What is the Difference Between WBS Item, Work Package, Tasks and WBS Dictionary?

In this podcast, Ricardo talks in detail about the components of the WBS. He gives several examples and tips, and explains that the WBS is a fundamental tool for the project and will ensure that the project will deliver the service or product that is being done in the least amount of work possible.

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Episode transcript

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Hello everybody welcome to the five minutes PM podcast today. I like to discuss with you four different elements of the work breakdown structure. The first one is the WBS Item the second one is the Work Package the third one is that task list. It's not complainant on the WBS, but it's pretty much related. And the fourth one is the WBS Dictionary the first one that that would be as Item it's any single box in the WBS did WBS has hundreds of, or thousands of boxes.

Every single one is a WBS Item this item could be a phase, could be a soup phase or could be something very special. What we call Work Package the Work Package is the box where you can find all the Tasks or to translate in the much easier way is the box without any child. It's the box that it's not the composite in order boxes.

So the work is inside this, and this is where I do assignments. I put responsibility. And now, so I put order, think that Tasks. So the Tasks our insight, the Work Package for example, I can have a project with a hundred WBS items, but from this hundred BS items I have about 85 work packages and 15 orders, the deliverables fazes or whatever.

But from this boxes that we call Work packages. I have one that has eight taskers and not one that has for Tasks. The other one would be 15 Tasks in the Tasks. Usually I put the verb. So when I put door installation, I'm talking about the Work Package. But when I put install door to install the door, I'm talking about a verb.

I'm talking about the task and where do I put the Tasks? I put the Tasks is in the, what we call WBS. Dictionary where I will have information about every Work packages. All of my projects let's suppose that I have 80 work packages. So that would be as Dictionary with 80 elements, zero elements in, in everyone. I we'll do a brief description of the work packages.

The Package I will put the task list, output the duration. I will put information about resources, technical requirements, risks. Usually I'd like to suggest to, in to invite you try do this in one or two more. He does, because this is very flexible. And I like very much to give this when I'm doing the assignment too, the hours, or to build this well, we've the owner with the responsible for that Work Package so this is very, very important.

So that, that will be as Dictionary will have all the descriptions of the work packages, this work packages we'll be inside the WBS in the world. One of the WBS items. Let me give you a final example. Let's suppose that I have one Work Package call a door installation. Then I will have some Tasks. For example, installed the lock, installed the hinged that will make the door open and close the door.

Tasks the door. So this Tasks we'll be under WBS Dictionary off the door instillation where I can find some more information about which kind of tools I will need to do that. I will need to have a locksmith to do that as our human resource, I need to have a screwdriver So this will be inside the WBS Dictionary it's like we can map it's like a guide of how to execute the Work Package.

So it's very important because all this port concepts are really, really important in. We cannot mix up for me. The scope is something that is critical for a project success. I tell everybody if I have what would be one thing to produce him a project plan I will produce the WBS for me is far much more important than this Cavilon in a far, much more important than the budget. I know that most of you are scared about what I'm saying, but why I'm telling you this because scuttling and budget are irrelevant, are pointless.

If you don't know which work you need to do, and this will be contained at, in the scope management process, an insight, the WBS chart. I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Think a lot about scope management this week can see you next week with another five minutes PM. Podcast.

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