Secrets to Mastering the WBS in Real-World Projects

Introduction
1 - What is the WBS?
> What is the WBS Definition?
> What are the Program WBS and Portfolio WBS?
2 - Why Should You Use the WBS?
> What are the Top 20 Benefits of Using the WBS?
3 - What Are the 4 Typical Confusions about the WBS?
> Story 1: Confusing the WBS with Work Sequencing
> Story 2: Being Trained with Old WBS Concepts
> Story 3: Confusing the WBS with the Schedule
> Story 4: Confusing the WBS with an OBS
> Avoid Confusion with the RBS, OBS, CBS, and BOM
• Risk Breakdown Structure
• Resource Breakdown Structure
• Organizational Breakdown Structure
• Contract Breakdown Structure
• Cost Breakdown Structure
• Bill of Materials
• Structure Types Comparison Chart
4 - What Are the Key Questions to Understanding the WBS?
> What if You Don't Use the WBS?
> Can You Apply the WBS to Any Project?
> When Do You Create and Use the WBS?
> Who Should Create the WBS?
> How Do You Create the WBS?
> How Should You Update the WBS?
> What is the PMO's Role in the WBS?
5 - What Are the Key Questions to Mastering the WBS?
> What Are the WBS Levels, WBS ID, and Numbering?
> What Is a WBS Component and a WBS Element? 49
> What Types of WBS Components Exist?
> What Is a Work Package?
> How Do You Decompose the Project Work?
• When Do You Stop Decomposing the Work?
> How Many Components Are in Real-World Projects?
> What Are the WBS Fields or Attributes?
> How Do You Name a Component?
• Can You Find Components with the Same Name?
> What is the 100 % Rule?
> What Are Good and Bad WBS Examples?
> What Is the WBS Dictionary?
6 - How Do You Create a Valuable WBS?
> What Are the Steps to Creating a Valuable WBS?
> What Are the Approaches to Creating a WBS?
• By Major Deliverables
• By Project Phase
• By Subprojects
• By Geographic Location
• By Division or Department
• Other approaches
> Should You Have a High-level WBS or a Detailed WBS?
• Benefits of the Detailed Approach
> What Are the Options You Can Use to Represent the WBS?
• Tree, Outline, and Tabular Representation
• Representation Types Comparison Chart
> What Are the Tools or Techniques to Create a WBS?
> Can You Use Templates, Standards and Guidelines?
• WBS Templates
+ How do you Create and Use a WBS Template?
• WBS Corporate Standards or Guidelines
7- What Are the Software Tools for the WBS?
> WBS Chart Pro™
> MindView®
> MindManager®
> Microsoft® Visio and WBS Modeler
> Spreadsheet Software
> Microsoft® Project and WBS Director
> Primavera® P6™
> WBS Software Tools Comparison Chart
> How Do You Customize WBS ID fields Instead of Using Default Fields?
> How Do You Use Different Files per WBS Level or Branch?
8 - How Do You Integrate the WBS with Scope Management?
> What is the Product Scope, Project Scope, and the Product WBS?
> What's the Role of the WBS in the Scope Baseline and Scope Change Control?
> How Do Project Requirements Affect the WBS?
> What Is Out of Scope?
> How Does the WBS Fit in with the PMBOK® Guide?
9 - How Do You Integrate the WBS with the Schedule and Costs?
> What's the Difference Between the WBS and the Schedule?
• WBS and Schedule Comparison Chart
> Why Should You Link the WBS with the Schedule?
> How Can You Link the WBS with the Schedule?
> How Can You Link the WBS with Costs?
• How You Can Use the WBS in Cost Estimating?
• How Can You Use the WBS to Create the Budget?
10 - How Do You Integrate the WBS with Communications, Risks, Acquisitions, Human Resources, and Quality?
> How Do You Use the WBS in Communications?
• How Do You Improve Communications by Using Color Coding in the WBS?
+ How Do You Use Colors at Each Level?
+ How Do You Use Colors at Each Release?
+ How Do You Use Colors to Identify Progress?
+ How Do You Use Colors to Indicate Acquisitions?
• What are the Other Uses of the WBS in Communications?
• How Do You Use the WBS with the Communications Plan?
> How Do You Use the WBS in Risks?
• How Does the WBS Help In Risk Management?
• How Do You Display Risks in a WBS?
• What Are the Impact of Risks in the WBS?
• How Do You Link the Risk Registry with the WBS?
> How Do You Use the WBS in Acquisitions?
• How Can You Use the WBS in the Procurement Process?
• How Does the WBS Help You with Make-or-Buy Decisions?
• How Do You Use the WBS in a Buy Decision?
• What's the Relationship between the WBS and the Contract WBS?
> How Do You Use the WBS in Human Resources?
• How Do You Assign Work with the WBS?
• How Do You Use the WBS with the RAM?
> How Do You Use the WBS in Quality Management?
11 - How Do You Use the WBS in Global, Multicultural, and Virtual Projects?
> How Do You Identify Global Characteristics in a WBS?
> What Do You Consider in the WBS in Global, Multicultural, and Virtual Projects?
12 - Can You Use the WBS in Agile Projects?
> PMBOK® Guide Alignment with Agile
• The Role of the Project Manager
> Why Agile Won't Replace the PMBOK® Guide?
• Traditional Versus Agile
> WBS and Scope in Agile Project
Conclusion
Appendices
>  I - Project Management Element Decomposition
> II - Generic WBS Template
Abbreviations and Acronyms
References and Resources
About the Author
Applying the WBS