If you’re studying for the project management professional exam, you probably know there’s a lot to learn. When it comes to project scope management, the concept of work packages is a key topic to learn. Work packages are important when preparing the
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for any project. A work package is the smallest unit of a Work Breakdown Structure. When preparing a Work Breakdown Structure using the
decomposition technique, deliverables are generally broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks of work. This process of deconstruction continues until the deliverables are small enough to be considered work packages. Each of these packages should be small enough to help the
Project Manager estimate the duration and the cost. Work packages can be scheduled, cost estimated, monitored, and controlled. Every project management dataset has an array of smaller pieces associated with it called work packages. A budget is required to account for how much money was allotted to this package. Tracking prices and ensuring the project isn't over budget is necessary too. This will give the project manager a point of reference to measure how the work is progressing. You need to identify risks and formulate a risk management plan to avert the problems before they start. You also need to monitor progress, so you can stop any potential problems before they get out of hand. By structuring your work according to the work breakdown structure, you can set the priorities for every task, informing teams of the specifics of their tasks and making clear where they need to focus. On the one hand, stakeholders need to know about all
the details, but on the other hand, they also need to be up to date on the overall progression of a project. When an individual completes a work package, he or she may generally share a common set of characteristics. For example, these might include the type of work that is performed, and whether that type of work is done on a marketing, programming, or other skill set. Certainly, you need to figure out what tasks you are going to execute in this work package, when they will take place, and how much time they will take. Resources may also be necessary to accomplish these tasks; some may be technological or material-based. Every project must have a team leader assigned to it, as well as stakeholders that are deeply invested in that particular project. It's your responsibility to get their contact information and keep them up to date with the progress of the work. Why are Work Packages Important?By breaking a project down into work packages, the development of Work Breakdown Structures becomes easier—and project managers will have a finer level of control over assignments. Other benefits include:
The individual costs of all the work packages are then aggregated to arrive at the authorized cost baseline or the authorized budget for the project. 5 Essential Tips for Work Packages in Project ManagementHere are some project management tips to help with work assignments
Are you looking forward to making a mark in the Project Management field? If yes, enroll in the Project Management Fundamental Program now and get a step closer to your career goal! Measuring Work Package Performance With Earned Value ManagementThe performance of a work package can be measured by the earned value management measurement technique, a commonly used performance measurement metric. It integrates project scope, cost, and schedule measures to help the project management team assess and measure project performance and progress. It calls for the preparation of an integrated baseline against which the performance of the work packages can be measured for the duration of the project.
Variances from the approved baseline are also monitored. Measuring Work Package Performance – Other MetricsCost VarianceIt is a measure of schedule performance on a project. It is the difference between the earned value and the actual costs. The relation to determining Cost Variance is: CV = EV – AC Performance indices are also useful for determining project status. Cost Performance IndexThe cost performance index (CPI) is a measure of the value of work completed compared to the actual cost or progress made on the project. Relation: CPI = EV / AC These CV and CPI values for work packages are documented and communicated to stakeholders. Schedule performance of the project can be measured at the level of a work package Variances in schedule can be measured for every work package. Schedule VarianceThis is a measure of schedule performance on a project. It is equal to the earned value minus the planned value. Relation: SV = EV – PV Schedule performance indices can also be determined for every work package. Schedule Performance IndexThe schedule performance index is a measure of achieved progress relative to planned progress on a project. Relation: SPI = EV / PV These SV and SPI values for each work package are documented and communicated to stakeholders. Work packages allow team members to have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities with organization charts and other aids. Various formats exist to document team member roles and responsibilities. Most of these formats fall under three types: hierarchical, matrix-based, and text-based. For instance, the responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a matrix-based chart which is used to illustrate the relationship between work packages or activities and project team members. On larger projects, a higher-level RAM can be used to define what a project team group or unit is responsible for within each work package. Also, a lower level RAM can be used within the group to designate roles, responsibilities, and level of authority for specific activities. Risks can be managed at the level of work packages in a Work breakdown structure. The work breakdown structure is a critical input to identifying risks as it facilitates an understanding of potential risks at both micro and macro levels. Risks can be identified and subsequently tracked at the level of work packages. How to Prepare a Work Package - GuidelinesWhen breaking a WBS down to the level of work packages, the WBS nodes could be decomposed to extremely granular levels, wasting time and actually making the project difficult to understand, manage, and change. There are many things to be considered when deciding how far to decompose the WBS or how best to create a work package, but a few important factors to consider are:
For an in-depth look at Work Packages, Project Scope Management, and more, check out our accredited PMP certification course. If you start your career as a project manager, then check out Simplilearn’s popular Post Graduate Program in Project Management. PMP is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc. Which of the following is not one of the recommended guidelines for developing useful work packages estimates?Option d is the correct answer.
Hence, the level of contingency is not recommended in the guidelines of package estimates.
Which statements are correct about the influence that a planning horizon has on project estimates?What statements are correct about the influence that are planning horizon has upon project estimates? Near term event estimating is more accurate than long range planning and estimating is more accurate after the individual work packages have been defined.
Which of the following is a good condition for topAnswer and Explanation: The good condition for top-down estimating is when the project is small and internal.
Which of the following topApportionment is used when projects closely follow past projects in features and costs.
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