Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for IT Projects with Examples

Organizing and planning projects involves implementing various strategies and methodologies to ensure their success. One such methodology is the work breakdown structure (WBS), a project management system that provides a hierarchical perspective over the total scope of the project at hand. Not only does WBS make it easy to prioritize and delegate individual project tasks, but it also makes it easy to split larger or complex goals into smaller, manageable chunks.

IT WBS Examples and Templates

Creating a work breakdown structure is no easy task. Key components have to be present in the structure so it can better serve its purpose. Thankfully, most IT project management software solutions come with built-in tools that you can use to create your own work breakdown structure that aligns with the needs and objectives of your IT project. Below are some IT WBS examples and templates you can take inspiration from.

Smartsheet’s WBS Excel Template

For those who are already using Microsoft Excel, this template from Smartsheet is a handy tool that has everything you need to get started. 

ClickUp’s WBS Whiteboard Template

ClickUp’s WBS whiteboard template is ideal for teams that already use ClickUp and for those that are familiar with whiteboards in general.

monday.com WBS Template

Current users of monday.com can take advantage of their IT WBS example that tracks numerous elements including timelines, expenses, planned effort, actual effort, and more.

Work Breakdown Structure for IT Projects

The work breakdown structure is incredibly useful in the IT industry. It is a highly versatile tool and comes in different types catering to different needs, making it suitable for nearly any IT project.

Features

While the WBS should be customized to match each new project, some of its components are common across all types. These features are what set the WBS apart from other methodologies.

• Hierarchy: The most readily apparent feature of the WBS is the hierarchy. Although many are structured from the top down, some work breakdown structures are created from left to right. 
• Tier elements: Each tier in the hierarchy is used to describe a different element of the WBS. In a deliverable-based WBS, for example, the various elements are the different deliverables of the project at hand. In a cost breakdown approach, these elements are the different costs associated with the project.
• Work packages: The lowest-level deliverables within a WBS, work packages are often considered sub-projects that comprise the overall project.

Additional features depend on the exact type of WBS you’re using. Some of the most common additions include:

• Deliverables: A critical part of multiple WBS types, project deliverables describe the final products, services, or outputs of the project.
• Phases: Primarily used in phase-based WBS, these phases include initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.
• Risks: The risk-based WBS organizes your project according to specific risks.
• Teammates: Teammates, including specific individuals and generic groups, are featured in several WBS types.
• Costs: The cost breakdown WBS organizes your project based on costs including those for labor, raw materials, and overhead.

General Guidelines & Best Practices for Creating a WBS

In order to maximize the effectiveness of the WBS, there are some general guidelines and best practices to consider. Not only will these tips make it easier for you to create a work breakdown structure for your IT project, but they’ll also make it easier for your teammates to complete their tasks as stipulated in the WBS.

• Identify and define the project’s final output as something that can be seen or interacted with. This could include products, services, or any other deliverable of your project.
• Follow the 100% rule. According to the rule, your WBS should effectively capture the entirety of the work necessary to complete the project at hand.
• Keep your hierarchy to five levels of fewer. Although it is tempting to have more, especially when managing large or complex projects, making your WBS too big will only lead to confusion and even more complications.
• List the various activities that team members can perform in parallel and, if needed, deconstruct them even further. This is helpful when creating different tiers and work packages within your WBS hierarchy.
• Be as specific as possible when describing the individual elements within the WBS. Avoid using vague terms, like planning phase or design phase, as they don’t refer to specific deliverables or outputs.
• Review past WBS in order to draw inspiration for future ones. Try to identify what you’ve done right and what you’ve done wrong so that you can make the necessary adjustments in the future.
• Ensure that your WBS is quantifiable and easily measurable. This lets you track progress, reward achievements, and make improvements to your strategy as needed.
• Maintain communications with the entire team, especially during any changes. This ensures that everyone is up-to-date with the latest WBS, as well as their goals and individual responsibilities.

These guidelines and best practices provide a great starting point when creating a WBS, but feel free to add your own based on prior experiences and examples.

How to Use a WBS

Once you’ve created a WBS for your project, it’s time to put it to good use. Remember that the first level of the hierarchy refers to the project itself. The second level is used to describe project outputs, deliverables, or goals, and any additional levels are used to cover supporting outputs, deliverables, and work packages. 

Whenever possible, PMs should avoid using actions or company structure within their WBS. Instead of using phrases like “Create a job request form” or “IT Help Desk,” keep it outcome-focused by saying “Finalize the job request form” or “Create the help desk wiki page” instead. By doing so, you avoid unnecessary clutter or irrelevant activities within the WBS.

Types of WBS

There are many different types of WBS that can be used for any given project within the IT industry. The two most popular options are the deliverable-based and phase-based WBS, but there are also other, albeit relatively uncommon, work breakdown structures that have their own appropriate uses.

Deliverable-based

One of the most common WBS, the deliverable-based type places the focus on the final products, services, or outputs that will be provided upon project completion.

By placing the overall project at the top tier of the hierarchy, it’s easy to fill in the lower tiers with specific project deliverables. This also works well when certain deliverables depend on the completion of other tasks or deliverables, as they can all be listed effectively within the hierarchical format of the deliverable-based WBS.

Phase-based

Another common type of WBS in project management, the phase-based approach focuses on the individual phases of the project life cycle. These phases include project initiation, project planning, execution, monitoring and control, and project closure. Much like the deliverable-based WBS, the phase-based approach is more efficient when certain tasks or phases depend on the completion of earlier elements.

Cost breakdown

Best used for large projects with strict budgets, the cost breakdown WBS organizes the various project expenses into different categories. Some common cost categories include raw materials, labor, and overhead.

Responsibility-based

Typically used by teams working on smaller projects, the responsibility-based WBS organizes the work according to individual responsibilities. Larger projects use this type of WBS too, but instead of focusing on individual tasks, the project is generally organized according to the responsibilities of a team or department. The responsibility-based WBS is a great way to track individual or team-based activities and their impact on the project as a whole.

Noun-oriented

The noun-oriented WBS is another approach that focuses on deliverables. However, unlike the deliverable-based WBS, the noun-oriented hierarchy states that every element within the WBS must begin with a noun.

By starting each element with a noun, this approach requires project managers to separate actual deliverables from the relevant tasks and actions. This is especially helpful for novice PMs who have the tendency to list tasks and activities alongside product deliverables within a WBS.

Profit center

As the name implies, the profit center WBS helps project managers organize the project according to the various profit centers, departments, or teams involved in its execution. It’s a great tool to use when trying to compare financial performance across different business units or when allocating the appropriate resources.

Geographical

Best for projects that are spread out amongst different cities, states, or countries, the geographical WBS organizes the project according to region-specific responsibilities and activities.

Risk-based

One of the most common approaches used by PMs mainly concerned with risk management, the risk-based WBS organizes the entire project — including deliverables and their relevant activities — according to different risk categories. These include people, environmental risks, and equipment-related risks. The structure can also be color-coded to indicate the likelihood or severity of each risk.

IT WBS vs Regular WBS

Generally speaking, the regular WBS can be used to manage projects in any industry. But when used in IT, the tool has niche applications, including:

• Cloud migration: WBS is created to provide better structure and organization to a complicated cloud migration.
• Mobile app development: Both the deliverable-based and the phase-based WBS are ideal for developing mobile apps.
• Big data analytics: Certain WBS types, such as risk-based, profit center, and geographical, are mainly used to analyze big data.
• Next-gen artificial intelligence (AI): WBS is often seen in projects involving next-gen AI, including the development of AI chatbots and other AI-driven algorithms.

Work Packages

In project management terms, work packages are the smallest unit of work in the work break breakdown structure that a larger project can be broken down into. They are often seen as sub-projects within a large project.

Often confused, work packages are different from individual tasks or activities. While considered the lowest-level deliverables, work packages are placed in a higher tier than project tasks and activities.

Work packages are useful for a variety of reasons. Firstly, they’re a great way to break down and organize large projects into smaller chunks that are easier to handle. They’re also an effective means of tracking goals, identifying risks, and estimating resources.

But there are some guidelines to consider when creating work packages. The most important one, the 8/80 rule, suggests that each work package should take no less than 8 hours of work and no more than 80 hours (10 days), or a typical reporting period.

Some additional rules include:

• The total time and cost of work packages should be clearly defined.
• Project managers should verify that the work package cannot be broken down any further.
• Only one team member should be assigned to each work package.
• The work package should be tracked and monitored from start to finish.

These rules will help you create work packages that are relevant and achievable without putting too much burden on any team member.

FAQs

If you have any remaining questions concerning the WBS, including the WBS in IT, its exact usage, or even how to write a WBS for your next project, check out our brief FAQ below.

Bottom Line

The WBS in IT is an effective strategy when trying to organize and plan individual projects. Its sheer versatility, coupled with its ability to deconstruct a project into its most minute elements, is what makes the WBS an essential part of a project manager’s toolbox.