Work Breakdown Structure Template

Businesses are kept alive by their quality of work, outcome, and ability to stick to given deadlines. A person in charge of a project can get the maximum work done because of skillful delegation. This delegation is what is required for smooth operation of a company, and the success of an organization. What is a WBS (work breakdown structure)? Find out below! Download professional templates that can be used before starting new projects.

What is a work breakdown structure?

When working for business or company, each project is not merely a small series of tasks towards an end goal. Achieving the required outcome requires every member of the team to take on certain tasks to ensure that nothing is left out. However, one cannot simply assign tasks to people and forget about them.Each assignment will also have a series of sections and subsections that will be difficult to keep track of. This is where a WBS, work breakdown schedule or work breakdown structure comes into play. It covers every aspect of a project imaginable.A work breakdown structure example can be found online. Creating a structure is neither simple nor easy. This is why you should download professional templates to provide you that have been crafted specifically for your needs. They are readily available online and customized according to your requirements. Download them today!

Essential elements of a WBS

Work breakdown structures are not as simple as they sound. They are not meant to provide details about when and how a project needs to be, but rather what needs to be done. There are essential elements present in every work breakdown structure template. These are as follows:

100% deliverables

This basically details every part of the project. This includes costs, required time, necessarily required work that needs to be done over and beyond the scope of the project, products needed, and other requirements. If all of these are set in place, progressing with a plan of action becomes simple and maneuverable.Having a well-organized system makes it much easier to delegate work and make progress. It is also possible to keep track of the work going on and who is managing which area of concern. Each template that you avail of online covers all these required areas. Effective templates are available for use; it will help ensure that no aspect is left out. Our templates are made by professionals who provide all the necessary services!

Proper structure

The ability to keep track of each section of a project comes from the appropriate structure that is created for the purpose or a single goal. Each section needs to be divided according to hierarchy – what needs to be done first and what can be done first.To proceed towards the next level of work, the previous level needs to be completed. A general tree structure is followed. The perfect template lays out the hierarchical levels clearly so that nothing is missed out in the work process.Download these professionally developed templates to make project management easier! Templates can be downloaded in bulk and stored for all future purposes. 100% free and useful, they are extremely simple to download and use!At the lowest level of activity or structure, here are the crucial qualities of the activity:

• Not possible to divide the activity any further.
• The activity is something that can be contracted and completed by a task force.
• Can be realistically estimated in terms of cost and time.
• Falls within the rules of thumb that are stated below in the level of details.

Level of details

The point of creating a WBS is to break down each level into a workable situation. It helps in determining the time required for completion of tasks, costs, estimates and overall activities necessary to reach the ultimate product. There are a number of rules involved; one of these is that only absolutely essential details should be included in any given structure. Avoid unnecessary details that do not provide scope or definition to the project. Some rules need to be adhered to; these are as follows:

• Each subcategory or subtask should never take more than 80 hours for completion. This rule is in place so that there is a definitive timeline to be followed. Of course, not all tasks require 80 hours of work; in this case, hours may be divided and extra time can be devoted to more complicated work.
• There should be a stipulated period for work at the lowest level of delegation or detail. If the reporting time for each of these categories is one month, then each reporting time for every other task on this level should also be one month long, and no longer.
• Of course, these rules are not set in stone. They should only be used if it makes sense, and would work cohesively towards goals.

Coding scheme

To distinguish between levels of hierarchy, it is only obvious that each level would be numbered sequentially. This will make it easier to identify the way in which work needs to progress, time required for that level, and necessities that an unusually task requires. It is important to remember this coding system when wondering how to create a work breakdown structure.Customize your work breakdown structure template and include every level and sublevel. Instead of taking on this task on your own, allow a professional to organize the structure for you! Created by experts, use templates to minimize work load and avoid any unnecessary hassles.

Follows rules

Depending on the project at hand, your project should follow the rules. For example, a naval project will need to follow shipbuilding rules according to the country it belongs. Any construction or building needs to follow the rules of state and city, and must be government approved. Keep this in mind whenever you are formulating a WBS.

Other elements

Apart from having the tasks and how they need to be followed by hand, everything else must also be taken into consideration. This includes:

• Budgets
• Overflow estimates
• Duration
• Calculated risks
• Performance
•  Work packages

Purpose of a work breakdown structure

It almost seems like a waste of time to be working on creating charts and structures, when you can simply delegate work and get it all done. However, you will find that such an approach will cause more delays than expected.There are many essentials and elements of the process that will be forgotten and left out because they have not been duly noted. Hence, the importance of a work breakdown structure cannot be ignored. The purpose of a work breakdown structure is as follows:

• A working system of assignments.
• Save time by deconstructing projects and tackling them one element at a time.
• Set boundaries for a time, so that there is no delay.
• Allocate a budget for each level of activity.
• Allow space for any extra time or money required.
• Ease of monitoring and controlling projects.
• Delegate work with ease.
• Ability to estimate risks.

Apart from this general overview, there are very specific advantages and disadvantages of a work breakdown structure. Read ahead to find out more!

Advantages of a work breakdown structure

Boosts productivity

With the given structure and pattern of work a team manager one can identify specific skill sets required to complete tasks at hand. Each member of the team can contribute to precise areas thereby mobilizing the task force towards ultimate input and output. Hence, availing of easily downloadable work breakdown structure template can assist in maximizing utility and output at every level. It also assists in utilizing time efficiently. Our professionals create these templates according to your specifications and needs. Get them today!

Detailed steps

Because of the segregation of tasks and responsibilities, a strategy can be developed for effective handling at each stage of the process. Any problems that arise can be addressed at that very stage itself without disrupting the progress at any other level.Having a clear idea of the kind of work that needs to be done makes it easier to identify any possible problems beforehand and tackle them accordingly. Every work breakdown structure example will help managers understand how the structure works and why it’s useful.

Better allocation

When there is a clear plan of action, allocating time and resources becomes much less complicated. Some areas will require more time, funds and raw material when compared to others. Assets can be allocated accordingly, making working on the project a lot more efficient. Hence, using professionally made templates can make work significantly smoother. Download now for quick progress and better handling of resources. It is completely cost free too.

Monitoring opportunity

Task managers are given the opportunity to keep track of structures, progress, or any inconvenience. They can tackle situations at the root level and clear problems easily. Because of the breakdown of responsibility, people at each level can be held accountable for their actions; making dealing with a problem a lot quicker and smoother to handle.If you’re wondering what is a WBS (work breakdown structure) or what is a work breakdown structure used for, read about the pros and cons below! You can download templates for absolutely no monetary expense and zero hassle at your convenience. They are available in any format of your choice – PDF, MS Excel or MS Word.

Disadvantages of a work breakdown structure

Tedious

Most people think it’s far too meticulous to track each level and keep track of allocation of funds, resources, labor, etc.However, you can download professional, personalized templates, which can be used at the beginning of each project. Customize the template as you go along, according to project requirements.

Difficulty with detail

Once the breakdown of task begin, it’s hard to gauge the amount of details that is required. Computing necessary information can get complicated. Relying on experts who know how to allocate and delegate efficiently is key. Using WBS templates can ease this process.Download them as and when required, and print it out if necessary. You can store the templates on devices for convenience to use at any time. Because they are created by our team of professionals, there is no compromise on quality and structure!

Having too much to do

Breaking tasks down to the bare minimum will sometimes leave tasks within the scope of a few hours. Once achievements are reached, there is more work that needs to be done; keeping score of everything that is happening can become extremely complicated. This in turn causes the structure to become out of date rather quickly. This constant need for customization and updating can be arduous.Enlisting the help of professionals to create examples and templates can make this process less tedious. Download templates as and when required for use.

Important points to remember

Keeping these facts, elements, advantages, and disadvantages in mind, here are a few do’s and don ts that will make using a breakdown structure feel a lot more comfortable. This will allow you to operate and function more freely around a project without feeling overwhelmed or stressed out.

Team building activity

A normal or large-scale project requires more than one person to figure out different areas that need to be focused on. The expertise of various individuals will be required for accurate data formulation and structuring of the task at hand. Before piecing the final template together, create a team of core members who need to work together to figure out the best approach.

No fixed time

Many things can go wrong when in the process of creating a program or building a device. Trying to stick strictly to time structure will prove to be more of a hindrance. Understand that time needs to be flexible in case of any unforeseeable instances. At the end of the day, a work breakdown structure is used to define the jobs that need to be done and ideal plans of action.

Communication

At each level, there needs to be sufficient communication. A problem at one level can cause problems for others at another level. Clear communication of progress or issues needs to be handled so as to avoid unnecessary delays or interruptions.Download a free online template right now and get work breakdown structures that are necessary in making handling projects and assignments easier! What are you waiting for?