4007A Plan building or construction work

WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE

Undertaking a ‘Work Breakdown Structure’ (WBS) is an essential part of project planning. It should define
in detail all works necessary to accomplish a project’s overall objective. A typical ‘WBS’ should reflect the
project’s various specific requirements and what must be accomplished to achieve them. It provides a
basis for identifying required resources matched to tasks to develop a final accurate project program.

The ‘WBS’ is a great communication tool for the design, construction and project management personnel
because it helps provide a clear picture of what needs to be accomplished within specific time periods,
how the works will be done. Accordingly, it is an essential element for identifying main activities within the
project program’s planning schedule. In addition, it provides a consistent framework for planning and
assigning responsibilities and resource requirements for the works. It can be set up when the project is in
the ‘preliminary planning’ stage, after which the ‘WBS’ can become even more detailed as further
information is available and the project becomes very clearly defined.

The ‘WBS’ is a both a project and program management tool because it provides the basic framework for a
variety of related activities. Things like estimating costs, developing schedules, identifying resources,
determining where risks may occur, and providing the means for measuring the program status. The ‘WBS’
helps promote accountability within ‘dependency relationships’ by identifying work tasks that are linked or
independent of one another. It provides a framework to develop a final project activity schedule and cost
plan that can track accomplishment in terms of resources spent as well as completion goals of activities
and tasks being met. This enables quick identification of schedule variance and any cost implications.
It is an essential stage in the planning of all building and construction projects. It should attempt to identify
all tasks that comprise commencement, construction and completion of the project. The ‘WBS’ procedure,
whilst it appears straightforward, requires project planners to draw on their knowledge and experience of
project specific issues such as:
• Nature of the project delivery method used (design & construct vs build only)
• Contractual conditions - specifically those that relate to time and cost.
• Statutory and regulatory authority requirements concerning the project works.
• Project location, site specific constraints and logistics.
• The specific types of major construction trades activities to be undertaken.
• Particular construction methods used to achieve them.
• Selection and size of plant, equipment and labour necessary for the works.
• Realistic labour productivity and resource output capacities based on those selections.
• General project and site management strategies.
• Dealing with suppliers and coordinating subcontractor groups.

A ‘WBS’ commences with the aid of basic planning tools such as ‘mind mapping’ and ‘brainstorming’ of
team members shared ideas to create an initial list. These methods are appropriate for the preliminary
planning stages of any project. What the planner should be attempting to do is to ‘visualise’ the staged
progression of the project from start to finish. We must consider and identify all of the work tasks we
consider to be useful in respect of them being able to be realistically ‘programmed’.

We should seek to limit those work tasks to those that are directly related to the specific project as
described by its drawing & specification documents. These tasks must be eventually organised into a
‘Project Activity Schedule’ to enable a realistic time based program to be created. The important aspect
is to firstly capture ALL RELEVENT project tasks and then start to group and assemble them into a logical
and ordered framework for programming purposes.
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This planning process is further refined by regularly revisiting strategies and assumptions that have been
made in their selection and sequence before finally agreeing to use the data derived from the ‘WBS’ in a
‘Project Activity Schedule’. This information is the basis for the formal time-based project program.
Despite strict adherence in using ‘logical’ and ‘detailed’ approaches when performing a ‘WBS’, the
reality is that our first ‘plan’ is rarely going to be the best one! It will invariably overlook some important
aspects or features of the project. Alternatively, it may get bogged down with too much insignificant
detail and too many ‘tasks’. That’s why it is important to have input from experienced project personnel
to review and suggest alternative strategies. This will improve the outcome by picking up on omissions
and errors in the scheduling, durations, resource allocations and task dependencies. Ultimately, we
want to create the most efficient use of time but the program shouldn’t be based on any incorrect,
overly optimistic or misleading information!

Programmable Tasks

These include the major construction work tasks involved, any ‘lead times’ for placing and fulfilling
orders of component parts or materials, curing or drying times, materials handling and delivery
scheduling from suppliers, inspection and testing at stages of completed work, check surveys, PCA
inspections and any other direct and indirect related project activity you think as being necessary for
inclusion within the project activity schedule.

‘Programmable’ means being able to identify trade or specific work tasks that can be clearly described
and that will require a period (or periods) of time that can be measured by applying a known production
rate and work cycle. Alternatively, we can at least reasonably ‘estimate’ a programmable period from
reliable information sources such as from experience on previous similar works or based on the advice
available from suppliers. Tasks will be allocated durations which will ultimately have a direct impact on
the orderly progression of work.

Task Dependency Relationship

Commonly referred to as ‘scheduling’ this planning procedure means getting things in the correct order
and sequence. What must be done before another trade/activity/task can start? What other
trade/activity/task cannot start before another one finishes? What concurrent trades/activities/work
tasks are reasonably achieved on the project?

Task Durations

Determining how long each identified trade/activity/task will take to complete is an essential part of
planning. The ‘size’ of each job or work task and its level of complexity can have obvious impacts on
how long the task should take to complete. Questions also need to be asked about if a task can be done
in a single ‘start to finish’ operation or if it will require a ‘staged’ delivery pattern to complete it.
‘Plumbing’ works can require an early drainage services install stage (eg: below slab on ground). The
initial ‘rough in’ stage for pipe work will occur after lock up stage with pressure testing of the installed
water supply pipe work finished before internal wall/ceiling linings can be installed. Fixing off of
plumbing ‘PC’ items (taps, spouts, basins, toilets, bathtubs, sinks etc.) can then occur after most of the
other internal finishing work is completed. Final connection to the service mains in the street (water,
sewer, stormwater) can usually be done independently of most other work. Use of ‘3 Point estimating
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technique’ with a ‘Best Time’, ‘Likely Time’ and ‘Worst Time’ approach can be used to help provide a
more reliable weighted average duration for time estimating.

Resource Allocation

What types/numbers of labour & equipment resources are necessary to perform the trade/activity/task
within the defined time periods? This decision has a direct effect on the measurement of task
‘Durations’. For example, we may schedule for ‘Excavation’ works on the basis of using a hydraulic
excavator machine as a resource. But how many different sizes of excavator are there? Do they all have
the same productive operational capacities? Will they be able to operate at peak production on our
particular project site? Obviously the answers to those hypothetical questions are ‘Lots’, ‘No’ and
‘Maybe’. So the choice of the type and size of the machine as a ‘resource’ (together with some other
factors) will impact significantly on how long it will take to complete the excavation works.

WBS and Scheduling

‘WBS’ planning should include elements that will facilitate managing the overall effort since it is the
starting point for developing the detailed schedule. The ‘WBS’ will be used as the outline for the master
‘Project Activity Schedule’, using the levels of indenture down through the work package level to the
individual work tasks and activities that contribute to them. Since the WBS seeks to increasingly define
the work with levels of detail, its framework will provide the starting point for the definition of all
activities and tasks that will be used to develop the project program schedule.
The lowest level of the ‘WBS’ identifies the individual work activity or task. Within the work packages,
the task or activities are defined and scheduled. Accordingly, the WBS provides a logical and orderly way
to begin preparing the detailed schedule, determining the relationships between activities, and
identifying resources required to accomplish the tasks. Therefore, high-level summary tasks and all the
detailed tasks within the schedule should map directly to the WBS to ensure that the schedule
encompasses the entire work effort.

Define Project Scope

Level 1 project scope

work Work Stage/Package Work Stage/Package

Level 2 stage
package

Level 3 Activity Task Activity or Activity Activity or Activity or Activities

Activity or
Task orTask Task Task & Tasks
Task

WBS Benefits

Elements of a ‘WBS’ may vary since many different activities and tasks will be required for project
development, production, construction and operation. Establishing a ‘Master WBS’ as soon as possible for
the project program can provide many benefits:
• segregating work elements into component parts;
• clarifying relationships between the parts, the end product, and the tasks to be completed;
• facilitating effective planning and assignment of management and technical responsibilities;

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• helping track the status of work effort, productivity risks, resource allocations, project expenditure
and the performance of work tasks that frequently overlap;
• helping ensure that contractors are not constrained in meeting their requirements;
• facilitating consistency in understanding program cost and schedule.
A well-developed and comprehensive ‘WBS’ provides a consistent framework that improves project
communication; helps in the assignment of management and technical responsibilities; monitors work
productivity, resource allocation; cost estimates, expenditures and general project performance.

CLASS EXERCISE – WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE

Refer to the attached set of plans – Drawings 15955-ACC - for the ‘Montego 3200’ single storey project
home offered by Simonds Homes as a Design & Construct package. The drawing documents include:

• Site Plan
• Ground Floor Plan
• Elevations #1
• Elevations #2
• Internal Elevations
• Slab Layout
• Construction Details

Instructions:

Working in small groups (3 to 4 people) undertake a thorough ‘WBS’ for this project by carefully examining
the project documents. Discuss these in your groups in respect of identifying all appropriate
trade/activity/tasks for each of the following ‘Work Stages’ of the project as listed below. Complete a
typical ‘Project Activity Schedule’ for each one. Provide your own estimate of what you think would be a
‘reasonable’ duration and note the resource requirements required for the activities you identified.

Work Stage #1. Pre-Construction & Site Establishment (up to commencement of the main building
construction works on the house – assume that a DA has been granted by local council)

Work Stage #2. Earth Works & Ground Slab (from site & excavation works up to and including the
construction of the concrete slab on ground/footings)

Work Stage #3. Structural Framing (wall and roof frames up to and including certifier inspection at frame
completion)

Work Stage #4. Lock Up (secure the external building envelope – exterior walls, windows, doors, roofing
etc. completed ie: the house, whilst still under construction can be ‘Locked Up’ from unauthorised entry)

Work Stage #5. Fix Out (all other works on the house including building services are finished to practical
completion stage)

Work Stage #6. Final Finish & External Works (all documented works finished including any
landscaping/driveways/paths required - inside & out - to obtain an Occupancy Certificate from Certifier)

You and your group will need to develop 6 separate lists of the works activities that are typical for the
construction of this particular project home.
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