Benefits of the PBS, WBS, and OBS
Think about projects you have worked on that did a good job creating the PBS, WBS and OBS.
How did these structures help the project manager execute and control the project?
I believe that creating the WBS and the PBS are the most important things I do as a project
manager. When I create the PBS, I identify all the deliverables and work products (what) first.
After I understand the work products, I can start to create the WBS.
The WBS helps me to identify all the (how) activities, including dependencies and hidden issues.
As I go through the process, I define the completion criteria for each activity. When I am done, I have a great road map that I can use to help me finish planning the project. I find that I use the WBS through the entire project as a reference point to ensure that I haven't forgotten anything.
The OBS is critical for helping me to plan my resources. By creating an OBS, I have a picture of the entire project organization, which I find very helpful.