Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)

An important concept for IEM is the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). The PMBOK®-Guide calls it Decomposition:

  • Decomposition is a technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts. The work package is the work defined at the lowest level of the WBS for which cost and duration can be estimated and managed. The level of decomposition is often guided by the degree of control needed to effectively manage the project. The level of detail for work packages will vary with the size and complexity of the project.
    PMBOK® Guide = Project Management Body Of Knowledge published by the Project Management Institute

IEM supports 2 alternative WBS’s Elements and Activities, besides the standard Project Tasks. When using Elements and Activities the Project Task becomes the work package. Using Elements and Activities is optional, Project Tasks are mandatory. Elements allow you to decompose the Project into its main cost components while Activities decompose a Project into its main activity components. Combining the 2: "which activities do I need to complete this element" creates the project tasks as work packages. This process is supported in the Estimating function.

Work Breakdown Structures

Element and Activity repositories

To make sure that between Projects the same codes for Elements and Activities are used an Element - and Activity repository must be used to select the Project Element and - Activities from.

To create and maintain the repositories:

  1. Choose the Lightbulb that opens the Tell Me feature icon (Alt+Q) and type Elements or Activities
  2. In the list create a code and description

Project Element and Project Activities

Project Elements and Project Activities are optional in a Project but when specified they must be available in all postings created from and to the Project.

To create and maintain Project Elements and/or Project Activities

  1. From the Project Card select WBS > Project Elements or Project Activities
  2. In the Project Elements or Project Activities line select a code from the resp. repositories.

Notes

  • The Project Element and Project Activities lines have the same types as Project Tasks: Posting, Heading, Total, Begin-Total, End-Total. With this line type large sets of Elements and Activities can be grouped and nested.

  • On the Project Element and Project Activities Lines cost and price fields are rolled up from the Project Tasks as per the following matrix:

    Type Budget Actual ETC Forecast
    Cost V V V V
    Price V V V V
    Cost (LCY) V V V V
    Price (LCY) V V V V
    Time V V V V

  • The Project Element Lines also have fields for the estimated Resource -, Equipment -, Material Costs and Expenses

  • Milestones also require an Element and Activity. So, make sure to define a Project Element and - Activity for the Project Task type Milestone.

See Also

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