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WBS from project plan

4 replies [Last post]
Mon, 2008-10-06 04:26
Emmanuel Valentine
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Hi Everyone

I have just joined a programme that doesn’t have Work Breakdown Structure in place. I am now trying to deduce this from the their master plan (MS Project 2002). How do I go about this.

Thanks
EV
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Replies

Mon, 2008-10-13 08:38
#1
Darren Kosa
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Hi Emmanuel

Not sure if it was a feature in 2k2, but in 2k3 you can export the outline from MS Project into Visio using a WBS Chart Wizard.

If the current master schedule was constructed using sound planning principles, then the outline should map directly to your WBS. This is because each heading and sub-heading will be associated with a WBS element.

Differentiating between tasks and WBS elements in MS Project should be a fairly straightforward exercise if the schedule is resource loaded. As a rule of thumb the schedule tasks will have resource assignments against them, the WBS elements won’t.

If the schedule isn’t resource loaded then hopefully the descriptions in the Name field will help you determine if they are WBS elements or tasks. As an example, ‘Pour Concrete’ lends itself to being a task description whereas ‘Foundations’ could be a WBS element.

The WBS should also be focused on the scope of project delivery rather than detailing the tasks the have to be completed to produce each deliverable.

Regards,

Darren
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Mon, 2008-10-06 11:44
#2
Trevor Rabey
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Not sure I understand your question.
if the plan has headings and sub-headings and you can roll them up and expand various levels etc, then that arrangement of headings, sub-headings and Tasks is the WBS.
Also, the WBS field shows the same hierachy experessed in numbers, eg 1.1.1 etc.
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Mon, 2008-10-06 08:42
#3
Steve Craine
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Hi EV

Easyest way is insert a colum from the drop down list and find WBS on the list this should give you a good starting
place

Steve
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