Breaking down tasks for your WBS
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) breaks down your project into the activities needed to meet project objectives. Here are tips for breaking down project activities:
Break tasks down into 8 – 40 hours of effort. To help track progress, break down work so tasks can be completed within a week. If a process takes longer than a week, establish checkpoints that are 40 hours of effort or less. Note: Toward the end of your project when you have less time to handle delayed task completions without impacting your project, shorten task durations to 16 hours or less so you can manage proactively.
Assign tasks to an individual, if possible. Every task will be assigned to people. Ideally, one person should be able to complete the broken-down task. When multiple people work on a task, name a spokesperson to track progress and report status. A best practice is to have an informal discussion with the spokesperson so you know how they will coordinate work on the task.
Identify how you tell when the task is complete. To track progress easily, document what each low-level task delivers so you confirm that the task is complete. As project manager, you don’t have to confirm completion. Ensure that a subject matter expert can confirm completion for every task in your WBS.
Tasks should be clearly defined. Two main tests can be used to assess clarity: Will a team member assigned to work on the task understand the task description? Can you tell what tasks will precede or follow from a particular task? Tasks contribute to the construction of a schedule and should be defined logically, so you can determine whether a specific sequence is needed (i.e., you must write software before you test it). Alternatively, you might be able to perform tasks in parallel, like defining the task of “painting the house” to “paint the east side of the house” which could be done in parallel with “paint the west side of the house.”
For more about work breakdown structures, check out my Project Management Foundations: Schedules course.
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