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Project Management Orientation

The Levels of the WBS  

The following examples depict two-, three-, and four-level WBSs.  These are partial examples because only one item at each level has been expanded to the next level.  A complete WBS expands to the level needed to define and manage each item. Normally, different items are expanded to different levels.

Click each button to read the examples:

Two-Level
Three-Level
Four-Level

The fourth level is a decomposition of the third-level element, which is to write test cases.  For a complete fourth level, all elements from the third level must be expanded.  Obviously the WBS example becomes unwieldy for a normal project.  For this reason, the WBS can also be depicted as an indented list.

Four-Level WBS
1: Getting Started
2: Define the Project Team
3: Team Management
4: Identify and Validate Requirements
5: Create Decomposition Structures
6: Risk Management
7: Project Estimates
8: Project Schedules
9: Change Management
10: Project Control and Execution
Defining the Project
11: Project Management Review
12: Project Closeout
13: Project Management Tool Suite
14: Self-Assessment and Final Exam
Fast Points
Concepts
Seven Keys
Case Study
WWPMM
Mentor
Check Point
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