In past lessons, we have explored project scope, deliverables, and assembling a project team. You have reviewed the RFP for the City of Metropolis Geodatabase Development Project and prepared a project charter as a foundation for launching project work. This lesson focuses on developing a detailed work plan and schedule. You will look more closely at project scope and deliverables and create a project plan in the form of a work breakdown structure (WBS) for the City of Metropolis project.
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
See the checklist page for readings, quiz, and assignment work in this Lesson.
If you have questions or would like to brainstorm this week's topics, contact the instructor by phone or email. Also, feel free to contact your follow students via the Discussion Forum or email.
Lesson 5 is one week in length. (See the Calendar for specific due dates.) To finish this lesson, you must complete the activities listed below. You may find it useful to print this page out first so that you can follow along with the directions.
Step | Activity | Directions |
---|---|---|
1 | Reading | Lesson 5 online course content |
2 | Reading | Croswell, Re-read Chapter 9 (Sections 9.1, 9.2, and 9.5) |
3 | OPTIONAL Reading | ISD Project Management White Paper--What does done look like? [1] |
4 | Quiz 3 | Complete Quiz 3 in Lesson 5 |
5 | Assignment #4: Work breakdown structure (WBS) and Gantt Chart for the City of Metropolis Geodatabase project | See assignment instructions and Canvas Course Calendar for due date. |
6 | Participate in Week 5 Discussion Forum:
|
Access Lesson 5 Discussion Forum Suggested topic - Discuss approaches you have taken to estimate labor time and/or calendar time for projection work. |
A work breakdown structure (WBS) organizes project work into manageable tasks which are necessary to carry out and complete the project. The WBS focuses on the work activities, completion of defined deliverables, and the timing of tasks (taking into account all factors and constraints that impact the start and end dates of tasks). The WBS is the "meat" of the plan because it describes the work required to meet project objectives. John Dewey (of the Dewey Decimal System) said, "a problem well-stated is half-solved". The same can be said about a project--clearly stating objectives and defining an approach for project work gets much of the way toward a successful project.
The WBS presents project tasks in a hierarchy, with major (top-level) level tasks and subtasks. Table 5-1 below shows a WBS task hierarchy for a portion of a project involving GIS database design and development. This includes a top-level Task #4 with a WBS task hierarchy 3-levels deep with subtasks and sub-subtasks.
Task # | Task Name | Plan Start Date | Plan Finish Date |
---|---|---|---|
4 | GIS DATABASE DESIGN, PREPARATION, AND DEVELOPMENT | 2/1/12 | 7/12/16 |
4.1 | Base Land Data Standards and Clean up | 2/1/12 | 7/12/16 |
4.1.1 | Establish and document data format standards for address and parcel fields. | 3/1/12 | 8/15/12 |
4.1.2 | Clean up address, parcel, and zoning fields in database. | 5/24/12 | 12/19/12 |
4.1.3 | Clean up address, parcel, and zoning feature boundaries. | 5/24/12 | 12/19/12 |
4.1.4 | Revise street name/address filed from street name. | 2/1/12 | 7/12/16 |
4.2 | Refinement of GIS Database Design and Rules | 6/28/12 | 7/10/13 |
4.2.1 | Evaluate current GIS data organization and define. | 6/28/12 | 12/12/12 |
4.2.2 | Redefine Geodatabase/Feature Class organization. | 8/9/12 | 2/6/13 |
4.2.3 | Establish attribute schemas for Feature Classes. | 9/6/12 | 3/6/13 |
4.2.4 | Define/revise basic geographic parameters. | 9/6/12 | 3/6/13 |
4.2.5 | Define and set up logical and connectivity rules. | 10/4/12 | 4/3/13 |
4.2.6 | Define default symbology. | 3/7/13 | 7/10/13 |
4.3 | Metadata Design and Set up | 9/20/12 | 5/1/13 |
4.3.1 | Design metadatabase. | 9/20/12 | 5/1/13 |
4.3.2 | Set up ArcGIS metadata templates. | 10/25/12 | 1/30/13 |
4.3.3 | Carry out initial population of metadatabases. | 10/25/12 | 4/24/13 |
4.4 | Quality Control Standards and Procedures | 10/18/12 | 1/13/14 |
4.4.1 | Define/document GIS data quality standards. | 10/18/12 | 5/15/13 |
4.4.2 | Define process for QC and QA checks. | 3/7/13 | 10/16/13 |
4.4.3 | Institute QC and QA process in database development and maintenance work. | 5/30/13 | 1/3/14 |
Some important terminology is important to understand how a WBS is created:
A summary task is any task in a WBS that has subtasks below it. In Table 5-1 above, the top-level Task #4 is a summary task as are Task #s 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4. A subtask is any task below a summary task in a WBS hierarchy. The bottom level subtasks in a WBS hierarchy (no subtasks below them) are called work tasks or work packages. It is important to understand that these work tasks are where the work actually occurs--all summary tasks at upper levels in the WBS hierarchy just serve as headings (like outline headings) to organize the project work. Some other task type terms are used to describe special task characteristics:
Take another close look at the WBS work plan excerpt above in Table 5-1. See the bold text (these are all Summary Tasks). Think of these Summary Tasks like headings in a technical report---that's what they are--just topic headings that organize the project work into groupings of related activities. The real work actually gets done in "Work Tasks" or "Work Packages"--the lowest level of a task hierarchy (e.g., Task 4.2.6). The Summary Tasks then should identify and organize ALL work in the project, and the lowest level Work Tasks should describe how that work gets done. Subtasks under a summary task should cover all work encopassed by that summary task. The trick in preparing a work plan (WBS) for any project is first to see the whole picture (i.e., project objectives and deliverables) and then to figure out how to organize the work in the way that is most efficient.
A WBS for a project may be created as a table (e.g., using Office software like Word or Excel). It has become increasingly popular for project planners to use automated project management software (e.g., Microsoft Project or Project Libre) which provide efficient tools to enter tasks, set the WBS hierarchy, establish timing relationships among tasks, and present the WBS in different types of report or "views" such as a Gantt chart (with bars showing task duration).
The WBS is often created by one of three approaches. With each approach, project planning requires some subject matter understanding about the work being planned and, most often, some research, review of past projects, and communication with other project managers, to estimate time requirements.
The analogy approach uses a similar WBS (prepared for another project) as a starting point. If you are working for a consulting firm that does similar projects for the same client, this approach may be simple and effective. Such an approach is greatly facilitated if the consulting firm keeps good records and has archives of past projects.
The top-down approach begins with the final or largest deliverables. Then, all of the components that make up these deliverables are identified. This process continues to greater and greater detail until all work packages are identified. A project manager attempting to do this alone had better have significant experience or technical background in all aspects of the project. Input from technical team members can also be vital, especially as project activities are mapped to lower and lower levels.
The bottom-up approach involves intense team participation. Members begin by identifying as many specific tasks as possible, and then group these tasks into larger project activities. These project activities may then be grouped into more and more comprehensive activities, until the final deliverables for the project are planned. This approach can be very effective for scope and time planning because it can potentially involve input and consensus from the entire team. For the same reasons, however, it can be a very time-consuming process for putting together a WBS work plan.
Whichever basic approach is used (including some combination of the above), work planning and scheduling demands some serious attention because the efficiency of work and the way in which resources are allocated depend on this. Project work planning gets easier if the organization and the project manager has past experience in similar projects. When handed an assignment for project planning for which the level of experience is not too high, it is important to ask questions, do research, and call on colleagues within and outside your organization to prepare a solid work plan that covers all work in an efficient way. Get a solid understanding of the scope and deliverables and make that WBS task hierarchy fully inclusive of all work and support activties required to get the project completed.
If only one individual is working on a project, time management for the project is pretty simple. However, if a team of individuals is working on the project, timing becomes more complex due to dependencies of work tasks with multiple people contributing to many of the tasks. In projecting timing for tasks, it is important to understand the difference between duration time and resource time. The term duration normally refers to the calendar time from the start of a task to its completion (start and end dates). This is different from resource time--which identifies the actual labor time (usually in hours or days) that a resource (e.g., person on the project team) works on the task or project. Another way to say this is that the duration of a task is its calendar time, which usually is different than the resource time or labor time. A given task (e.g., geodatabase design) may take 10 work days (2 weeks) to complete--including time for review, comment, and revision by multiple people, but the total resource (labor) time from all participants in that task might only be about 36 hours (4.5 work days). So an important trick in planning a project schedule and the timing for individual tasks, is to focus on the duration (calendar time) necessary to start and complete the task--including any time in which actual labor is not being expended.
Key factors that often impact project and task timing and which should be taken into account by a project planner include:
Task sequencing reviews all activities in the WBS with the goal of identifying relationships between them and classifying all the timing relationships among tasks. These relationships (aka "linkages", "dependencies", "predecessors"). Task timing relationships are important because they control task sequencing and task start and end dates. There are four types of task relationships:
Why do these dependencies exist? Often they are just logical or a clear part of the project workflow (i.e., some tasks must be started or completed before some other tasks can begin). For example, in a project involving the design and development of a custom Web-based GIS application, it is necessary to complete a user requirements assessment task before beginning an application design task (a finish-to-start relationship). Or, in a project that involves the competitive selection of a contractor to perform GIS database development, it is possible to start the preparation of a request for proposal (RFP) document at the same time that proposal scoring and selection criteria are developed (a start-to-start relationship). Associated with the assignment of task relationships is the concept of a lag or a lead. Efficient project scheduling can use the appropriate application of lag and lead times along with task relationships--which adjust task duration and start and end dates. A lag time forces a task to start at a specified period of time after that defined by established task relationships. For instance, in procuring contractor services, review of proposals occurs after distribution of an RFP but with a lag of an additional 28 days after the RFP distribution (time required for vendors to submit bids). A task lead forces a task to start a specified time before that defined by the task relationship. For instance, a GIS database design task is related to the end of an information gathering task, but the design work can start before the end of that information gathering work (task lead).
By effective application of task relationships and lag and lead times, a project schedule will reflect realistic timing factors and also allow for appropriate overlap in the timing of tasks to make the best use of time.
Once all dependencies have been identified, a network diagram can be created to schematically show the sequencing of projects. In network diagrams, arrows represent tasks and are drawn to show dependencies. The completed network diagram can be used to identify the critical path of a project, the series of dependent activities that determines the shortest possible duration of a project, assuming all other milestones are met on all other paths. To find the critical path, trace all paths represented by arrows through the network diagram while summing the duration of all tasks. The greatest sum from beginning to end is the critical path. The critical path is aptly named, as a project will be behind schedule if tasks on the critical path take longer to complete than anticipated. Other tasks not on the critical path have varying amounts of slack, or time a task can be delayed without putting the completion date in danger. Figure 5-1, below, illustrates a method for determining the critical path from a network diagram.
The Gantt chart is designed in timeline format, so that task timing (planned or actual timing) can easily be visualized over time. Gantt charts can be used to track and display progress of all tasks throughout the project. The Gantt chart is the most common graphical format for visualizing project timing. The Gantt is one way (or "view" of the project task sequence and timing. Other "views" that are sometimes used is a network diagram (project flow chart) and a calendar views. Gantt charts include: a list of project tasks, a timescale across the top with user-defined timing intervals (e.g., months or weeks), and bars under the timescale showing task timing.
Figure 5-2 below shows the major parts and format of the Gantt chart (with Gantt bar symbology for different task types)
It is now time to prepare a work breakdown structure (WBS)—creating a task hierarchy describing all work necessary for carrying out and completing project work.
Submittal: See Canvas Calendar for Submittal Date
Total Points: 70 points - see rubric for specific details
For Assignment #4, you are the project manager with the contracted company selected by the City of Metropolis to work with the City’s project team to carry out the work on the Geodatabase Design and Development Project. Your company responded to the City's RFP and was selected to perform the work. The contracted work for which you are responsible is summarized in section 1.2 of the RFP with more detailed explanation in subsequent RFP sections. This purpose of this Assignment is to:
The work breakdown structure (WBS) you create should include a hierarchical organization of tasks (top-level tasks and subtasks), with planned start and end dates, that take into account estimated durations of time to complete the work with whatever timing constraints may influence the starting and completion of tasks. Please note that the RFP describes the overall scope and deliverables but does not provide a specific set of tasks or approach to accomplish the work. That is your job as the contracted project manager—to prepare a plan that, based on your experience in similar projects, will provide an organized and efficient way to get the work done and which includes necessary project monitoring, status reporting, communications, quality control, and other necessary project activities. Before jumping into this assignment, take another look at the Metropolis RFP—particularly Table 2 summarizing the Main and Supporting deliverables. Then review again the "Work Breakdown Structure" page of this Lesson to make sure you understand the concept behind the WBS—with the Summary Tasks establishing organized "headings" for the work and the "Work Tasks" (the lowest level in the task hierarchy) defining how the works gets done.
Create a work plan (a WBS) task hierarchy and timing (start and end dates for each task) for the City of Metropolis project. You are contracted project manager tasked by the City to prepare this work plan—that includes tasks for all project work carried out by your contracted team AND support work done by the City's project team members (e.g., formal deliverable quality review and comment).
In this assignment, use the concepts of task relationships with lags and leads to control task timing. In general, your WBS should be broken down into 3-levels (main summary task, subtask, sub-subtask) although for some main summary tasks, 2 or 4 subtask levels may be appropriate. Your WBS should include tasks necessary to complete all main deliverables (MD) and supporting deliverables (SD) summarized in Table 2 of the RFP. As identified in the RFP (see SD1), the City is requiring you to design and carry out a pilot project to test, confirm, and refine the database development work. For the field data collection and quality control work for this type of project, it is typical for contractors to organize work into specific geographic zones or sectors that correspond to data deliverables (MD2) that are submitted to the City. This work plan should cover all work carried out by the contractor AND the City's project team. For example, in addition to covering contractor field data collection and quality control, it should show the quality assurance review work that the City team performs after deliverable submittal by the contractor (with formal acceptance or possible rejection of that deliverable). The WBS should also include tasks for project management and control (monitoring and reporting on status, project communications, formal project closure, etc.).
In addition to the WBS task hierarchy, create a Gantt Chart showing bars for task timing. The Gantt Chart should show important information about the tasks (task number, task name, start and finish dates) along with Gantt bars graphically showing the timing of each task and the interconnectedness of tasks based on dependencies. We strongly recommend that you use project management software (e.g., Microsoft Project) to do this assignment since Gantt chart generation is automatic (although you can apply various controls for its format).
The City would like the project completed within about 10 months from project initiation. Again, while not mandatory, it is strongly suggested that you use a project management software package like Microsoft Project. Project management software automates many manual steps in project planning, Gantt chart generation, etc. If you don't have previous experience with project management software, this is an opportunity to get some experience and begin to acquire a skill that will be useful in your future project planning and management work. If you use Microsoft Project, your submittal for the project may be the software's file format (.mpp) only . Be sure to set the proper level for the WBS task hierarchy and make appropriate links (Predecessors) among tasks. Pricing options are available from Microsoft's website [2]. There are also quite a few third-party software vendors that offer MS Project licenses at discounted costs (particularly for older versions of the software). MS Project version 2021 is the most current software but past versions (v2013, v2016, or 2019) will also work for this course. Useful resources include:
If you do not use MS Project software, you should provide a file (in the software's native file type) as well as a document showing tasks, task numbers and names, start and end dates for tasks, and the Gantt Chart.
In summary, Assignment #4 consists of:
**KEY POINTS: Be sure to name tasks well. Use verbs or "verb-derived nouns" (like, "implementation", "submittal"). Remember the information in this Lesson about WBS task structure. Summary Tasks (any task that have subtasks below them) are just headings to organize areas of work. The bottom level tasks ("work tasks" or "work packages") describe the work activities. Subtasks under a Summary Task must cover all work activities encompassed in that Summary Task. Also, there should NEVER be only one subtask under a Summary Task. The nature of a Summary Task implies that there are multiple activities (subtasks) under it. Task names should be concisely worded but long enough for a reader to quickly grasp the nature of the task. In some cases, it will be useful to include then Deliverable ID# (from the RFP) in the task name.
There are multiple ways to organize the work into a WBS hierarchy of main tasks (“summary tasks”) and subtasks so there is not one “right response” to this assignment. It is your job to organize the task hierarchy and establish timing in a manner that efficiently accomplishes the necessary work. Think of the WBS hierarchy like a written report that has main sections and subsections. Start first with the top-level tasks and then add the detail of subtasks down to the recommended three levels. Start with a review of the RFP (particularly Sections 5 and 6). Make sure your work plan includes tasks necessary to produce all main and support deliverables as well as tasks for ongoing project management, monitoring, plan adjustment, and reporting of the work. It is also recommended to include a set of "start up" tasks that can include this work plan deliverable (SD1) and review by the City, a kick-off meeting, and perhaps other early activities to prepare for detailed project work. To help you out with structuring your WBS work plan, here is a possible high-level organization of tasks for this project that cover all project work and project management activities. You may use this as a basis, modify as necessary, and fill in detail with subtasks to cover specific areas of work:
SAMPLE TOP LEVEL TASK ORGANIZATION FOR METROPOLIS PROJECT:
See the Canvas Calendar for assignment submital date
This assignment is worth 70 points. The grading approach is explained in the rubric table below.
The instructor may deduct points if the Assignment is turned in late, unless a late submittal has been approved by the Instructor prior to the Assignment submittal date.
Grading Category | Basis for Scoring | Total Possible Points |
Point Award Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
A. Completeness and Organization of WBS Tasks |
|
24 |
|
B. Clarity in Task Naming |
|
12 |
|
C. Task Types Relationships and Timing |
|
24 |
|
D. Gantt Chart Formatting |
|
10 |
|
Links
[1] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog871/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.geog871/files/papers/%232-ISD%20Project%20Management%20Whitepaper%20Series-What%20does%20done%20look%20like.pdf
[2] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/project/compare-microsoft-project-management-software?activetab=tabs:primaryr1
[3] https://gis.e-education.psu.edu/gis/faq
[4] http://linkedinlearning.psu.edu
[5] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUqbhkJWt_4
[6] http://www.simonsezit.com/learn-microsoft-project-training-tutorials