Drawing of Stakeholder map

Project Management, Project Planning, Templates and Advice

Essential Microsoft Project: The 20% You Need to Know
  • Concise, focused guide that cuts through the clutter
  • Step-by-step instructions for creating a project plan in under a day
  • Master essential skills like work breakdowns and task sequencing
  • Real-world troubleshooting for 20 common scheduling challenges
  • Rapidly get up to speed if you're new to Microsoft Project
  • Includes glossary, support resources, and sample plans
The cover of the book 'Essential Microsoft Project: The 20% You Need to Know'

22 Work Breakdown Structure examples to download now

by | reviewed 2023-08-09
22 Work Breakdown Structure examples! WBS examples for a software project, construction projects, a conference, finding a job, selling a house, planning permission and other real projects. FREE to download in Visio and PDF format.
Breaking down the work is the first stage of project planning and essential for managing project scope. For more background read an introduction to work breakdown structures.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) examples from real world projects

These WBS were created for real world projects by a qualified Project Manager (Prince 2 Practitioner, APM Practioner, MSP Practioner) with over 14 years experience.

Business Process Modelling (BPM) WBS

Example WBS for bpm - thumbnail
This is a work breakdown for BPM. It covers the phases in the BPM lifecycle: launch, design, modelling, develop or execution, implement and realise value and monitor. It includes modelling as-is and to-be processes, validating the processes, and testing. See a large image and download a visio or PDF of the WBS.
Read more on BPM.

Business acquisition Project

Example WBS for a business acquisition - thumbnailIncludes migration of resourcing information, migration of project accounting, training, 100 days plan, communications policies and procedures.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS.


Contact Center Software Project

Example work breakdown for a contact centre software project Includes testing, content creation, data import, training and solution configuration. Doesn't include Project Management activities.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS.

Download a Microsoft Project Schedule for a Software Implementation Project.

Construction Project WBS

WBS example - Construction ProjectThis Work Breakdown Structure is for a Construction project. It represents the first step in scheduling, which is to breakdown the work. It includes site preparation, ground beams, flooring, brickwork, electricity, plumbing and finishes.
See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS

Construction Repair works

WBS example - construction repair works Includes project definition, specification, design and tender, construction and project close..
See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS

Download the MS Project schedule for this construction project

Estate Redevelopment Project

Example WBS for a redevelopment project - thumbnail High level Construction for a redevelopment project WBS.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this Construction WBS

Preparing a House for Sale

WBS example selling a house Focuses on tasks to smarten up the property ready for the first viewing. Pretty specific to the particular house sale only useful as an example.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS

Finding a Job Work Breakdown Structure

WBS example finding a new job Includes CV updating, interview prep, linkedin job alerts, engaging your network of contacts and a job requirements checklist. The WBS has 5 levels of decomposition the lowest level being preparing for several difficult, but common interview questions.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS for finding a new job. See a Find a New Job Mind Map version.

Service Cloud deployment Work Breakdown Structure

WBS example for service cloud deployment Includes core configuration, locale specific settings, enablement, deployment of the agent desktop and plan and design phases.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS for Service Cloud

Software upgrade Work Breakdown Structure

WBS example for Software upgrade Includes data migration, content and infrastructure migration, upgrade of customizations, configuration amendments, core functionality testing and deployment.


See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS for a Software Upgrade.

Teacher Training Programme WBS

WBS Example for Teacher Training Materials, Conference and Website for a teacher training course.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS for Teacher Training

UAT testing Work Breakdown Structure

WBS example UAT testing This is an example of a high-level work breakdown structure for User Acceptance Testing it includes training, roles, test sites and the testing tasks.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS for UAT

Establish construction site

WBS example - establish construction site This is an example of a work breakdown structure for establishing a Construction site. Covers fit out, utilities, access road, security and clearing the site.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS for setting up a Construction site

Engineering project work breakdown - solar cell

WBS example - solar cell Includes engineering, technical drawing, educating and enterprising: marketing budget.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS for a Solar Cell

Planning Permission Work Breakdown

WBS example - getting planning permissionThis example work breakdown structure is from a project to get planning permission. Includes consulting with the planning officer, drawings required and submission of the planning application.

See a large image and download a visio or PDF of this WBS for Planning Permission

Other recommended WBS from real world examples

Building a Solar Vehicle

Work Breakdown Structure Covers Orientation, Analyzing, Development and Implementation phases of an engineering project to build a Solar Vehicle.

WBS of an Aircraft

Work Breakdown Structure of Aircraft System Three level Work Breakdown Structure of an Aircraft System covering the aircraft, training, data, support equipment, site activation, spares and industrial facilities. By Mdd at en.wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia) [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons
 

Work Breakdown Structure examples from Project Management books

Fulfillment Customer Data Projection WBS

Work breakdown structure for data protection

Image from Jack Ferraro, Project Management for Non-Project Managers, Amacon, 2012. Covers Project Management, Regulations, Help desk process remediation, system development and communication.

WBS example from PMP exam review guide

WBS example from PMP exam review guide Image from Kim Heldman; Vanina Mangano, PMP®: Project Management Professional Exam: Review Guide, Second Edition, Sybex, 2011

Work Breakdown Structure - managing people and projects

work breakdown structure from project managemnet book Image from Rudolf Melik, The Rise of the Project Workforce: Managing People and Projects in a Flat World, John Wiley & Sons
 

Work Breakdown Structure examples from Prince 2

Conference Work Breakdown

WBS prince 2 example for a conference Using Prince 2 product base planning approach. Covers venue selection, delegate arrangements, publicity, handout pack and structure and format of the day. Image file from Prince 2. Managing Projects with Prince2, 2009, OGC

Conference Mindmap work breakdown structure

WBS prince 2 example mindmap format

Using Prince 2 product based planning approach. Covers conference logistics, venue, attendees, delegate handouts, publicity and speakers. Image file from Prince 2 2009. Managing Projects with Prince2, 2009, OGC

Work Breakdown Structure for stage plan

Work breakdown structure example for a prince 2 stage plan

Prince 2 example for 'ITT' stage plan. Covers business requirements, procurement process information, suppliers, and measurement i..e selection criteria. Image file from Prince 2 2009. Managing Projects with Prince2, 2009, OGC.

 

Example work breakdown structures - references and further reading

Office of Government Commerce (2009), Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2: 2009 Edition, London: TSO.

Rudolf Melik, (2015).The Rise of the Project Workforce: Managing People and Projects in a Flat World, John Wiley [&] Sons.

Work Breakdown Structure resources and Templates

Mind map WBS - an example for a BPM project

WBS template in Excel

WBS Checklist

WBS template online

WBS Dictionary