Work Breakdown Structure: The Basics & Best Practices

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is used for planning, scheduling, control, resource management, risk management, and communications. This article explains what a WBS is and the benefits it offers. It also discusses the debate around whether to take a top-down or bottom-up approach when building a WBS. The article clarifies that in the context of a WBS, work products, not activities, are included. The lowest level of a WBS is a work package. The article provides best practices for building a WBS and highlights the importance of using project management software.