3D Work Breakdown Structure,

Part #42: Special thanks

2012-03-06T05:53:00.000+01:00

Without Xavier Leynaud and Bernard Vajente, who are eminent French experts in project management, I would never had this vision of the WBS.

Special thanks to them.

Part #41: Inter and Intra-Product logical links

2012-03-06T05:35:00.000+01:00

There arethree kind of logical links between the tasks of the schedule :

Zone links,
Product links,
And Activity links.

So, a Finishto Start (FS) logical link can be of three natures.

We mustdissociate intra-product links and inter-product links.

Intra-productlinks are the links between products inside a macro-products wherereasinter-product links are the links between products that belong to differentmacro-products.

Part #40 : Process to build a schedule

2012-03-06T04:33:00.000+01:00

The processto build a schedule is given in the table below.

To be notedthat the WBS matrix must be used.

Part #39: Vertical Products

2012-02-29T02:35:00.000+01:00

As thereare horizontal Products, there are verticalProducts.

Thevertical products are common to several areas, whereas the horizontal Productbelong to distinct areas.

Forinstance, in a building:

theelevator cabin is a vertical Product, it belong to all floors;
whereasthe walls are horizontal Products, each floor has its walls.

In the WBSmatrix, when can create a family of vertical Products (for instance twoelevator cabins) by instantiating the Products on the Product extended axis,and then by installing the vertical Products in a common areas which isvertical.

Part #38: Different views of the WBS

2012-02-27T05:58:00.000+01:00

We canorganize the WBS as we want, by phases for instance:

Forthe design phase, the WBS can be organized by Disciplines and Activities; samething for the commissioning phase.
Forthe procurement phase, the WBS can be organized by Contractual packages andActivities.
Forthe Construction phase, the WBS can be organized by Locations, Products andActivities.

But we mustkeep in mind that these arrangements are only an organization among others aroundthe three main axis of the WBS which are the Zones, the Products and theActivities.

For example,Disciplines are often on a parallel axis of the Products axis, same thing theContractual packages. Instead of taking the Products axis, we can take the Disciplineaxis for instance to form the WBS of design phase of the project. The result isanother view of the WBS, taking in account others entries, but it is alwaysbased on the three elementary axis of the 3D WBS.

Part #37: Standard WBS

2012-02-02T04:53:00.001+01:00

Standard WBS does not exist, and even standard schedule does not exist, for a product line (a project family in an industry); but standard PBS (Funtional Systems extended by physical Products) and standard ABS (Activity and not task! Processes) does exist !

According to the 3D WBS theory, The WBS Is a crossing between GBS (Functional Zones or physical Locations), PBS and ABS.

The task is the concatenation of three breakdown structures (the 3D): WBS = GBS x PBS x ABS.

But in a project, physical Locations are specifics to the project !
Indeed, on the construction site, the location of the products depends of the site…
Whereas PBS and Processes (ABS) can be standard for a family of project.

So PBS and ABS can be standardized for a product line, but not the WBS.

Because standard WBS does not exist, standard schedule does not also exist !

So, don’t try to build a standard schedule !
Do not lose your time ;-)

Part #36: PBS extended in WBS matrix

2012-01-25T22:07:00.000+01:00

As writtenin the WBS matrix article: Activities (ABS) are deployed on Products (PBS) andthe Products are assigned somewhere (GBS), in a zone (functional orgeographical). These three breakdown structures are the three dimensions of theWBS.

I createdthe PBS extended.

It is notsimply a PBS, including Systems extended by Products. The PBS extended can havespecial items like Contracts.

It is to beused for EPMC (Engineering, Procurementand Construction Management) projects.

Systems arestudied, the contracts are passed with contractors in the procurement phase,then products are erected/constructed in the construction phase, and thenSystems are tested in the commissioning phase.

As an Engineer, the products are not managed directly just afterthe purchase order, it is the Contracts that are managed, not the Products atthis stage.

The PBSextended means “What” shall be managed, function of the project phases.

Hence, theWBS matrix simplified can be presented as shown below.

It is to berecalled that by analyzing all the correspondences of this WBS matrix, the listof tasks scheduled with tasks codes can be generated by a simple algorithm withMS EXCEL. It stays to import the result into the planning software to generate80% of the schedule. Process logical links are created automatically, becauseof the order number in the part PBS x ABS of the WBS matrix. Zones and Productslogical links shall be added manually in the planning software to complete theschedule network.

Part #35 : WBS of IT and Product development projects

2012-01-21T21:41:00.000+01:00

For an EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) projects:

the Zones (GBS) are functional for theengineering and commissioning phases, they are geographical for theconstruction phase and even for the procurement phase;
the Products (PBS) are functional systemsfor the engineering and commissioning phases, and they are concretes, I meanProducts (equipement, material, civil works components) for the constructionphase;
The Activities stay actions during all thephases.

For a Productdevelopment project, it is the same, except that the Zone are functional/processZones from the beginning to the end of the project. In fact, the Zones are thedifferent waves of prototypes.

For an IT project:

The zones are the versions of thesoftware, it is functional Zones;
The Products are the modules to de developed;
And the Activities stay actions.

Part #34: EPCM projects PBS extended

2012-01-21T08:39:00.002+01:00

As anEngineer, for an EPMC project, the schedule shall be product oriented.

Because,most of the time, the contracts are lumpsum contracts, paid by results, deliverablesor products.

Whatinterests the Engineer in his master schedule, to coordinate the contractors, is“what” the contractors do, in others words “products” and not really “how” theydo the works (Activities, ABS).

Of coursethe Engineer shall know “how” (ABS) the contractors work but it is included intheir schedules, not in the master schedule of the Engineer.

Productoriented means that the PBS must be much more detail than the ABS, in the WBS.

The PBSintegrates functional or process systems at its higher levels, and Products atits last levels of the breakdown structure.

I introducethe “PBS extended”, I mean “What” we need to manage.
The PBS extended is a kind of object, concrete, not abstract.
So, for anEPMC project:

ü for the engineering phase, PBSextended = Systems;
ü for the procurement phase(consultations to delivery on site), PBS extended = Contracts;
ü for the construction phase, PBS extended= Products;
ü for the commissioning phase, PBSextended = Systems.

We can say that the PBS extended changes of nature function of the phases of the project.

The picture below illustrate the change of nature of the PBS extended during the phases of the project.

Part #33 : Interfaces between Workpackages

2011-12-30T09:15:00.002+01:00

Little 3Dcubes (tasks) are grouped into Work packages. These Work packages can becontractuals, internals, by zones, products or others.

Let’sassume that we are an Engineer with contractors working for us. We have definedcontractual work packages. Let’s say that we have one workpackage by contractor.

The only interestingthing for the Engineer is to identify the inputs and outputs of the workpackages,in terms of logical links between the time schedule tasks of the contractors. The Engineerneed to evaluate the impacts of a delay from one time schedule task of a contractorto others workpackages, to define the amount of penalities for instance. If acontractor put another contractor in delay, because of a lack of inputs forinstance, a penality can be applyied.

TheEngineer has to build a"mastertime schedule” to manage the work and progress of the contractors.

But in this master timeschedule, only the interfaces between the different work packages of thecontractors are interesting.

Therefore,the coordination time schedule must be built only with the tasks ininterface between workpackages.

For theEngineer, only the variations in terms of inputs/outputs of contractors’workpackages are important. The Engineer must apply project management by thevariations, compared to the contractual baseline.

The picturebelow shows two workpackages including 3D little cubes (tasks). Theseworkpackpages are logically linked in the 3D PERT diagram of the WBS Cube.

We can understandthe powerfull of the 3D WBS model, which can help to identify mathematically allthe interfaces between workpackages, and therefore to determine the timeschedule tasks to be included in the “master time schedule” of theEngineer.

Part #32 : Interface matrix

2011-12-30T08:08:00.001+01:00

The axis ofthe WBS cube have been graduated, it results from the project analysis. GBS, SBS/PBSand ABS have been “scheduled”, just before the structuration of the project andthe planning phase. These breakdown structures are chained with a chronologyorder, so the axis of the WBS cube also, because the breakdown structures havebeen projected on the axis of the WBS cube.

Thereforedistances can be calculated between two little 3D cubes (tasks), with the helpof the coordinates of the little 3D cubes, by a simple formula (norm of one 3Dvector).

Withouttaking in account the Organization (OBS) which identify if an interface isdifficult to be managed (the complexity); we can say that the more the distance between two little3D cubes is low inside the WBS cube, the more the interface between these two littlecubes (tasks) is critical.

Analgorithm calculates all the distances between all the 3D little cubes, two bytwo, and puts the result in the interface matrix.

The picturebelow shows that an interface matrix can be automatically extracted from the WBS cube.It is an “interface dashboard”.

To be notedthat the more the number inside the interface matrix is low (in the above picture), the more the tasksare in interface.

Interfaces havea predominant component, it can be either the Zone (GBS), either the Product(PBS) or the Activity (ABS), function of the length of the coordinates of thelittle 3D cubes inside the WBS cube. So, we have three kinds of work interfaces: Zones,Products and Activities.

This kindof interface matrix is a big help for the project manager who can focus on the importantproblems of his project, for instance to define the strategy of Work packagingor to identify the critical points of his project.

Part #31 : Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS)

2011-12-27T19:23:00.002+01:00

Always tohave an integratedproject management, risks must be organized in a comprehensivebreakdown structure: the RBS (RiskBreakdown Structure).

It resultsfrom the 3D WBS model that this RBS should be like prezented below.

All the riskscan be put on one of these boxes, it is an completeness breakdown structure whichcan receive all kinds of risks.

Of coursethis RBS (Risks) is linked to the project cube, simply by codification, because we findcodes like GBS, PBS, ABS and OBS in this standard Risk Breakdown Structure.

Part #30 : Codification of the deliverables

2011-12-27T18:59:00.001+01:00

The goal 3DWBS model is to have an integrated project management.

Documentationsand especially deliverables are a grand part of project management production, especially in the design phase.

The deliverablesare the last item of the WBS, they are the last level of detail of the timeschedule tasks which included deliverables.

To ensurethat each deliverable is integrated in the project cube, available for all theothers disciplines of project management, they must have a solid codificationincluding different codes, at least :

·        OBS, to know who is responsible of thedeliverable,

·        GBS, to know for instance which software version it concerns for an IT project, orwhich geographical area it concerns for an EPC project,

·        PBS, to know what is the topic, in terms ofproduct, of the deliverable,

·        andABS, to know in which phase of theproject the deliverable is included.

A proposalof codification of the documentation is shown below.

Part #29 : 3D WBS physical progress dashboard

2011-12-26T21:24:00.001+01:00

A timeschedule task (last item of the WBS) is the crossing between three breakdownstructures : the Zones (GBS), the Products (PBS) and the Activities (ABS).

In this dashboard,shown below, the GBS is crossed in a matrix with the PBS, the ABS comes as a thirddimension, in perpendicular to the GBS x PBS matrix, by defining % physicalprogress information in each cell.

It is atime schedule oriented dashboard because in a time schedule, Products (PBS) aredetailed in Activities (ABS). The Activities describe how to do the work, so thephysical progress is measured on this dimension (the ABS).

This kindof dashboard can summarize the % physical progress of a huge time schedule,simply in one table.

Part #28 : The project cube and the project performance

2011-12-25T19:47:00.002+01:00

Theperformance is a variation between the contractual baseline and the currentposition of the project. It is B – A, simply !

We canmeasure performance on costs, time and technique.

I includein the word “Technique”, the technical and functional characteristics of theproduct, the configuration management of the product, and the requirements management.

I excludedin the term “Technique”, the WBS and the OBS, in others words, I exclude theproject cube.

The projectcube provides informations to the Technical, Costs, and Time responsibles inorder to measure the performance.

The qualitysystem provides and controls that the performance are reached. We can see theQuality has a cloud above the performance triangle, linked to it.

I presentmy vision about the performance, relatively to the 3D model, on the picturebelow.

Once again, the project cube isat the center of project management performance.

Part #27: Project cube at the center of Project management

2011-12-25T18:58:00.002+01:00

We caneasily imagine the Project cube at the centerof the Project management.

It couldproduce reports, dashboards like EVM S curves, time-time diagrams, workloadplans, and even it could be linked to a planning software which would produceGantt and PERT diagrams, in a bidirectional way.

The picturebelow illustrates this concept.

All is linked to the projectcube.

Part #26 : To an integrated Project Management

2011-12-25T18:47:00.002+01:00

All the thematicsdescribed in the PMBOK turn around the Project cube, which moves in the time.Either WBS or OBS are inputs, either outputs, or directly included in theprocess of the project management of concerned discipline.

The picturebelow illustrates this philosophy.

We caneasily imagine an integrated projectmanagement, with the project cube at its center.

Part #25 : Functional octopus

2011-12-25T18:29:00.001+01:00

The goal ofproject management is to give answers to all the questions mentioned in thefunctional octopus below. It is a king of functional analysis of project management needs.

3D WBSmodel can do it, simply because it is well structured !

Part #24 : Software of my dreams

2011-12-25T18:01:00.002+01:00

I imaginethe project management software of my dreams.

It would beone project cube like the picture presented below !

To be notedthat there are logical links between big 3D cubes (tasks) and little 3D cubes.It means that in the 3D model we can do logical links between the different levelsof the WBS. It is the 3D PERT network.

Andif we could do queries on the project cube to getinformations, …

Andif we could extract reports from the project cube, dashboards, reports, …

Andif we could navigate inside the cube, to turn it, to enter the projectcube, to do zooms out and in, …

Andif we could link a Gantt diagram software with the project cube, in abidirectional way, we could work as usual and have a solid database which couldstore the datas, …

We can imagine a planning and costs software based on the 3D WBS model !

Of coursethis software does not exist, it exist only in my mind ;-)

Part #23 : And the time in all that..

2011-12-25T17:35:00.003+01:00

At the beginningof the project, we take a photography of the project cube, it becomes theproject baseline.

Little 3Dcubes (tasks) are fixed inside the project cube but all the project cube moveswith the time, on one axis.

Yes! It isa hypercube 4, a Tesseract.

The picturebelow illustrates this principle.

A focus illuminates the running little 3Dcubes (tasks) and colors the little 3D cubes positioned in the past in black.

WBS cube hasthree dimensions, and we have added the OBS (colors), so the fourth dimension.

Now, with the time, we can say: “Welcome to the fifth dimension !”.

Part #22 : Interfaces identification

2011-12-25T17:18:00.001+01:00

Because theaxis of the WBS cube have been graduated with a chronology, distances can becalculated between little 3D cubes (tasks).

We can writethe following principle, taking in account the work:

The more thedistance between two little 3D cubes is low, the more the tasks are interfaces.

This isillustrated on the picture below.

The formulato calculate the distances between two little 3D cubes is very simple, it is:

With T(a) =Task (#a) = {GBS (i) ; PBS (j) ; ABS (k) } and

with T(b) =Task (#b) = {GBS (l) ; PBS (m) ; ABS (n) },

thecoordinates of the 3D little cubes inside the WBS cube.

Now, we canwrite another principle, taking in account the organization:

The more twolittle 3D cubes (tasks) are far in the Organization (OBS), I mean far in thechronology of colors, the more the interface is difficult to manage.

This isillustrated on the picture below.

Forinstance, if an Electronician works with an Electrician on the same document,it will be easier for them than if they discuss with a civil works expert.

There are fourkinds of interfaces :

-     Zones(GBS),
-     Products(PBS) or Functional Systems (SBS),
--     Activities(ABS),
-     Organization(OBS).

There is nodoubts that the interface identification, in a mathematical way, like it isexplain in this article, is the most add value of the 3D WBS model.

To be notedthat the client can be included in the OBS, so external interfaces can beidentify…

Part #21 : Contractual Work Breakdown Structure (CWBS)

2011-12-25T16:27:00.001+01:00

There is adifference between internal project management and contractual project management.

The picturebelow shows the WBS/OBS versus the CWBS(Contractual Work Breakdown Structure).

There is a “filter” between internal and external visions which introduces distorsions.

Part #20 : Advanced WBS matrix

2011-12-25T16:08:00.001+01:00

I imaginedanother WBS matrix, an advanced WBSmatrix which put in relation the Zones (GBS) and the Actvities (ABS) at theupper side of the table.

Thisadvanced WBS matrix allows to generate 100% of a time schedule, with workpackages,tasks name, codes, durations and Zones, Products and Activities logical links.

Thisadvanced WBS matrix is shown in the picture below.

In thecells of the GBS x ABS matrix, we find the Products coming from thevertical axis. So, we can give successors to Products (PBS) by codification.

Therefore successors Finish to Start (FS) of the natures “Zones” and “Products”can be added.

Work packagesare defined by another dimension: the colors.

But onequestion can be asked…

Part #19 : WBS matrix

2011-12-25T12:48:00.001+01:00

All thetime schedule is described in a « WBSmatrix ».

All the elementariesbreakdown structures of the WBS (GBS, PBS and ABS) crossed in the WBS cube donot provide all the tasks of the time schedule.

The list of tasks isgiven by an algorithm which extracts the tasks from the WBS cube, and theWBS matrix is this algorithm.

A simplifiedversion of the WBS matrix is shown below.

We can seethat Activities (ABS) are deployed on Products (PBS) and Products are assignedin a Zone (GBS).

Products are instanciated (a king of clonage) before being assigned somewhere (GBS), to become unique, with a specific name. It is the same Products in terms of schedule, with the same Activities, but assigned in another zone.

This WBSmatrix can be done with MS EXCEL, a little algorithm in VBA extracts all thetasks from the WBS matrix by analyzing all the correspondences, with all thenecessary codes (contracts, workpackages, disciplines, GBS, PBS, ABS levels #1,2, 3, etc.) and even durations, and “Activity/process” successors.

To be noted that durations can be approximately defined on the axis ABS.

The tasksare pre-scheduled because there are some “order numbers” in the WBS matrix; these number are onthe row of the Products (PBS) crossed with the Activities (ABS). It is thesuccessors: Activities are deployed on Products. Logical Zone sand Products links are not included in this matrix.

With such aMS EXCEL tool, we can build a well structured 3000 tasks time schedule intwo weeks otherwise it takes two months to do the same job. The WBS matrixgenerates 80% of the time schedule. The principle is to import the list oftasks pre-scheduled, resulting from WBS matrix treatment, into the planningsoftware.

Thus, no need toenter datas anymore in the planning software !

Part #18 : An optimal level to manage both time and costs

2011-12-25T12:15:00.000+01:00

A WBS (WorkBreakdown Structure) generally details Products (PBS) by Activities (ABS). Whereasa CBS (Cost Breakdown Structure) generally details Activities (ABS) by Products(PBS).

In thehierarchy of the WBS cube, at one high level of the breakdown structures, thereis an optimal level to manage both time and costs. In others words, there isa common cube between time and costs, it is the best level to manage time and costs together.

The picturebelow shows where we can find this common cube.

To benoted that in theory, the CBS (Cost Breakdown Structure) is just the consolidation of thecosts on the WBS.

Part #17 : Three natures of logical links

2011-12-25T11:55:00.000+01:00

In a timeschedule, Finish to Start (FS) logical links are usually used to build thenetwork of tasks.

An exampleof Finish to Start (FS) logical link is shown on the picture below, in a Ganttdiagram.

But thisFinish to Start (FS) logical link has three coordinates in the WBS cube.

Onelogical link has a coordinate which predominate among others, therefore there are three naturesof logical link (FS):

-     Zone : for instance, for a railway project, when the track goes thoughtdifferent areas on the construction site;

-     Product : for instance when the cables are installedafter the radio equipment;

-     Activity : for instance when preparatory works must bedone before the earthworks.

The WBScube and the coordinates of the logical links is illustrated on the picturebelow.

Part #16: 3D PERT diagram

2011-12-25T06:18:00.004+01:00

The little3D cubes (tasks) are fixed in theWBS cube, but theyhave characteristics like early and late start and finish dates, durations,free float, resources assigned, costs, etc.

We canimagine a 3D PERT diagram as shownon the picture below. The work packages can also be seen, it is a group oftasks with common characteristics.

To be notedthat there is a “focus” which illuminates the running 3D little cubes, andcolors the 3D little cubes positioned in the past in black or in an invisiblecolor.

Thecritical paths of the project can also be seen, as shown below.

Even floatscan be represented as vectors, from one little 3D cube to the 3D little cubelinked.

Part #15: 3D WBS V lifecycle

2011-12-25T05:43:00.001+01:00

The 3D V lifecycle of the project can be imagined.

It must be recall that there is only ONE project cube.

However, we can imagine WBS cubes under eachphase of the project (level #1 of the ABS). It is just onevision, another representation of the project.

The picturebelow shows the 3D V life cycle of one project.

We study (ABS)functional Systems (SBS) by big Zones (GBS), then we study (ABS) sub Systems(SBS) by more précises Zones (GBS) in the detail design phase (ABS), then wespecify (ABS) Products (PBS).

After, we dothe procurement/manufacturing (ABS) of these products (PBS), and then we install/construct(ABS) the Products (PBS) somewhere (GBS) in the construction phase (ABS, level#1).

Near the endof the project, we test (ABS) the products (PBS), then we do thepre-commissioning (ABS) and the commissioning (ABS) of sub Systems (SBS) andSystems (SBS) in a general Zone (GBS).

At the end ofthe project we test (ABS) the overall Product (PBS) in all Zones (GBS).

To be notedthat GBS, PBS and ABS become more accurates near the construction phase, andthen they become more macroscopics.

It exist in this V lifecycle:

-     Hierarchical links betweenthe WBS cubes and the phase (ABS level #1),

-     Logical links inside the WBS cubeand between the following WBS cubes,

-     Functional links betweenopposites WBS cubes (on the same row).

The 3D V lifecycle of the project guaranteed that whatis studied is tested at the end of the project. It guaranteed a completeness ofthe time schedule tasks.

Part #14: Project cube interpretations

2011-12-25T05:21:00.000+01:00

You need tohave one information ? Just ask it (send a request) to the project cube !

Aninterpretation of what the project cube can solve is shown on the picturebelow.

The GBS(Where?), the PBS (What?), the ABS (How?) and the OBS (Who?) form the structureof the project.

Otherscharacterics are deducted from the project cube as:

-     Whodoes what?
-     Whatis the duration and the cost of this task?
-     Whatare the goals and the objectives?
-     Whois the client of this product?
-     Whyare doing this product or this activity?
-     etc.

Part #13 : The project cube

2011-12-25T05:07:00.003+01:00

The RAM(Responsibility Assignment Matrix) represents the Organization (OBS) which work(WBS), in another words it forms the project.

The RAM canbe presented in 3D. Because the WBS cube has three dimensions, and because theOBS is represented by colors, we obtain a 3D cube colored.

I name it: theproject cube.

An “OLAP”(On Line Analytical Processing) presentation of the project cube is shown below.

A “Rubik cube” presentation of the projectcube is shown below.

A “Russianboxes” presentation of the project cube is shown below. It supposesthat all the stages of the elementaries breakdown structures are projected onthe axis of the WBS cube in one shot.

I write:

Project cube = OBS x WBS = OBS x GBS x PBS x ABS

Part #12: Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

2011-12-25T04:46:00.000+01:00

OBS andWBS are crossed in a matrix way.

This matrixis called the RAM (Responsibility AssignmentMatrix).

At thecrossing of the OBS and WBS we find two kinds of informations:

- Theaffectationof the resources on the time schedule tasks, at the last levels of thebreakdown structures;

- Thedefinition of the workpackages, with an unique responsible, at a higher level ofthe breakdown structures.

A 2Drepresentation of this RAM is shown below.

Part #11: Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)

2011-12-25T04:36:00.001+01:00

Theresources are described by the RBS(Resource Breakdown Structure).

The RBSis an extension of the OBS.

It is theDisciplines which do the link between these two breakdown structures.

A genericpicture of a RBS is shown below.

Part #10: Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)

2011-12-25T04:26:00.004+01:00

Theorganization is described by the OBS (Organization Breakdown Structure).

The OBSincludes Departments, services, disciplines, project team, etc.

The picturebelow shows a generic OBS.

There is achronology of each branch of the OBS, it is defined by colors.

As you cansee on the above picture, each branch of the OBS has a color.

It meansfor instance that the discipline “Electronic” is closer from the discipline “Electrical”than the discipline “Civil works”.

Thechronology baseline is shown on the picture below.

We will see that OBS is extended by Resources (RBS, Resource Breakdown Structure).

This chonology of colors will be used for the interfaces identification; precisely of the complexity of the interfaces.

Part #9: The WBS cube

2011-12-25T04:03:00.004+01:00

The WBS isa crossing between three breakdown structures : the GBS, PBS and ABS.

As thesethree elementaries breakdown structures are projected on the axis of the cube, we find “little3D cubes” inside the WBS cube. These little 3D cubes are the tasks of theproject.

The WBScube is shown on the picture below.

We canwrite:

Time schedule task = WBS = GBS x PBS x ABS

Part #8: Chronology of the breakdown structures

2011-12-24T18:32:00.000+01:00

Each breakdownstructure must have a « chronology ».

Forinstance, Activities (ABS) linked together form a process, with an order ofrealization of the activities.

Products(PBS), for the construction phase for instance, must be organized as a flowdiagram which indicates the sequence of installation/construction of theproducts.

Even theZones (GBS), functional or geographical, must have a chronology. For instance Kilometrics points of a linear project can define the chronology.

Then thebreakdown structures (GBS, PBS, and ABS) are represented in one dimension witha chronology not linked to the time; it is a logical chronology or a logical order.

The picturebelow shows a breakdown structure with a chronology.

In theabove picture, the item #2.2.1 is done before the item #2.2.2 and before theitem #2.2.3.

Even theOBS (Organization Breakdown Structure) has a chronology, we will see it later.

It isimportant to define these chronologies because of the interfacesidentification. The breakdown structures (GBS, PBS, ABS) are projected on theaxis of one cube, and the chronology of the breakdown structures graduates theaxis. It will be important later to measure the distances between the 3D littlecubes (tasks) and then identify the interfaces.

The definition of the chronologies is done durint hte project analysis phase, with flow diagrams for instance.

Part #7: Product Breakdown Structure instanciated (PBSi)

2011-12-24T18:05:00.000+01:00

Let’s talk about the instanciation of theproducts (PBSi) !

I defined the PBSi, Product Breakdown Structure instantiated.

Before being installed/constructed (ABS) somewhere (GBS), the product (PBS) must beinstanciated, to become unique, with a name, it is a kind of “clonage”.

The picture below shows a PBSi, for a civil works project.

For instance, you have to build three piles of one “viaduct”, this is the products. Youinstance these products and they become “Pile #1” and“Pile #2”, etc., they become uniques. It is the same family of products becausethe activities (ABS) deployed on it are the same to build the viaducts, in aplanning point of view.

When products are instanciated (PBSi), they can be assigned in a location (GBS, Zone).

Part #6: 3D WBS overview

2011-12-24T17:43:00.000+01:00

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the heart ofproject management. All the project management disciplines described in thePMBOK turn around it.

I developed a theory about it: the 3D model or 3D WBS.

Simply, there are:

- Zones (GBS, Geographical Breakdown Structure), sections in the space,localizations on the site or functional areas – I mean WHERE?;

- Products (PBS, Product Breakdown Structure), civil works components,equipments, materials – I mean WHAT?;

- and Activities (ABS, Activity Breakdown Structure), actions, processes – Imean HOW?.

There are three dimensions that describe the WORK. We can see it like one cube, in3D. One time schedule task is a little 3D cube inside the WBS cube.

For instance in the construction phase, we construct/install (ABS) civil workscomponents/equipments (PBS) somewhere (GBS). The WBS can be read in goodEnglish.

Products (PBS) are an extension of functional systems (SBS, System BreakdownStructure).

For the design and commissioning phases, we study (ABS) functional systems (SBS,System Breakdown Structure) that are supposed to be installed/constructedsomewhere (GBS).

I write:

WBS = GBS x PBS x ABS

WBS is a crossing between these three breakdown structures. The time scheduletask is at the last level of the WBS, included in it.

On time schedule Task is not an Activity, there is a difference between thesetwo words/concepts.

In another hand, there is the ORGANIZATION which WORKS (OBS, OrganizationBreakdown Structure, project team, departments, services, disciplines, etc.).The OBS is extended by the Resources (RBS, Resources Breakdown Structure,engineers, technicians, tools, machines,etc.). I mean WHO?

WBS and OBS are crossed in a matrix. The crossing between them colors the 3Dlittle cubes (tasks) inside the WBS cube. We obtain little cubes coloredfunction of the Organization. It forms the fourth dimension. I name it cube“project cube”. The project cube describes the ORGANIZATION which WORKS.

I write :

Project cube = OBS x WBS = OBS x GBS x PBS x ABS

The work packages are in the crossing of the OBS and the WBS, with oneresponsible only.

The picture below shows an illustration of a standard project cube, to be applyied on all kinds of projects.

Now we can discuss: we have a mathematical model of a project.

Let’s talk about the interfaces for instance… The more the distance between 3Dlittle cubes (tasks) are shorts inside the project cube, the more the tasks arein interfaces, in anothers words, the more the interfaces are criticals. We canmathematically deduct interfaces of one project, simply by a little algorithmif the axis of the WBS cube are graduated (it supposes that the elementariesbreakdown Structures (GBS, PBS and ABS) that are projected on the axis of the cube have achronology). There are four kinds of interfaces: Organizations (OBS), Areas(GBS), Product (PBS), and Activity (ABS) interfaces.

Let’s talk about the logical links of the time schedule for instance… If I takea Finish to Start link (FS), it exist four kind of logical links :Organizations (OBS) (to be avoid in a time schedule), Areas (GBS), Products(PBS), and Activities (ABS) logical links.

To be noted that the CBS (Cost Breakdown Structure) is just the consolidationof the costs on the WBS. In a time schedule, Products (PBS) are detailed inActivities (ABS) whereas in a CBS, Activities (ABS) are detailed in Products(PBS). WBS and CBS have one cube in common, in the higher levels of thebreakdown structures of the project cube.

To be noted that CWBS (Contract Work Breakdown Structure) in another WBS cube.There is the internal view of the project, and the external view.

Do you need one information? You want to know WHO does WHAT, HOW, WHEN and HOWMUCH or WHY, FOR WHAT? or HOW LONG? Just send a request to the project cube !It will give you the answer.

Do you imagine 3D little cubes linked together, fixed in the project cube? Itis the logical network of the time schedule, the PERT diagram in 3D, withcritical paths, floats, costs...

Do you imagine all this project cube moving in the time and the space, withcharacterics/properties of the 3D little cubes (tasks fixed in one position insidethe project cube) that represent the variations compared to the project baseline? Thisis the fifth dimension !

Do you imagine this new king of time schedule, in 3D, a kind of Rubik’s cube,Russians boxes or OLAP cube?

Of course the 3D WBS software does not exist today, it exists only in my headand on papers, in my books and articles. I have specified it. I have the ideas,not the petrol, but I dream about it...

Part #5: Geographical Breakdown Structure (GBS)

2011-12-24T16:44:00.000+01:00

The Zones aredivided by Areas, Sections, etc.

Thebreakdown structure that supports the Zones is called GBS (Geographical Breakdown Structure).

GBS can bea topographic view of the construction site of a project, it’s a notion of geography.

GBS can be also viewedas functional zones, like for thedesign phase for instance and the commissioning phase.

An exampleof GBS is shown below.

For EPC projects(Engineering, Procurement, Construction), GBS is a geographical part of the constructionsite.

For ITprojects, GBS can be viewed as “Versions” of softwares (functional Zones).

For Productsdevelopment projects, GBS can be viewed as “Versions” of prototypes (functional Zones).

Part #4: Activity Breakdown Structure (ABS)

2011-12-24T09:10:00.000+01:00

TheActivity Breakdown Structure (ABS) is composed by phases, macro-activities,actvities and sub activities.

Actvitymeans ACTIONS.

Activitieslinked together are called a PROCESS.

Forexemple, general design, detail design, procurement, construction, etc., areactivities.

The picturebelow shows an ABS.

To be note that there is a chronology between actvities. First we do the Activity #2.2.1, then activity #2.2.2 and then the #2.2.3.

The ABS answers to the question: "What?".

Part #3: Product Breakdown Structure (PBS)

2011-09-03T09:37:00.000+02:00

The Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) is composed by Systems, sub systems, products and sub products, as shown on the picture below. There Products are an extension of the Systems.

Systems are functional systems. The breakdown of functional systems is called SBS, for System Breakdown Structure. Sometimes it is called FBS for Functional Breakdown Structure, it depends of the company.
A system can be "Radio system" or "Waste water system", "Ventilation system", etc. Some equipments are working together to perform a functional need, these equipments belong to one functional system (or process system) or simply one system.

Products can be deliverables, equipments, materials, civil works components.

Products (PBS) are included in the Systems (SBS). The PBS is the extension of the SBS.

When I talk about PBS, I consider the SBS and its childs: the PBS.

The PBS answers the question: "What?".

Part #2: Projection of the breakdown structures

2011-09-03T05:11:00.000+02:00

Each breakdown structure (GBS, PBS and the ABS) can be projected on one axis.

The figure below shows a PBS projected on one axis.

For the GBS and the ABS, it is the same logical.

To be noted that either the level #2 of the breakdown structure can be projected on the axis, or the level #3, it depends of the needs.

The projection of one stage is linear, but the projection of the overall breakdown structure is not linear. The picture below shows a PBS projected mathematically on one axis.

If we project two breakdown structures, we obtain a square including little squares inside the overall square. If we project three breakdown structures, we obtain one cube, including little 3D cubes inside the overall cube.

To be noted that there is a "chronology" in this projection.

Because there are three breakdown structures that compose the WBS (THE WORK), there are three axis and in the space it forms one cube: the WBS cube.

Part #1: 3D Work Breakdown Structure (3D WBS)

2011-09-02T06:11:00.000+02:00

The way to build a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) is neither top-down or bottom-up, it is a mix of these two methods.

There are three breakdown structures that compose the WBS:

- The GBS, Geographical Breakdown Structure: functional areas, or topographical locations.

- The PBS, Product Breakdown Structure: equipments, material, deliverables, civil works components.

- and the ABS, Activity Breakdown Structure: actions.

A Work Breakdown Structure in one dimension is shown below. At the level #1 there are different levels of GBS, at the level #2 there is different levels of systems or product (PBS), and at the last level there is the activities (ABS).

A WBS can be read in good English: in all projects, in the construction phase for instance, products (PBS) are constructed/installed (ABS) somewhere (GBS). It forms the WBS.

In this WBS, levels can be reversed. For instance we can have at the level #1 the activities, at the level #2 the areas and at the last levels the areas.

To be noted that the Task is not the Activity and the WBS is detailed up to the tasks.

There are three dimensions to describe a WBS.

I write:

WBS = GBS x PBS x ABS

The above formula means that a time schedule task or the WBS is a crossing between the GBS, the PBS and the ABS.

Part #0: Preambl

2011-09-01T06:46:00.000+02:00

After more than fifteen years of consulting on different kinds of projects, I created my own vision of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): the 3D WBS concept.

I was project management consultant in grand French companies in France or abroad. I was either time scheduler or cost controller and I did missions for differents Clients across the world.

Since the beginning of my career, the breakdown structures have always been in the heart of my thoughts. I had to find a way to build my time schedules or budget decompositions well and quickly.

I knew that a lot breakdown structures existed, they are described in books like PMBOK from PMI or others books. These structures are:

- GBS (Geographical Breakdown Structure),

- PBS (Product Breakdown Structure),

- SBS (Systems Breakdown Structure) or FBS (Functional Breakdown Structure),

- ABS (Activity Breakdown Structure),

- OBS (Organization Breakdown Structure),

- RBS (Resources or Risks Breakdown Structure),

- CWBS (Contract Work Breakdown Structure),

- etc.

The question was: how all these structures are mixed?

One day, during one mission on a huge railway project in Qatar I realized that for the construction phase, the activities (ABS) were deployed on products (PBS) and the products were constructed somewhere (GBS).
There were three dimensions and the WBS could be represented by one cube under the construction phase.
Hence, there was one cube under the others phases: the basic design, the detailed design, the procurement, the construction and the commissioning, knowing that the phases are the level #1 of the ABS.
Later, I understood that there was the same cube under each phase. Finally, there was only one WBS cube to describe the project.

The 3D WBS model was borned.