Defining Scope is good, clarifying deliverables is best. One common problem with Chaotic Project Management environments is that the scope or what is to be done is not understood by all. A common tool to help bring clarity is the work breakdown structures. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) enables everyone to have a shared understanding of what needs to be created.
My first draft of a WBS is as a PM, it helps this way to find out what I do not know. My rule of thumb for a WBS is to have the result of what was created or completed. For example, for testing we will have test plans, test scenarios, and a system integration test. Here is an example of a simple WBS for a system implementation.
A couple of items to note, first the main block is the system implementation. This is level 0.0 and the name of the work effort. As you breakdown work, they need to be in manageable pieces. Also the work needs to be at a level so it can be assigned to one member of the team.
WBS are one of those tools where more heads are better than one. Review the WBS with the team and sponsor. Explain the concept and then see if anything is missing. Time spent flushing out the WBS is well spent. I often have a team meeting just for this purpose during planning.
The top three benefits of a WBS are as follows:
- Presents a clear picture of the work to be completed.
- Clarifies all the deliverables across the team and the sponsor.
- Foundational building block for the a schedule.
In a chaotic project environment taking the time to complete the WBS helps to prevent surprises and clarifies the effort which goes into completing the implementation. I often use the WBS to show that IT is not magic after all. Also explaining why these pieces and parts are important, and getting the important pieces and parts from the sponsor helps to build a collaborative sponsorship.
Further Readings on Taming Chaotic Project Management:
- The Top Ten Characteristics of a Chaotic Project Management Environment
- Find out how many active projects are in flight.
- Establish your organization's current and desired need of Healthcare IT
- Collaborate on Prioritization Decision Criteria
- Have a defined and approved process to accept work.
- How to stop running the daily meeting marathon
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1 Comments to “Taming Chaotic Project Management - Use WBS to define deliverables”
The WBS should contain a list of broken down deliverables. In other words what the customer/stakeholder will get when the project is complete. It is NOT a list of specific activities and tasks used to accomplish the deliverables. How the work is completed (tasks and activities) can vary and change throughout the project but deliverables cannot without a change request so you do not want to list activities and tasks in the WBS.
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Welcome to the Healthcare IT Project Management Blog of Elyse Nielsen. This is the place where I share the ideas I have learned, the things I’d like to remember, and my thoughts for a brighter future. Find out more.
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