45min.
A3.KCI-3. Describe the work packages
A work package is the most detailed deliverable we describe. The level at which it is easily possible to identify the activities to be carried out by the team, and to make realistic estimates. There is yet another consideration for breaking down, and this has to do with the frequency at which you want to measure the progress. When this is done on a two-weekly basis, the work package (lowest level of the WBS) would, on average, also have a duration of about two weeks. In this way, the status of a work package is always one of the following:
Not yet started.
Started in the last period.
Finished in the last period.
Finished in previous periods.
By using such a breaking down process, you have a strong instrument to measure progress. This is better than an activity which is 25% completed, as you cannot do enough with that when controlling your projects. People are inclined to estimate the progress positively.
What is good about this method, is that you actually have the proof that something is finished. Once the WBS has been approved, it forms the baseline for measuring the progress of the delivered parts of the scope. The team only delivers what is in the WBS, no more and no less.
Once the scope has been determined, a plan and a budget can now be made. The budget is directly linked to the scope, and, in principle, changes to the scope can mean changes to the budget, duration and quality of the final result
Application
You can convert the above into actions on the project/programme/portfolio for which you are currently responsible, by carrying out the following steps:
Differentiate between work packages and planning packages.
Explain the goal of well-defined work packages.
Describe the work packages.
CASE
EXAMPLE A3.3 WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE
1. Functional Design
1.1. Function description
