Dear All

IMHO, both WBS and Activity Codes helps development of the schedule. Especially with WBS, it force the planner thinking how should I divid the whole project into workable work package "Work Breakdown". However, as a lot of you mentioned WBS is a rigid structure. It is very difficult change once you had established the WBS and coded the activities. On the other hand Activity codes can be group and sort in any order.

Put it that way, you will need a standard report for running the project and at the same time you need special report to analysis and help you manage your project from time to time. WBS will help you produce standard report and activity code will help you produce special tailor made report.

In addition, WBS had a special function for the client point of view. Because the client can specify the high level of the WBS to combine all contractors works together in a organised ways. Yes you can argue that activity code can do the same but in a WBS summary level it can have a standard report generated very quickly.

A good project should have both structure to help day to day running as well as special requirement.

Cheers

Alex

Hi
I must thank you all for having such a fruitful discussion.

Eric, completely agree with:

"I realized that people often use WBS to help them to set up the schedule activities for a large project. However, the purpose and benefit of WBS is way beyond that."

That said, I often find that people often fail to understand that the activities in the detailed schedule are simply a further decomposition of the WBS. Cost information can generally be summed up and captured at a higher level than schedule or resource data. (A dollar is a dollar, whether spent on a Nobel physicist or a manual labourer; but the difference between those resources is crucial for scheduling).

I too have never heard of a Cost Breakdown Structure. But I do think that a VBS, or Value Breakdown Structure, is an important element of project planning.

And as for books, my main source is usually Total Project Control: A Manager’s Guide to Integrated Project Planning, Measuring and Tracking. :-)

"In summary, WBS is used for cost control purpose to comply with USA Department of Defense C/SCSC (Cost/Schedule Control System Criteria) provision."

Eric, I’m sorry, but I have to disagree here.

First, DoD C/SCSC (part of Mil. Spec. 881) has basically been so altered as to have been "repealed". The old requirements (on programs over $50 mil and subprograms above $25 mil) of CWBS and PWBS, etc. was changed in the early ’90s, in part so that software packages other than the mainframe numbercrunchers Artemis 9000 and Project/2 could be used.

Second, although WBS did grow from DoD C/SCSC requirements, the term has lost its original connection and become generic, just as earned value management and terms have.

"Indeed, WBS is less flexible if you just use it for sorting and grouping. Most people don’t even need to use this feature."

The WBS is a project management tool, to be used to manage project scope, as well as scope/cost/schedule integration in the best possible manner. The fact that a customer (DoD?) requires a WBS in a certain format does not mean that it is (1) the BEST format for the contractor, nor (2) that it has to be the ONLY WBS a contractor should use. The old Project/2 allowed up to four WBS’s, with eight separate code fields for each, for each project!

At the lowest level, the work is the work is the work, so that all WBS’s are the same at the lowest level. But how they are grouped and how they "sum" up the hierarchies should be based on what are most useful for given circumstances.

"However, WBS is there for a purpose."

Absolutely! And any project above a minimal and simple level should have its project scope formatted into at least one WBS. As a consultant, I have played "project doctor" on many projects that have become total disasters; but I’ve never seen a total disaster that had a good WBS!

Dear all,

In summary, WBS is used for cost control purpose to comply with USA Department of Defense C/SCSC (Cost/Schedule Control System Criteria) provision. The WBS structure is hierarchical and can’t be flipped around as the activity codes. Indeed, WBS is less flexible if you just use it for sorting and grouping. Most people don’t even need to use this feature. However, WBS is there for a purpose.

Attached is the write-up by me regarding WBS vs. Activity Code. Please review for your reference. Go to the http://www.htcprojectcontrols.com/TTB2003-9.pdf

Eric Chou, PE
HTC Project Controls, Inc.
www.HTCProjectControls.com

Hi Niraj,

I didn’t know the forum has legacy of since also.

Otherwise also I was not to reply but....

your sweet language made me.

I am wondering how many times in 3 days I had imposed my opinion on others.


keep it up Niraj

Hi Sukumaran,

I never thought that I’m objecting on your opinion.

Still sorry, if I had done so.

cheers

Anand

I thought the question was on need of WBS coding and not on uses of activity coding?

Hi,

Yes agrees to views very much.

When ever activity code is being written, some were we had dotted down the WBS because without this coding can’t be done.

It is not compulsory at all.

But does help is organizing & for future references, since what we had prepared in back of mind or some where will be lost, in future in-case of any issues.

WBS is not a matter of preference, it is something to proceed in most logical way and that gives an idea that everything has covered in the plan. Activity codes can be utilise to present the schedule in very different form and look.I don’t think WBS is compulsary for simple case but if you are planning bit complex project you should use WBS.

Structure in P3 indicates no of digit for identification of that level.