Appendix L

Telecom WBS Example

The WBS example below is displayed in a standard outline format. At level 2, this WBS is organized according to the project lifecycle, from creation of the concept through product development, customer acceptance and ongoing support and maintenance. Within each level 2 WBS Element are included lower level deliverables that are specific to that stage and include, among others, reviews and decisions, analyses, tangible deliverables, and services. The Project Management WBS Element is not decomposed to the same level of detail as the others. Both an outline and vertical tree-structure view are provided for comparison.

1 WBS for Telecom Project

1.1 Concept/Feasibility

1.1.1 Concept

1.1.2 Marketing Analysis

1.1.3 Market Plan

1.1.4 Technical Analysis

1.1.5 Product Scope Definition

1.1.6 Prototype

1.2 Requirements

1.2.1 End-User Requirements

1.2.2 Application Requirements

1.2.3 Infrastructure (Systems) Requirements

1.2.4 Operations/Maintenance Requirements

1.2.5 Service Requirements

1.3 Go/No Go Decision

1.3.1 Prototype Review

1.3.2 Financial Review

1.3.3 Schedule Review

1.3.4 Technical Capabilities Review

1.3.5 Financial Commitment Review

1.3.6 Go/No-Go Decision

1.4 Development

1.4.1 End-User Systems

1.4.2 Application

1.4.3 Infrastructure Systems

1.4.4 Network

1.4.5 Operations/Maintenance Systems

1.4.6 Service Plan

1.5 Testing

1.5.1 Test Plans

1.5.2 Tests

1.5.3 Results

1.5.4 Corrective Actions

1.5.5 Retests

1.5.6 Retest Results

1.6 Deployment

1.6.1 Trial in a Non-Penalty Environment

1.6.2 First Action Site

1.6.3 Deployment

1.7 Life-cycle Support

1.7.1 Customer Training & Education

1.7.2 Turnover to Customer

1.7.3 Customer Acceptance

1.7.4 Support & Maintenance

1.8 Project Management

The information shown in the above outline format can be displayed in many other views. For example, a top-down tree structure is frequently used. This view is depicted below.

Note: PMI Project Management Standards Open Working Session volunteers at PMI's ’99 Seminars & Symposium originally created this WBS example. It has been subsequently been updated as part of the development of this release of the Practice Standard.

This WBS example is illustrative only and is intended to provide guidance to the reader. No claim of completeness is made—for any specific project, the example may be complete or incomplete. All examples reflect the quality principles expressed in this Practice Standard. As expressed in the PMBOK® Guide—Third Edition “the project management team is responsible for determining what is appropriate for any given project” (Project Management Institute 2004).