How to Identify Project Deliverables:
Identifying project deliverables using a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a structured approach that helps break down the project scope into manageable components. Here’s how to do it effectively:
- Define the Project Scope: Before creating the WBS, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of the project’s objectives and scope. This involves identifying the specific outcomes or results that the project aims to achieve. This clarity ensures that the WBS focuses on relevant deliverables.
- Create the WBS: The WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of the project work into smaller, more manageable tasks or activities. Begin by identifying the major phases or components of the project. Then, break down each phase into smaller sub-phases or work packages until you reach a level where tasks are easily manageable and clearly defined.
- Identify Deliverables at Each Level: As you create the WBS, identify the deliverables associated with each level of the hierarchy. At the top level, you’ll have major project deliverables corresponding to the main phases or components. As you break down each phase into smaller tasks or work packages, identify the specific deliverables associated with those tasks.
- Use a Deliverable-Oriented Approach: When identifying deliverables within the WBS, focus on outcomes rather than activities. Ask yourself what tangible or intangible items need to be produced or provided to meet the project objectives. This approach ensures that the WBS reflects the true deliverables of the project, guiding the subsequent planning and execution phases.
For example: in a website development project, the top-level deliverables might include phases like “Design,” “Development,” and “Testing.” Breaking down the “Design” phase further could lead to sub-phases like “Wireframing,” “UI Design,” and “Prototype Creation,” each with its specific deliverables such as wireframe documents, design mockups, and prototype models.
By following these steps, project managers can effectively identify project deliverables using a Work Breakdown Structure. This approach provides a systematic framework for understanding the project scope and ensures that all necessary deliverables are accounted for in the project plan.
What is Deliverable in Project Management?
Project deliverables are the results of tasks or activities within a project. They’re what you create or produce to meet the project’s goals. These can be tangible things like reports, products, or prototypes, or intangible items like plans or strategies in Project Management. For instance, in a construction project, the deliverables could be a finished building, blueprints, or safety protocols. In a software project, they might include the actual software, user manuals, or testing reports. Deliverables differ from milestones, which mark significant points in the project timeline. Think of deliverables as the building blocks that, when completed, make up the final project outcome.
Table of Content
- What is a deliverable in project management?
- Examples of project deliverables:
- Project Deliverables vs. Project Milestones
- How to Identify Project Deliverables:
- What Project Documents Help:
- What Your Project Deliverables Are?
- Project vs. Product Deliverables:
- How to Present Project Deliverables:
- How to Present Project Deliverables to Stakeholders:
- Conclusion: Deliverable in Project Management
- FAQs: Deliverable in Project Management