What is a Work Package in project management?
A work package is a powerful planning tool that helps in breaking down a project into smaller tasks. It is the smallest unit to work breakdown structure. This is a method that is used to divide larger projects to make them more manageable. Tasks in work packages are grouped in a cluster based on geographical area, engineering discipline, technology, or timeline. These small packages help the project managers to determine the time and expenses. It represents a specific type of project phase performed by different individuals or groups.
What are the benefits of a Work Package?
Work packages give more control over the tasks and the project team. Here are some benefits of work packages in project management:
- Working simultaneously: The work package creates a cluster of tasks. This aids the team to work on different parts of the project simultaneously so that they can meet the deadlines.
- Determining the sequence: Many tasks in a project are dependent on each other. The work package helps to create the sequence of the tasks so that as soon as one task is completed, another can begin. This helps to decide the scheduling of these tasks.
- Controlling expenses: This planning tool helps to identify the tasks or the unnecessary steps. As a result, those tasks are removed, lowering the expenses of the project. It also helps to measure and manage the costs.
- Making budgets: Project managers can determine the cost of each task by determining the expenses on materials, people, resources, travel, etc. It helps to create a budget for the overall project.
- Deciding timelines: Work packages provide clarity about every task. This helps the project managers determine the timeline of every task. As a result, the schedule of the overall project can be determined to reach the goals on time.
- Tracking progress: It assists in tracking the progress of every task. Thus, it is easy to measure the amount of work done and what is left. It provides a sense of accomplishment on completion of tasks.
- Defining roles and responsibilities: This helps the team members to understand their roles and responsibilities. They are aware of what they need to do now and what comes later.
- Risk assessment: Project planning through work packages helps the project managers to identify the potential risks of the project. As a result, the team can come up with a solution in advance, lowering the impact of the risks on the project operations.
- Communication: As the work packages help to track the progress of the project, it is a great tool to communicate the progress and reports. Project managers can present their progress clearly to the stakeholders, clients or the upper management.
What is included in a Work Package?
They are the smaller chunks of large projects. These are the data that are included in a work package:
- Budget: The budget of every specific package is allocated while preparing the packages. It helps to track the expenses done on each task, ensuring the project is not going over the budget. It helps to keep a check on the finances of the project.
- Deadlines: The deadlines of each package are mentioned. This aids in measuring the progress of the work, ensuring that the project stays within the timeline.
- Risks: Problems can arise anytime in a project. Thus, it must contain a list of potential risks and mitigation plans for them. Also, the team should keep identifying the issues with ongoing operations.
- Task priority: WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) helps to set a level of priority for each task. It helps the team to understand what must be done and where they need to focus.
How to create a Work Package
You have to consider a lot of things when creating a work package. It includes the final goal of the project. Major tasks, subtasks, and activities within each task. Here are the steps for creating a work package in project management:
Decide the final goal of the project
The first step to creating a work package is to decide the final goal of the project. You should identify the outcomes of the project so that you can decide how to achieve the project goal. Understanding the project scope and the outcomes is necessary to organise the tasks to meet the goals.
Determine the key tasks
The next step is to prepare an outline of the key tasks. These are the activities that need to be done to reach the goal. It can be determined by breaking the project components into small portions.
Determine the subtasks
Now you have to determine the subtasks that need to be included under the key tasks. Subtasks are generally necessary for large and complex projects. Completion of subtasks helps in progressing towards the goal.
Create Work Packages for every task
After determining the key and subtasks, you can now create a work package. These are divided into small work units that are assigned to a team or individuals.
Define the activities
Each work unit consists of many activities. These are the steps or actions that team members need to perform to complete a work unit. For example, when installing a new window, deciding what tools to use can be one of the activity.
Inform stakeholders
Finally, inform all the stakeholders including the team members about the work packages. Let them ask questions and give suggestions. It will help to improve the work packages.
Examples of Work packages
A Work Package example is a helpful way to visualise how a work package would be deployed within your own project management process. Here is a work package example that displays all the components of a work package:
Project goal: Building a garden shed
Key Task 1: Concrete Pad
Work Package 1: Digging the area
Activity A: Measure area
Activity B: Mark the area
Activity C: Dig out soil 6 feet deep
Work Package 2: Pour the concrete
Activity A: Buy concrete mix
Activity B: Prepare the mixture
Activity C: Pour the mixture into the pad and smoothen
Key task 2: Walls
Work Package 1: Stand walls
Activity A: Order shed
Activity B: Organise extra workers
Activity C: Confirm all walls and bolts in order
Activity D: Erect the walls and secure bolts
Work Package 2: Set doors
Activity A: Buy doors
Activity B: Install the doors
Activity C: Install locks on the doors
Key task 3: Interior fixes
Work Package 1: Add bench
Activity A: Buy a bench
Activity B: Assemble the bench
Activity C: Install at the right place
Work Package 2: Install shelves
Activity A: Buy shelves
Activity B: Assemble units
Activity C: secure them to walls
Tips to create Work Packages in Project Management
Creating a nicely structured work package is like half the mission accomplished. Here are some project management tips to help with work packages:
- It is important to involve all the team members while creating the work breakdown structure. They are frontline workers and their feedback is valuable during the creation of the work package. They help to identify the project scope, tasks, and risks.
- Work packages help to determine the costs and timeline of the project. Adding all the packages in the structure gives more accurate estimates.
- Assign a work package to an individual. That person will be responsible for the management of that package and reporting to the project manager.
- Each package should be unique. They all should have different deliverables to avoid the error of repetition.
- The package tasks should be doable within the agreed timeframe. It will help the project to remain on time.
Project managers can monitor and manage projects more effectively by dividing them into manageable work packages. Comparing it to typical Gantt charts that show the full project, it’s better. Project managers can concentrate on milestones and efficiently track progress toward each one when work packages remove the distraction of excessive information. The team easily understands their responsibilities and focuses on accomplishing their tasks within the timeline.
