and passionate key player in volunteering; Emmanuel creates quality time to giving back gladly to his community what he has learned and to educate individuals with free consultancy on career development. He is a leader anyone would love to look up to and with great integrity, commitment, and passion to make the world a better place.
Emmanuel worked as Qualifications Manager at the Open University in the UK.

Emmanuel is also the founder of Kickstart Innovation Hub Ltd, the entrepreneurial hub of Young Global Leaders Network.