Building a Project Work Breakdown Structure: Visualizing Objectives, Deliverables, Activities, and Schedules PDF
Preview Building a Project Work Breakdown Structure: Visualizing Objectives, Deliverables, Activities, and Schedules
BUILDING A PROJECT WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE VISUALIZING OBJECTIVES, DELIVERABLES, ACTIVITIES, AND SCHEDULES AU6969_C000.indd 1 6/25/08 8:09:55 PM ESI International Project Management Series Series Editor J. LeRoy Ward, Executive Vice President ESI International Arlington, Virginia Practical Guide to Project Planning Ricardo Viana Vargas 1-4200-4504-0 The Complete Project Management Office Handbook, Second Edition Gerard M. Hill 1-4200-4680-2 Determining Project Requirements Hans Jonasson 1-4200-4502-4 A Standard for Enterprise Project Management Michael S. Zambruski 1-4200-7245-5 Building a Project Work Breakdown Structure: Visualizing Objectives, Deliverables, Activities, and Schedules Dennis P. Miller 1-4200-6969-3 Other ESI International Titles Available from Auerbach Publications, Taylor & Francis Group PMP® Challenge! Fourth Edition J. LeRoy Ward and Ginger Levin ISBN: 1-8903-6740-0 PMP® Exam: Practice Test and Study Guide, Seventh Edition J. LeRoy Ward ISBN: 1-8903-6741-9 The Project Management Drill Book: A Self-Study Guide Carl L. Pritchard ISBN: 1-8903-6734-6 Project Management Terms: A Working Glossary, Second Edition J. LeRoy Ward ISBN: 1-8903-6725-7 Project Management Tools CD, Version 4.3 ESI International ISBN: 1-8903-6736-2 Risk Management: Concepts and Guidance, Third Edition Carl L. Pritchard ISBN: 1-8903-6739-7 AU6969_C000.indd 2 6/25/08 8:09:55 PM BUILDING A PROJECT WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE VISUALIZING OBJECTIVES, DELIVERABLES, ACTIVITIES, AND SCHEDULES DENNIS P. MILLER Boca Raton London New York CRC Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business AN AUERBACH BOOK AU6969_C000.indd 3 6/25/08 8:09:56 PM Auerbach Publications Taylor & Francis Group 6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300 Boca Raton, FL 33487‑2742 © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC Auerbach is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business No claim to original U.S. Government works Printed in the United States of America on acid‑free paper 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 International Standard Book Number‑13: 978‑1‑4200‑6969‑3 (Softcover) This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher can‑ not assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint. Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers. For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www.copy‑ right.com (http://www.copyright.com/) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978‑750‑8400. CCC is a not‑for‑profit organization that pro‑ vides licenses and registration for a variety of users. For organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC, a separate system of payment has been arranged. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data Miller, Dennis P. Building a project work breakdown structure : visualizing objectives, deliverables, activities, and schedules / Dennis P. Miller. p. cm. ‑‑ (ESI international project management series ; 5) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978‑1‑4200‑6969‑3 (hbk. : alk. paper) 1. Project management. 2. Work breakdown structure. I. Title. HD69.P75M536 2008 658.4’04‑‑dc22 2008014116 Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at http://www.taylorandfrancis.com and the Auerbach Web site at http://www.auerbach‑publications.com AU6969_C000.indd 4 6/25/08 8:09:56 PM Dedication To my wife, Sharon. Her support has always been the main drive in my life. Dennis Miller AU6969_C000.indd 5 6/25/08 8:09:57 PM AU6969_C000.indd 6 6/25/08 8:09:57 PM Contents List of Figures ...............................................................................................xv Preface: Why, How, and What I Developed .................................................xxi Acknowledgments .......................................................................................xxv About the Author ......................................................................................xxvii Opening .....................................................................................................xxix SECTION I: PrEPLaNNINg aCTIvITIES aND ISSuES 1 Preplanning Issues ...................................................................................3 Opening Issues ...............................................................................................3 Issue: Do Not Ask if You Do Not Plan to Use! ..........................................3 Issue: Your Personal Management Style .....................................................4 Issue: How Important Is the Project to Your Organization? .......................4 Issue: Write Your Management Style into Your Project Charter ......................................................................................4 Issue: Will Your Organization Accept Results? ..........................................5 Issue: Can You Pull This Off? ....................................................................6 2 Sources of Deliverables ............................................................................7 Project Deliverables ........................................................................................7 Requirements Document ...........................................................................7 Client’s Own Words...................................................................................8 Objective Statement Only ..........................................................................8 Your Planning Team ......................................................................................8 No Definition at All ...................................................................................8 3 Timing of Planning Session ...................................................................11 A Question of Timing ..................................................................................11 How Many Days? .........................................................................................11 How Many Hours per Day? .....................................................................12 ii AU6969_C000.indd 7 6/25/08 8:09:58 PM iii n Contents 4 Specific Preparations ..............................................................................15 Communications .........................................................................................15 Personal Calendars .......................................................................................15 Planning Session Site ....................................................................................16 Handouts .....................................................................................................17 Supplies ........................................................................................................17 Break Materials ............................................................................................18 SECTION II: ExECuTINg THE EIgHT STEP PrOCESS 5 Step 1 Find the Project’s Deliverables ...............................................................23 Background ..................................................................................................23 Deliverable versus Activity Orientation ....................................................23 All Projects Have Physical Deliverables ....................................................24 The Best Source of Deliverables ...............................................................24 Expectations ............................................................................................24 Just-In-Time (JIT) Training ....................................................................25 Use the Client’s Words Only ................................................................25 Do Not Add Any Deliverables, Even If You Know They Are Missing .........................................................................................25 Find the Deliverables — Nouns Only ......................................................25 Write Out the Post-Its® ............................................................................26 Let’s Practice: Step 1 ....................................................................................26 Hints........................................................................................................29 Many Documents ................................................................................29 Different Types (Colors) of Post-Its® ........................................................29 Do Not Be Concerned with Duplicates ...................................................30 A Good Method for Analyzing ................................................................30 Be as Neat as Possible ...............................................................................30 6 Step 2 Build and Review the Initial Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) ......31 Background (Build) .....................................................................................31 The Top Component of the WBS ............................................................31 JIT Training (Build) ....................................................................................33 The Initial Build of the PBS .....................................................................33 A PBS Can Have Different Depths (Level of Detail) ..............................34 Let’s Practice: Part One ................................................................................35 Build Your Working Surface ....................................................................36 Assemble the PBS.....................................................................................37 Hints (Build) ...........................................................................................39 Ready to Go? .......................................................................................39 PC Software or Not? ................................................................................39 AU6969_C000.indd 8 6/25/08 8:09:58 PM Contents n ix Background (Review) ...................................................................................39 JIT Training (Review) .................................................................................40 Let’s Practice: Part Two ...............................................................................40 Hints (Review) .........................................................................................41 Upon Arrival .......................................................................................41 Objectives of the Presentation ..................................................................41 Play a Little Trick .....................................................................................41 Progress Reporting Style .........................................................................42 Other Display Techniques ......................................................................44 7 Step 3 Building Down the PBS .........................................................................45 Background ..................................................................................................45 JIT Training.................................................................................................45 Successive Decomposition ........................................................................45 A Question of Granularity ......................................................................46 Approaches for the Build-Down .............................................................46 Client’s Deliverables ................................................................................46 Process Deliverables ................................................................................46 Project Deliverables to the Fourth Level ..................................................47 Sources for More Detailed Deliverables ...................................................48 Exceptions ...............................................................................................48 Let’s Practice ........................................................................................48 Hints........................................................................................................49 The PBS Is a Work in Progress .................................................................50 Show Your Work: Leave It on Post-Its® ....................................................50 The Project Management Leg® ................................................................50 Issues/Problems/Risks ..............................................................................50 The Parking Lot .......................................................................................51 An Assumption ........................................................................................51 8 Step 4 Establishing the Activities ......................................................................53 Background ..................................................................................................53 Most Project Managers Start Here ...........................................................53 Their Time Is Yours .................................................................................53 Time Boxed .............................................................................................54 Are You Ready? ........................................................................................54 JIT Training ............................................................................................54 Establishing Your Authority and Delegating It ....................................54 Restate the Project’s Purpose ........................................................................55 How Much to Plan ..................................................................................55 Assembly Points .......................................................................................56 Gaining Team Buy-In ..............................................................................56 AU6969_C000.indd 9 6/25/08 8:09:59 PM
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