The next version of the Work Breakdown Structure guidance is out for review. MIL-STD-881C is now a Military Standard rather than a Military Handbook. Why do we care? Let me count the ways:
- Without a properly formed WBS, it is difficult to determine what do look like other than we ran out of time and money.
- Without a properly formed WBS, the product structure is undefined or worse the product structure is "emerging." This is significant impact of the efficiency and effectiveness of the team to see where all the pieces go.
- Without a properly formed WBS it is difficult to determine where the cut features when that need arises for all the right reasons. Without the description of the interdependencies between the product elements and the work processes for those elements, managing the project becomes a matter of brute force.
