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Project Management

Creating the WBS

Hamid Aougab

In this guided project you will learn how to build a WBS for your project. You will decompose your project into the main elements, then further decompose those into even smaller, more manageable pieces of work. As we decompose our project into smaller elements, we will be using decomposition rules such as the 100%, and the mutually exclusive elements rules. You will continue decomposition until you get elements that can be estimated properly and that you can delegate to a person or a team. You will also create a WBS dictionary, explaining the elements in your WBS. We will do all of this in Google Sheet, but the same concepts can be used with any tool, i.e. Excel SP, WBS creation tools, etc.

Note: This course works best for learners who are based in the North America region. We’re currently working on providing the same experience in other regions.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Project Management: Create a WBS

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

This course provides an excellent foundation for learners who are new to project management

The step-by-step approach to creating a WBS is easy to follow, making it a great choice for beginners

The guided project format allows learners to apply the concepts they learn immediately

The use of Google Sheets as a tool for creating a WBS is accessible to learners who may not have experience with more specialized software

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Reviews summary

Well received course: solides foundation in project management

Learners say this course provides a solid foundation in project management and work breakdown structures. Very helpful for newcomers to the field, the course can help students understand how to construct a project. Key course features include guided projects and clear, concise explanations of concepts. Students highly recommend this course for beginners or as a refresher for more experienced professionals.

Students commend the course instructor for providing clear and concise explanations.

"Instructor was the best thing one could have for this type of guided projects, he explained every thing with such a ease that it was a fun learning experience."

"explained very clearly thank you so much coursera for bringing uch amazing courses."

"The guided course is Super Great and the instructor addresses the course efficiently."

Many students express satisfaction with the course.

"This course is quite helpful in terms of understanding WBS as one can easily learn to design one through this course and will also learn about how to efficiently manage a project so as to conduct operations on time."

"Good Project. However, get a brief knowledge of the subject matter before diving into the project. Trust me, the experience will be a lot better then and it's fairly easy getting readily available information on the net."

"I reckon this is a quick project for newcomers that provides a solid foundation in project management and work breakdown structures. It can help one understand the gist of how to construct a project. Yes, the content is extremely basic and simple to grasp!"

Learners find the course to be well structured and easy to follow.

"Easy to understand"

"Brief and to the point."

"Clear, practical and sequential explanation"

Many students find this course to be an excellent introduction to project management.

"Very good course for those whose into project management for the first time"

"Highly recommend starting with this course to understand the basics of creating a WBS."

"I used this as a refresher and it was excellent"

A very small number of students report issues with audio or video quality.

"Audio and video are very poor"

"the instructor is lack or a poor experience"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Project Management: Creating the WBS with these activities:

Brush up on basic project management concepts

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Reviewing core concepts of project management will help set a solid foundation before you begin learning about work breakdown structures.

Browse courses on Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)

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Read a book or article on project management fundamentals.
Review notes from a previous project management course.
Take a practice quiz on basic project management concepts.

Watch a tutorial on using Google Sheets to create a work breakdown structure

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Google Sheets is a powerful tool for creating and managing work breakdown structures. This tutorial will help you quickly learn the basics of using Google Sheets for this purpose.

Browse courses on Google Sheets

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Find a tutorial on using Google Sheets to create a work breakdown structure.
Watch the tutorial.
Follow along with the tutorial to create your own work breakdown structure.

Attend a local project management meetup or conference

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Networking with other project managers will help you learn about new tools, techniques, and trends in the field.

Browse courses on Project Management

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Find a local project management meetup or conference.
Sign up for the event.
Attend the event and meet other project managers.

Five other activities

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Form a study group with other students in this course

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Working with other students will help you reinforce your understanding of the material and learn from others' perspectives.

Browse courses on Project Management

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Find other students in this course who are interested in forming a study group.
Schedule regular meetings with your study group.
Review course material together.
Discuss concepts and ideas.
Quiz each other on the material.

Create a work breakdown structure for a small project

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Hands-on experience will help you apply the concepts you learn about work breakdown structures to a real-world project.

Browse courses on Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

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Choose a small project that you are familiar with.
Identify the main components of the project.
Break down each component into smaller tasks.
Create a visual representation of your work breakdown structure.
Get feedback on your work breakdown structure from a mentor or colleague.

Start a small project that requires you to use a work breakdown structure

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Working on a real-world project will give you the opportunity to apply your understanding of work breakdown structures and see how they can be used to manage a project from start to finish.

Browse courses on Project Management

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Identify a small project that you can complete within a reasonable timeframe.
Create a work breakdown structure for the project.
Develop a project plan.
Execute the project plan.
Reflect on the project and identify areas for improvement.

Develop a project plan using a work breakdown structure

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Creating a project plan will allow you to put your understanding of work breakdown structures into practice and see how they can be used to manage a real-world project.

Browse courses on Project Plan

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Gather information about the project.
Create a work breakdown structure for the project.
Develop a project schedule.
Identify and allocate resources for the project.
Get approval on your project plan from stakeholders.

Contribute to an open-source project related to project management

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Contributing to an open-source project will give you hands-on experience with project management tools and techniques.

Browse courses on Project Management

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Submit a pull request to the project.
Find an open-source project related to project management that you are interested in.
Review the project's documentation and codebase.
Identify an area where you can make a contribution.
Work with the project maintainers to get your contribution merged.

Career center

Learners who complete Project Management: Creating the WBS will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Project Manager

As a Project Manager, you will be responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. This course will help you develop the skills you need to create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), which is a critical tool for project planning and management. By learning how to decompose your project into smaller, more manageable pieces, you will be able to better estimate project costs and timelines, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Program Manager

Program Managers are responsible for overseeing multiple projects within a program. This course will help you develop the skills you need to create a WBS for a program, which will help you to better coordinate and manage the projects within the program. By learning how to decompose a program into smaller, more manageable pieces, you will be able to better estimate program costs and timelines, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Business Analyst

Business Analysts are responsible for gathering and analyzing business requirements. This course will help you develop the skills you need to create a WBS for a business requirement, which will help you to better understand the requirements and identify potential risks. By learning how to decompose a business requirement into smaller, more manageable pieces, you will be able to better elicit and document the requirements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and testing software. This course will help you develop the skills you need to create a WBS for a software development project, which will help you to better plan and manage the project. By learning how to decompose a software development project into smaller, more manageable pieces, you will be able to better estimate project costs and timelines, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Quality Assurance Analyst

Quality Assurance Analysts are responsible for testing and verifying the quality of software. This course will help you develop the skills you need to create a WBS for a quality assurance project, which will help you to better plan and manage the project. By learning how to decompose a quality assurance project into smaller, more manageable pieces, you will be able to better estimate project costs and timelines, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for planning, developing, and launching products. This course may be useful for Product Managers who want to learn how to create a WBS for a product development project. By learning how to decompose a product development project into smaller, more manageable pieces, Product Managers can better plan and manage the project, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers are responsible for planning and executing marketing campaigns. This course may be useful for Marketing Managers who want to learn how to create a WBS for a marketing campaign. By learning how to decompose a marketing campaign into smaller, more manageable pieces, Marketing Managers can better plan and manage the campaign, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Sales Manager

Sales Managers are responsible for planning and executing sales strategies. This course may be useful for Sales Managers who want to learn how to create a WBS for a sales strategy. By learning how to decompose a sales strategy into smaller, more manageable pieces, Sales Managers can better plan and manage the strategy, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Operations Manager

Operations Managers are responsible for planning and executing operations. This course may be useful for Operations Managers who want to learn how to create a WBS for an operations plan. By learning how to decompose an operations plan into smaller, more manageable pieces, Operations Managers can better plan and manage the plan, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts are responsible for analyzing financial data. This course may be useful for Financial Analysts who want to learn how to create a WBS for a financial analysis project. By learning how to decompose a financial analysis project into smaller, more manageable pieces, Financial Analysts can better plan and manage the project, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers are responsible for planning and executing human resources strategies. This course may be useful for Human Resources Managers who want to learn how to create a WBS for a human resources strategy. By learning how to decompose a human resources strategy into smaller, more manageable pieces, Human Resources Managers can better plan and manage the strategy, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Information Technology Manager

Information Technology Managers are responsible for planning and executing information technology strategies. This course may be useful for Information Technology Managers who want to learn how to create a WBS for an information technology strategy. By learning how to decompose an information technology strategy into smaller, more manageable pieces, Information Technology Managers can better plan and manage the strategy, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Technology Manager

Construction Manager

Construction Managers are responsible for planning and executing construction projects. This course may be useful for Construction Managers who want to learn how to create a WBS for a construction project. By learning how to decompose a construction project into smaller, more manageable pieces, Construction Managers can better plan and manage the project, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Construction Manager

Engineering Manager

Engineering Managers are responsible for planning and executing engineering projects. This course may be useful for Engineering Managers who want to learn how to create a WBS for an engineering project. By learning how to decompose an engineering project into smaller, more manageable pieces, Engineering Managers can better plan and manage the project, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Engineering Manager

Manufacturing Manager

Manufacturing Managers are responsible for planning and executing manufacturing operations. This course may be useful for Manufacturing Managers who want to learn how to create a WBS for a manufacturing operation. By learning how to decompose a manufacturing operation into smaller, more manageable pieces, Manufacturing Managers can better plan and manage the operation, and identify potential risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Manufacturing Manager

Reading list

We've selected 16 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Project Management: Creating the WBS.

Project Management

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Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling comprehensive textbook on project management. It covers all the major aspects of project management, including planning, scheduling, budgeting, and controlling projects.

Project Management

Creating the WBS

What's inside

Syllabus

Good to know

Save this course

Reviews summary

Well received course: solides foundation in project management

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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