The Importance of Planning and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in Project Management: Lessons from the Panama Canal
Building a shipping canal through the Panamanian jungle to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans had been discussed for many years before a daring French team eventually started working on it in January 1880. However, the French canal firm went bankrupt in less than ten years after spending $287 million and losing 22,000 men as a result of yellow fever victims. Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French diplomat who headed the project and oversaw the building of the Suez Canal, was found guilty of misappropriating funds and given a five-year prison term.
The Americans believed they could accomplish what the French could not, and in 1903, they took advantage of the Panamanian revolution against Colombia to use "gunboat diplomacy" to secure a security guarantee from Panama and the right to construct and operate a canal. The US began the project in May 1904, led by engineer John Findley Wallace, who was appointed by President Teddy Roosevelt. However, Wallace resigned in June 1905 due to exhaustion. John Frank Stevens, who succeeded Wallace, played a critical role in improving sanitation and worker housing, which significantly reduced the incidence of disease. But in early 1907, just as the construction phase was about to begin, Stevens also resigned.
In place of Wallace, Roosevelt appointed George Washington Goethals, an Army Major with a civil engineering background and canal experience from West Point. Goethals had a clever idea to divide the large-scale project into more manageable sections or divisions, such as the Atlantic, Pacific, and Central divisions. The first two divisions required the construction of various locks and breakwaters, while the third division focused on creating the Culebra Cut through the continental divide to connect Gatun Lake to the isthmus' southern coast. Goethals' strategy allowed the project to finish two years ahead of schedule, and the Army Corps of Engineers attributed the project's success to Stevens's thorough preparation, which established a solid foundation, and Goethal's approach of dividing the work into smaller parts, known as the work breakdown structure or WBS.
All of this serves to highlight the importance of being well-prepared for 21st-century businesses, particularly when clients are dialing in from around the globe. This is "Planning to Plan," as we say. Before commencing a project, determine how much planning is required and how you plan to proceed. The disastrous downfall of Lesseps was primarily brought about by his arrogance and lack of planning. Preparation is often the key to project success, but managers in today's world frequently hurry projects into action. Whatever you're working on, a strong foundation is necessary to make sure that everyone is oriented towards success and has a complete understanding of the context, scope, and complexity.
So, the primary goals of any project should have precise metrics and offer a straightforward response to the query, "What does success look like?" Project agreements with all stakeholders must clearly define expectations and ensure that everybody, whether working in an office or remotely, is on the same page. To ensure that everyone is on board and invested, use web-based tools like Miro and department retrospectives to explain and prioritize outcomes.
To ensure successful project planning, it's important to get everyone on board before moving on to the next stage. Once everyone is in agreement, the next step is to create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) or Agile Story Map. These tools help break down the larger goals into smaller, more manageable deliverables. The military has institutionalized WBS as a planning tool for good reason, as it has proven to be effective. You can take some time to visually map out the project and see how the chunks might be separated from the whole. With all the pieces of the project defined, work backward from the deadlines and fill in the necessary steps to achieve the final goal. For instance, if you need customized designs for a regional sales launch and you know the art will take three weeks to produce, make sure to complete the copy at least three weeks before the event to stay on track.
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is not only important for determining the budget, timeline, and necessary team members, but it also helps to identify all parties involved and their respective roles from the beginning of a project. This includes government bodies, clients, and third-party vendors. It's essential to identify these parties early on because it ensures that all decision-makers, especially external ones, are accounted for and kept on schedule. In the unfortunate event of facing a massive project, similar to Lesseps and the Titanic, it's important to foster an environment of communication and understanding to encourage negotiation and reach a mutually acceptable solution rather than blindly pushing forward and risking bankruptcy or legal trouble.
If you're not constructing a canal, you might try to narrow the project's scope to lessen risk. It's beneficial to produce something you can learn from as soon as feasible for the majority of remote and Agile projects. The early lesson might be that the project sponsor no longer cares about the project or its goals in some circumstances, and we've had this happen to us far too often to list. The most likely possibility, however, is some cost-cutting. Employee hours are the main expense for most projects, although they are frequently forgotten. A rough estimate of the total hours and the addition of any additional expenses, such as printed reports, can sometimes persuade the sponsor to reduce scope, lessening the burden on you and the team and bringing you closer to success before you even start, if you anticipate that your project will be a slog.
领英推荐
To minimize risks, it can be beneficial to reduce the scope of the project. This is especially true for remote and Agile projects where delivering an early product can provide valuable insights. While it's possible that the project sponsor may lose interest or cut costs, it's more likely that cost-cutting will be the reason. Employee hours are the primary cost of most projects, but they're often overlooked. If you anticipate that your project will be challenging, estimating the total hours and adding in other costs like printed reports can convince the sponsor to reduce the scope, easing the burden on the team and increasing the chances of success from the start.
What is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
a WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of the entire scope of work required to complete a project. It breaks down the project into smaller, more manageable components, and provides a clear and structured view of the work required to complete the project.
The importance of a WBS in project management is manifold. Here are some key reasons why a WBS is crucial for effective project management:
Overall, a WBS is a critical tool in project management. It provides a clear and structured view of the project, making it easier to plan, manage, and control the project. By breaking down the project into smaller, more manageable components, project managers can identify the work required, the resources needed, and the timelines for completion, making it easier to allocate resources, monitor progress, and communicate with stakeholders.