Topic: Developing Tasks and Work Breakdown Structure

Audio:
To learn how to create a work breakdown structure, let’s look at a really simple example.
We’re going to create a WBS for your client, who wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch with a glass of milk.
Step 1 – Determine the project deliverables. Remember that your entire scope should be encompassed by your list of deliverables.
So, for this project, there are two: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich…
… and a glass of milk to drink.
Next, divide your deliverables into tasks.
Use an action verb to describe the activity.
For our first deliverable, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the subtasks might be to gather resources and make the sandwich.
For the second deliverable, you may break it down into “get a glass”and “pour the milk.”
Now your ready for step three, dividing the work into subtasks. Let’s look at the first deliverable,
“Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.” The first tasks is to gather resources.
Can you break that down farther? If you think about what resources are needed to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you could group the resources in two areas: groceries and utensils. So, the sub tasks are, “Get groceries” and “gather utensils.”
Next, let’s ask the subdividing questions:
  • Can you divide this into two or more sub tasks? Though there are multiple groceries you will need, they aren’t really subtasks so, we’ll answer “no.”
  • Can you accurately estimate the resources you’ll need to perform the task?
    Yes! Bread, peanut butter, and jelly.
  • Can you accurately estimate how long it will take you to complete the task? Hmmm…probably, all of the resources are in the refrigerator so, it might take 2 minutes to complete. So, let’s say yes.
  • Will a person who performs this task understand exactly what to do? Hmmm. Maybe, they’ll need the list so, let’s answer no…
    … and subdivide into “get bread,” “get peanut butter,” and “get jelly.”
The second task for the first deliverable, “Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich” is “Make the sandwich.”
Can we divide this task into two or more sub tasks? Yes. There might even be a couple of options for this task.
In option 1 you might subdivide this way:
  1. Spread peanut butter on one piece of bread.
  2. Spread jelly on the other piece of bread.
  3. Put the two pieces of bread together.
Depending on how the client likes his peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you might also plan the work this way:
  1. Put two tablespoons of jelly and one tablespoon of peanut butter in a small bowl.
  2. Mix well.
  3. Spread the mixture onto one bread slice.
  4. Cover with the other piece of bread.
This is where conversation, asking great questions, and active listening comes into play. Frequent dialogue with your client will help you understand your client’s needs. Let’s say that through asking great questions, you learn that your client likes the jelly and peanut butter mixed together. Great! But the resources for option 2 look a bit different than those in option 1. For Option 2, you’ll need a small bowl and a tablespoon added to the “gather resources” task.
Now, let’s look at the second deliverable and tasks:
  • Can you divide this into two or more sub tasks? No. That list pretty much sums it up!
  • Can you accurately estimate the resources you’ll need to perform the task? Yes! A glass and milk.
  • Can you accurately estimate how long it will take you to complete the task? Yes! 2 minutes to get the glass out of the cupboard, get the milk out of the refrigerator, and pour the milk.
  • Will a person who performs this task understand exactly what to do? Yes…these tasks make it very clear what to do.
All right. Now, let’s step back and see if our WBS covers everything. It looks like we will have a big mess in the kitchen if we leave it just like this so let’s add another deliverable: Clean up. Can you divide this into two or more sub tasks? Yes, we could include:
  1. Wash dishes.
  2. Dry dishes.
  3. Put dishes away.
  4. Return jelly, peanut butter, and milk to the refrigerator.
Let’s revisit the questions:
  • Can you divide this into two or more sub tasks? No.
  • Can you accurately estimate the resources you’ll need to perform the task? Yes. We’ll need water, soap, a dish cloth, and a towel.
  • Can you accurately estimate how long it will take you to complete the task? Yes. This task will take about 10 minutes.
  • Will a person who performs this task understand exactly what to do? I sure hope so!
Now, looking at our WBS again, let see if we can coordinate anything. I think we can. We could combine refrigerator trips for tasks 1 and 2 into one trip. You might show that on your WBS like this.
This was a really simple example of developing tasks and the work breakdown structure but, hopefully you can see how the process works and can transfer the steps to your projects. This process goes a long way to help you organize your project and can be used to create your schedule, budget, project plan, and communicate to your team in the project kickoff and during the project lifecycle. / Video:
Text – Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Client who’s hungry. He bounces or grows onto the screen. Maybe we hear client’s stomach grumble. Add a thought bubble of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Add a glass of milk.
Text – “Step 1: Determine the project deliverables.”
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich appears on the screen.
Glass of milk appears with the sandwich.
Text: “Step 2: Divide deliverables into tasks.”
Action verbs begin to appear on the screen: Build, design, draw, test, perform, create, draw, review. (Maybe this is too busy for the short amount of time we have)
Hand drawing an org chart WBS. There are already two boxes on the chart. One for “Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich” and another for “Glass of milk.” Under PBJ, the hand draws two tasks:
  1. Gather Resources
  2. Make Sandwich
NOTE: I put the complete WBS chart in the ftp folder for this course in a folder called “extra graphics for this course. Each box on the chart (and the line above it) will need to be a separate layer so we can build the chart up as if someone were drawing it.
Under “Glass of Milk” the hand draws two tasks:
  1. Get glass
  2. Get milk
  3. Pour milk
Text: “Step 3: Divide into subtasks”
Back to the hand drawing. Highlight the first task: Peanutbutter and jelly sandwich
Question mark appears over the drawing.
Hand begins writing:
  1. Get groceries
  2. Gather utensils
Show questions text as a checklist:
Can you divide this into two or more sub tasks?
Put an “N” in the box.
Add a question to the checklist:
Can you accurately estimate the resources you’ll need to perform the task?
Put a “Y” in the checkbox.
Add a question to the checklist:
Can you accurately estimate how long it will take you to complete the task?
Add a “Y” in the checkbox.
Add a question to the checklist:
Will a person who performs this task understand exactly what to do?
Put an “N” in the checkbox
Go back to the hand making the list. Under “Get groceries” add
  • Get bread
  • Get peanut butter
  • Get jelly
Back to the hand drawing. Highlight the second task, “Make the sandwich.”
Go back to the 4-question checklist. Put a “y” in the first box.
Show these steps graphically i.e. knife spreading peanut butter on bread, knife spreading jelly on bread, etc).
Erase the previous process steps and show these steps graphically (i.e spoon scooping out jelly, spoon scooping out peanutbutter, stirring in the bowl, etc).
Communication graphics from “Preparing the Project Plan” frame 25a, b, and c. Or 27 a and b if we need something shorter.
Back to the hand drawing the org chart. Add under “Gather Resources: Get Utensils
  • Bowl
  • Tablespoon
Zoom out on the chart and highlight “Glass of Milk”
Show the 4-question checklist.
Put an “N” in the box for the first question.
Put a “Y” in the box for the second question.
Put a “Y” in the box for the 3rd question.
Put a “Y” in the box for the 4th question.
Go back to the hand drawing of the org chart WBS.
Show a messy kitchen. It’s clear someone made something and didn’t clean up.
Back to the hand drawing. Hand draws a new deliverable: “Clean Up” with the sub tasks underneath.
  1. Wash dishes
  2. Dry Dishes
  3. Put away dishes
  4. Return jelly, peanut butter, and milk to the refrigerator.
Back to the 4-question checklist.
“N” in the first box.
“Y” in the second box.
“Y” in the 3rd box.
“Y” in the 4th box.
Back to the hand drawn WBS. Draw a box or circle showing a relationship in the refrigerator trips for milk and jelly.
Graphic of person making the sandwich handing the sandwich to the “client.” Client is eating the sandwich and is happy.
Text list titled “WBS:”
  • Schedule
  • Budget
  • Project Plan
  • Communication
Project Lifecycle icon grows to fill the screen.

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Developing-Tasks-and-the-Work-Breakdown-Structure-Audio-Video-011112.doc