Advantages 

Creating a Works Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the process of subdividing project deliverables and project work into smaller, more manageable components. The key benefit of this process is that it provides a structured vision of what must be delivered. 

Decomposition of the total project work into work packages through structuring and organizing the WBS, generally involves the following activities:

• Identifying and analyzing the deliverables and related work; and
• Developing and assigning identification codes to the WBS components.

Establishing adequate WBS in Projects, safeguards that:

1. Each selected WBS Component is clearly Codified through appropriately implemented Quality Procedures, by approaching and analyzing the Works hierarchical structure, which is reflected in the Codification of all Project Documents, Designs’ Drawings and Reports etc.
2. All Project Processes are interrelated through the specific WBS Component / Entity. Such Processes may include Projects Cost Control and Time Schedule, Claims and Risk Management, Changes Management, Quality Controls etc.
3. All Project Documentation has got unique identity, structured in a way to serve the needs of a well-established Management Information System.
4. The least that is safeguarded from the above is the quick access to all Project Data, in a traceable way, allowing robust support of any policies and management decisions.

WBS Architecture – Unification of all Project Processes

As presented below, the Unification of the Project Processes is achieved by considering three different major Packages to be broken down and codified based on the above strategy. Such a unification can be achieved in any type of Project, though each one has to considered based on its own special characteristics.

To achieve this, the Project Processes are considered as divided into two Groups of individual Processes. These Groups of Individual Processes are consisted by:

1. The Project Cost Control and the Progress Monitoring Processes. In this Group all matters related to other dependent Processes like Risk Management and Value Engineering belong but their operation is based on the Cost Control and the Progress Monitoring Processes.
2. The Project Designs, the Quality and other Engineering Controls as well as the Documents Management etc. form the second Group of Individual Processes.

Both above Groups of Individual Processes are interrelated through a Generic WBS, which is common to all of them and provides the first set of WBS Levels.

In the case of a Linear Project (like a Motorway, a Metro Project, a Train Line Project and a Gas Pipeline Project), the years of OMEK experience have concluded in setting the Unified Project WBS, considering the following Breakdown Levels for each Group described above:

A. The first Group of Breakdown Levels is formed by a Generic Breakdown of the Project, considering the Major Levels of the Project WBS, that Characterize all Processes. In a hierarchical structures Breakdown, the Generic WBS would include:

1. 1. The Project Code (Level 1) characterizes the Contract in case that the WBS is set by a Project Owner dealing with Multiple Contracts covering the same Project and /or covering a variety of Projects.
   2. The Geographical Area (Level 2) that the WBS structure considers as being an Independent Uni, defining a greater area / section that is formed by certain Construction Entities.
   3. The Major Construction Entities (Level 3) that are distinct with criteria of equivalent Importance, Cost and Time.

The above Generic Breakdown is related to both Groups of Breakdown Levels discussed below and consists the common route to interconnect and communicate Project Data.

B. The second Group Breakdown Levels is related to the major Project Management Processes and is connected to the Breakdown of the Project Cost Control and the Progress Monitoring Processes. This is achieved by inserting two Obligatory Breakdown Levels and another two or even more Optional depending on the type of Contract. More specifically the two Obligatory Breakdown Levels are:

1. 1. Each Construction Entity (e.g. Bridge) of Level 3 above, is further analyzed into its major Components (e.g. the type of the Bridge – conventional or special Construction Method) (Level 4).
   2. Each Component of a Construction Entity of Level 4 above is further analyzed and split in specific Technical Objects – e.g. Foundation Type (Bored Pies, Shaft or Surface), Abutments – Midpiers / Lateral Walls – Deck Superstructure (conventional, Prestressed Beams, Balanced Cantilever etc.) (Level 5).

The above Obligatory Break down is adequate only for Projects that consider Lump Sum Budget. Possible Contract considering Analytical Measurements, will require another two (at least) Optional Breakdown Levels will depend on the type of Contract. Levels 6 and 7 can be used to analyze further the Structure, considering the level of detail that the Contract requires regarding the Analytical Measurements and Monthly Certifications, 

C. The third Group of Breakdown Levels is related the Project Documents’ Management, which are referred to other important Project Processes including the Designs, the Designs Changes, the Method Statements and Constructability Reports, the Contract Documents and Changes, the Quality and Geometry Controls, the Health and Safety, the Environment etc. This type of approach was used in the Online Document Management System (ODMS) described in Chapter 5(a) above. In the Paragraphs below, the above Unified Project WBS, is presented with the Case Study of a Motorway Project.