TOPIC: WBS Decomposition vs Define Activities Decomposition

Andy Crowe states something along the lines of ...The scope baseline, project scope statement, WBS, and WBS dictionary are used as an input to Define activities. Where the WBS is used to decompose work packages even further until they represent schedule activities. The diff. between work packages in a WBS and activity list is that the activity list is more granular and is decomposed into individual schedule activities.

But he then states the WBS is constructed through decomposition or breaking down deliverables into progressively smaller pieces. This process continues until the deliverables are small enough to be considered work packages. The work package cannot be decomposed any further.

My question, define activities uses WBS to decompose activities until they represent schedule activities. But WBS decomposes into work packages that cannot be broken down further? How can we break down WBS further, when "the work package cannot be decomposed any further???????"

Hi Matt,

I never bought Andy Crowe's product so I cannot comment on that

Let's use an example to help you understand:

Our project is to write a new book, let's say a compilation of short stories. We break down the scope by chapters and list them on the WBS

Book

• chapter 1
• chapter 2

1. Find a story writer
2. writes a story
3. editing

• chapter 3

Here we define each work package by chapters, and we can't break them down any further. Although it is broken down into a granular level, we can't tell our team member to "just finish chapter 2". That's when you need to go further and define the activities in order to fulfill the work packages.

Hope this helps,
Joe