Project Management

ing out activities and throw
them onto a schedule?
Yes, you could. However,
without a frame of refer-
ence, your chances of
being able to identify all of
the elements of work
required to execute the
project are just about zero.
And guess when you’d find
out that something was
missing—in the middle of
the project.
There are several other
good reasons why it’s smart to do good WBS:

• The WBS provides an easy-to-read graphical represen-
  tation of the work, allowing stakeholders to review it
  thoroughly for missing elements of work.


• People often underestimate the effort required to execute
  a project. A fully developed WBS underscores how
  much work there really is.

Preparing a Detailed Project Plan: Step by Step 117

Birthday

Party

Cleaning

Planning ProvideFood Supplies Setup Cleanup

Games and

Entertainment Furniture

Set Up

Volleyball

Clean Pool

Clean

House

Mow Grass

Set Up

Tables/Chairs

Set Up Tent

Figure 7-3. level 4 of WBS for setup

Think About the

Work Only

In the example of the

birthday party, you may have noticed

that I wasn’t concerned about timing

or sequence of activities as I devel-

oped my WBS.That’s OK. In fact, your

only concern in developing your WBS

should be to thoroughly identify all

work necessary to execute the proj-

ect.Worrying about issues such as

duration, cost, and resources will only

cause confusion; address these issues

later in the planning process.