Page 81 - DCAP304_DCAP515_SOFTWARE_PROJECT_MANAGEMENT

Unit 3: Work Breakdown Structure

3.8 Keywords Notes

Activity: An activity is nothing but simply a chunk of work.
Decomposition: Breaking down work into a hierarchy of activities, tasks, and work packages is
called decomposition.
Task: A task is a smaller chunk of work. The terms activity and task have been used
interchangeably among project managers and project management software packages.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): WBS is a hierarchical description of the work that must be
done to complete the project as defined in the POS.
Work Package: A work package is a complete description of how the tasks that make up an
activity will actually be done. It includes a description of the what, who, when, and how of the
work.
3.9 Review Questions

1. What is WBS? Explain with the help of example.
2. Differentiate between a task and an activity.
3. What is work package?
4. Why it is important to decompose a WBS?

5. Write down the uses for the WBS.
6. How do you generate WBS? Discuss the different approaches to generate WBS.
7. What are the differences between the top-down approach and bottom-up approach to
generate WBS?
8. What are the six criteria to test for completeness in the WBS?
9. What do you mean by activity independence?

10. Write a short note on “Using a Joint Project Planning Session to Build the WBS”.
11. Discuss the general approaches to build the WBS.
12. How do you represent a WBS?

Answers: Self Assessment

1. elapsed time 2. Joint Project Planning (JPP)
3. top-down 4. complete

5. sub-team approach 6. first-level
7. finished 8. reduce
9. end 10. JPP
11. WBS 12. Work package

13. Decomposition 14. Team, sub-team
15. three

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