1. WBS-Construction of House (Example) WBS Dictionary
Lecture by Junaid Arshad Department of Engineering Management
Abridged and adapted by A. M. Al-Araki,
sept. 2013
WBS-Construction of House
WBS-Construction of House (Example)
WBS Dictionary
Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)
Decide individual tasks necessary to complete the house

2. The individual tasks necessary to complete the house.
Level 1: is the highest level where the project (house) will be summarized.
Level 1 
NOTE: We assume that the design is complete, all permits issued, all material ordered and inspection happens
Level 2 is identified at the project level: House. It correspond to Level 1. In this case, the code is 1.1.
Picture of a house with the name ACME House WBS to the right. There is a box with the ACME Housing Corporation in it with the WBS code number 1. This is relating to the Level 1 of the WBS.
Level 1 
Level 2 

3. Do we need another level?
Divide the work into the major elements needed to build a house. You divide Level 3 into six elements: concrete, framing, plumbing, electrical, interior and roofing. These are both major deliverables and milestones for managing the project. They also enable the project by task.
Each codes at level 3 is unique to the project and starts with the WBS code from the level above (11.11.1.1).
Do we need another level?
Level 1 
Level 2 
This graphic builds on the graphic from the previous page. Beneath the house box are six boxes with Concrete 1.1.1, Framing 1.1.2, Plumbing 1.1.3, Electrical 1.1.4, Interior and Roofing These boxes represent Level 3 of our WBS.
Level 3 

4. Level 4 of the WBS will enable us to manage the project as desired
Level 4 of the WBS will enable us to manage the project as desired. All of our contractors fit into specific elements at level 4, and so do all specific departments. Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)
The WBS is complete. It does include the necessary components to manage the project by task.
Level 1 
Level 2 
Level 3 
This graphic builds on the graphic from the previous page. Beneath the Level 3 boxes are Level 4 boxes which represent the task for this project. The Level 4 task are: Under
Concrete, Pour Foundation , Install Patio , Pour Stairway Under Framing, Frame Exterior Walls , Frame Interior Walls , Install Roofing Trusses Under Plumbing, Install Water Lines , Install Gas Lines , Install B/K Fixtures Under Electrical Install Wiring , Install Outlets/Switches , Install Fixtures Under Interior, Install Drywall , Install Carpets , Painting Under Roofing, Install Felt , Install Shingles , Install Vents
Level 4 

5. Housing Corporation
1.1 New Home Construction
1.1.1 Concrete
Pour Foundation
Install Patio
Pour Stairway
1.1.2 Framing
Frame Exterior Walls
Frame Interior Walls
Install Roofing Trusses
1.1.3 Plumbing
Install Water Lines
Install Gas Lines
Install B/K Fixtures
1.1.4 Electrical
Install Wiring
Install Outlets/Switches
Install Fixtures
1.1.5 Interior
Install Drywall
Install Carpets
Install Painting
1.1.6 Roofing
Install Felt
Install Shingles
Install Vents

6. WBS Dictionary
The WBS dictionary is a narrative documentation of the effort needed to accomplish all work defined in the WBS. The WBS dictionary is developed for the lowest level element in the WBS only.
To better understand how a WBS and a WBS dictionary work, let’s compare it to a book and the book’s table of contents:
The WBS is the table of contents for the project. It captures the contents in an organized fashion (chapters, subchapter).
The WBS dictionary is the book itself. It tells the story. In our case the story is what work will be accomplished and what outputs will be produced in each of the WBS elements. The total of these descriptions is how a house will be built and what is needed to build the house.
The WBS dictionary will often lead to the development of the Scope of work (SOW) for the project.

7. WBS Dictionary WBS Dictionary describes each component of the WBS e.g.
Milestone
Deliverables
Activities
Scope
Resources
Quality
Cost
Sometime dates

8. Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)
Development of WBS is developed demands the assignment of appropriate resources and responsibilities.
Develop the Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) for the project. This indicates the organizational relationships and is used as the framework for assigning work responsibilities. See next slide.
The OBS is structured by Responsible Department and then by Performing Department at the lowest level. This Performing Department level is where the responsibility and resource needed to accomplish the project will be assigned.
With the relationships and responsibilities defined, second and final step is to merge the WBS and OBS.
This is a picture of the organization chart for ACME Housing Corporation. The top of the Organizational chart starts with the project office. The next level down is the Civil, Structural, Electrical, and Plumbing departments. Beneath the Civil is the Concrete, Masonry and Testing departments. Beneath the Structural is the Carpentry, Roofing and Drywall departments. Beneath the Electrical is the Wiring and Hookup/Tie-in departments. Beneath the Plumbing is the Water/Sewer and Gas departments.

9. Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)
CONCRETE
PERF DEPT 6010
M. Manning
MASONRY
PERF DEPT 6020
T. Greams
TEST
PERF DEPT 6030
K. Neumann
CIVIL
RESP DEPT
R. Kelly
CARPENTRY
PERF DEPT 5010
R. Sites
ROOFING
PERF DEPT 5020
Y. Taylor
DRYWALL
PERF DEPT 5030
D. Smith
STRUCTURAL
P. Tate
PERF DEPT 4010
S. Johnson
HOOKUP/TIE-IN
PERF DEPT 4020
P. Ottis
ELECTICAL
J. Sims
WATER/SEWER
PERF DEPT 3010
K. Wells
GAS
PERF DEPT 3020
R. Oriely
PLUMBING
R. Lee
PROJECT OFFICE
B. Smithers
WIRING

10. WBS-Construction of House cont.
Earlier topics: [WBS], [Dictionary of WBS] and [OBS]
Continuation:
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
Technical Approach, Scope of Work, Specifications, Risk
Management and Resource Allocation based on WBS
Multiple Ways to Develop WBS
The 100% Rule