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So how do you structure the categories
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of the WBS?
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The classic method is called hierarchical decomposition,
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where you break the project up into pieces,
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then those into pieces, and those into pieces, and so on
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until you get down to deliverables
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that can be allocated to single individuals.
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For very large projects, you can end up with
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as many as six levels, sometimes more.
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However, this classic approach does not always work
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for smaller projects, or areas of projects
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with substantial cross-functional process work.
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So let's look at some alternatives.
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Other ways to structure the WBS categories include
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by phases and using a combined approach.
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A lot of people prefer the phased approach,
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where the categories capture the various phases
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of the project.
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The WBS does not have to show any chronological information,
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but this approach by nature does tend
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to show deliverables that happen earlier on the left
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and those later on the right.
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Although, even then, there are usually exceptions.
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For example, there could be plans
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in the first planning category that are not started
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until midway in the actual schedule.
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Some people prefer a combined approach,
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where they use hierarchical decomposition
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for parts of the project, for example,
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to capture hardware and software components,
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and some phase-oriented categories to capture elements
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like testing, training, implementation, and support.
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The bottom line is: Use either hierarchical decomposition,
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or phasing, or a combination as convenient.
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You want to try to collect related deliverables together
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in any categories that make sense for the project,
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whatever seems most clear.
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There is never a right or a wrong way.
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Some ways might be more clear than others,
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and you get better with time; but it's the deliverables
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that are important, not the categories.
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Never get hung up on the categories.
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Stay focused on identifying all the deliverables
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and feel free to rearrange the categories
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however makes sense as the WBS develops.
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Let's take a look at a couple of examples
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that make this point.
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Let's look at two work breakdown structures
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that illustrate the point it's the deliverables
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that are important, not the categories.
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These both have exactly the same deliverables,
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just organized differently.
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Here is a WBS for a typical system integration project
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that is organized hierarchically, for example,
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collecting all the hardware and software together
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in separate categories.
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So the software plan, design, builds, reviews,
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and tests are all in one category.
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Now to make the point, you should not get hung up
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on the categories.
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Let's look at exactly the same project
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and exactly the same deliverables,
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just organized another way.
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Here's a WBS for the same system integration project
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with exactly the same deliverables,
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just organized differently in this version
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largely by phasing.
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So now the software deliverables are spread
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across the WBS with the software plan
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in the planning branch, the design under design,
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the builds under build, the reviews under PM,
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and the tests under test.
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Exactly the same project, same deliverables,
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just organized differently.
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You might prefer one way over another,
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and either one might be more appropriate
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for a given project.
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The key point is that neither way is incorrect
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and either will work because the important thing
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is the deliverables are identified.
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There are probably other ways to organize the WBS as well,
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and some may be better than either of these
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for certain situations.
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They key point is to not get hung up on the categories
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because it could be a huge time sink, preventing you
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from focusing on the important part
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in your WBS creation meetings: identifying the deliverables.
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The purpose of the categories is to help spark the memory,
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help you find all the deliverables,
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and provide a convenient way to collect them.
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They are not the point of the process.
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This is really important.
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I have seen teams in a WBS planning session
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spend an hour arguing over the categories
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and not come up with a single deliverable.
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If you ever encounter this kind of dynamic
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as the project manager, simply say
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let's get as many of the deliverables as possible,
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stick them up there anywhere with Post-It notes,
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and organize them later.
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That's how you break the logjam.
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The categories will become a lot easier to agree
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once your flip chart is filled up with deliverables
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and the patterns become a lot more clear.
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The deliverables are what matters.
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