Help on Creating Project Network Diagram from WBS

[faisaljamal79]

Doing Project Management activity for "Developing New Facility Center in Rural Area"

I have done with WBS of one New Facility Center but not know how to create project network diagram from it.

Please guide me how to make Network Table (Precedence, Time, Cost) and how to build Network Diagram.

[dhaughey]

Here's how I do it using a whiteboard and sticky notes.

First create a Start (left) and End (right) sticky note and put them on a whiteboard. Create and arrange the Work Breakdown Structure sticky notes in the logical sequence of activities from left to right. Join the notes with an arrow in and out; some may have more than one arrow. All connecting lines on a network diagram enter at the left (beginning) of the activity box (sticky note) and exit at the right (ending). Lines do not enter the top or exit the bottom of the activity box. Unconnected lines are not allowed. All activities must connect to another activity, or the Start or End of the project. Write down the time each activity will take on the sticky notes to calculate the project duration.

Congratulations, you have just created a Network Diagram that will help you understand the dependencies in your project, timescale and its workflow.

Hope this helps.

Duncan

[kwalford]

Here's how I do it using a whiteboard and sticky notes.

First create a Start (left) and End (right) sticky note and put them on a whiteboard. Create and arrange the Work Breakdown Structure sticky notes in the logical sequence of activities from left to right. Join the notes with an arrow in and out; some may have more than one arrow. All connecting lines on a network diagram enter at the left (beginning) of the activity box (sticky note) and exit at the right (ending). Lines do not enter the top or exit the bottom of the activity box. Unconnected lines are not allowed. All activities must connect to another activity, or the Start or End of the project. Write down the time each activity will take on the sticky notes to calculate the project duration.

Congratulations, you have just created a Network Diagram that will help you understand the dependencies in your project, timescale and its workflow.

Hope this helps.

Duncan

Just to add to this, it is best to treat the 'sticky notes' activity as a team task. It is important to involve the resources (or technical people) which are carrying out the work packages as they will understand the inter-dependencies between the network nodes.

Search on the term 'critical path analysis' to understand the longest route through the network diagram as this will be the total length of the project. If tasks on this route are delayed ('slip'), then the project deadline will move further into the future.

[Peter111]

In my experience it is often part of the qualifications needed for project management jobs, but perhaps because of a perceived value more than a real need.

[kwalford]

How does everyone construct their WBS (process or deliverable orientated)? I have seen many different takes on how best to decompose the WBS.

For me, I put the main deliverables as level one and then decompose them into smaller sub-deliverables or activities, and then the actual activities to make the deliverables afterwards.

I am keen to see how what other methods people use.