Project Management Team and Work Breakdown Structure
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Work Breakdown Structure
Work breakdown structure (WBS) is a structural view and a tool used to determine what the people and the project would work on. According to Cleland and Ireland (2008), the WBS is aligned with the project schedule to set the foundation for conducting the project. It is a tool used to breakdown the project into manageable tasks for the project team (Niu & Xue, 2014). In other words, it is a hierarchical decomposition of the project work to complete by the teams.
WBS Components
The essential components of work breakdown structure are the levels, coding, dictionary, the elements, the package and visual representation format (Maloney, 2012).The Dictionary details the task of each component of the WBS and gives details of the functions and the activities to be undertaken, the milestones, resources required and cost estimates, so as to eliminate any ambiguity in the scope of work. The particular work of the project is categorized into levels in a hierarchical manner with the top levels outlining the deliverables while the lower levels are depicting specific tasks to be carried out towards achieving the set objectives. The levels are numbered depending on the size and the nature of the project being undertaken.
The numbering is done using codes, which acts as identifiers for each element of the structure uniquely to accommodate any future changes made. The components and attributes of the WBS make up its elements and are portrayed in a manner that is understandable to the project team and ease of use (Levi, 2013). Visual representation of the WBS can be in the form of tree structure, tabular or outline view. The outline view is a format where different levels of the structure are indented, and code numbers assigned to every element uniquely according to the levels (Maloney, 2012). In the tabular view, the elements are represented in table form and code given as per the level of tasks.
Tree structure view is another visual representation where the elements are depicted in parent-child format where each child is connected to the parent element. Schedule for activities and milestones are as well included that will complete the work package (Kerzner, 2013). Project managers must have the ability to design the tasks and the schedule for accomplishing the tasks with the accompanying milestones. The work breakdown structure must be designed in a manner that keeps control of the activities of the project while at the same time efficiently exploiting the efforts in a way that is not wasteful. It is, therefore, important that a project manager has the competencies necessary for running a project successfully, following the rules set for managing such projects (Carboni, &Dionne, 2009).
WBS Management Tool
There are different tools and methodologies that can be used to create the project WBS. With the advancements in technology, various tools and software such as the Microsoft project are available for creating the structure (Bloch, Blumberg, & Laartz, 2012). The top-down methodology is a characteristic that can be used in Microsoft project. In using the MS project, the final objective of the project is identified (Schwalbe, 2013). After a detailed analysis of the project scope, the name as well as the primary purpose is indicated on the task name field. The deliverables that will ensure the goal is achieved is the identified and entered in the job name field too. The sub-deliverables are also entered indented.
All the deliverables are then decomposed into activities that can be undertaken in a way that can be controlled and easily monitored. At the final instance, each work package should contain only one deliverable and the list of activities for each sub-deliverable enlisted under the particular sub-deliverable (Maloney, 2012). At any time a different level is indicated in a tool, there needs a continuous indention at each level to create a proper relationship between the components and subcomponents. A tool such as the MS project automatically create codes based on the structure of each task and changes whenever details are transferred to another field (Schwalbe, 2013). It is important that the project team and stakeholders re-evaluate the tool to ensure consensus is achieved, and the feasibility of the project identified. The work breakdown structure is then integrated into the project schedule.
Management Approval Plan
For the project to be accepted and approved there has to be a detailed plan to achieve such (Burke, (2013). There has to be a proper coordination and communication put in place in the process of management approval. After the review of the project plan and structure, the project team prepares materials for the study by the Directorate team (Kerth, 2013). After the project has been approved, the contract documents are updated, and sign offs are made. The plan should include necessary installations and executions that will aid in the approval and proper maintenance put in place.
Developing the Project Team
Plan to Assess Internal Skills
Developing project team is the processes in which competencies and interaction of team members enhance to ensure project performance (Niu & Xue, 2014). The responsibility of the project manager is to improve areas of the project teams that will see improved performance, assesses the team internal skills and performance. Appropriate resources, tools and techniques necessary for the team members are identified (Reiss, 2013).
Plan for Creating the Team Relationship
There must be participatory set ground rules for the team that will enhance understanding and cooperation among team members. Activities must be designed to improve the competency of team members and proper established team activities (Levi, 2013). Each project member is assigned a task to handle after enlisting him or her together with team work activities.
Plan to Interview Team Members
The project manager handles the identification of the skills needed for effective operation of the project (Kerzner, 2013). Identification of persons with proper interpersonal and soft skills for the team is essential in reducing problems related to misunderstanding.
The components of interview questions will involve the examination of the reliability, cooperation levels, helpfulness and knowledge sharing of the team members. Competencies of the project team members to work in a team model are also included in the interview questions (Niu & Xue, 2014).
Plan to Address Team Issues
Chain of command is an important aspect of ensuring there are no team conflicts and in reducing the general conflicts within the project (Levi, 2013). This is a norming stage of the project team development, and proper channels of solving team conflicts are restored. Since every team member has specific tasks to perform, the role of the team leader would be assisting the team members on how to accomplish their duties (Kerth, 2013). There have to be channels put in place to ensure that conflicts are resolved within the teams, and the project manager only deals with such cases that cannot be handled by the teams through the team leaders.
Code of ethics for the team members would act as a guide that will help in eliminating possible occurrences of disagreements, underperformance possible discrimination of a member of a group (Young, 2013). Every member should respect the ground rules set by team’s acts as a code that guides the team members. There must be code that allows for recognition and the reward of members of a team to ensure continued effectiveness and project performance.
External Resources
This aspect helps in the definition of roles and expectations of project team members. Projects frequently involve internal and external factors, and whenever people are outsourced or rather brought in from the external environment, then it is important to stick to the policies in place. Creating of multiple teams that span the project boundaries can be ensured both by attracting people from outside or using people from within the organization such project is being undertaken (Kerth, 2013). For instance, procurement management policies are quoted in ensuring that policies of the organization involving external resources are honored. A multidisciplinary team within a project is capable of ensuring that the project deliverables are achieved in time with innovative solutions (Levi, 2013). New concepts and ideas can be brought into the project by external resourcing of the project.