Describe the Solution Deliverables

The most effective way to ensure desirable results is to brainstorm, identify, describe, and verify the project's solution deliverables using a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

Project Deliverables Described...

• Projects produce, create, and implement deliverables.

• A deliverable is a thing, and should sound like a noun.

• We create deliverables by doing work, combine like work into a work package to reduce the number of items that need to be managed and help simplify your project.

• Work packages start with a verb. Develop, design, initiate, etc.

• The work packages to produce a deliverable have a beginning and an end, rolling up the dates for all the project's deliverables becomes the project's calculated schedule.

• Completion criteria for this step is to have identified the project's. deliverables, and the key work packages for producing each deliverable.

• Project Assistant's main page is a drag-and-drop graphical outline of what the project will deliver. It is your project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

• Deliverable are not necessarily one word nouns, but the label should describe things.

• Some deliverables are easily identified as things, some may be a little more difficult.

Why is it Important to Identify the Things the Project Will Produce? Because you can describe a thing in a way that everyone can recognize it when they work on it and implement it.

• Examples; Report, Descriptions, Specifications, Training Plan, Training Material, Agreement, etc.

• Projects produce things that previously didn’t exist or modify existing things.

• Describe your project's deliverables i.e. things

• We've consciously kept our WBS structure to 3 levels, project, deliverables, and work packages or tasks. Work packages can contain tasks or be used as a task.

• When you add more levels you’ll be adding complexity that becomes harder to manage.

Here's an Important Rule for Managing Project Scope: If it's in the project, then it needs to be part of a deliverable and work package, within the WBS

• All work within the project must be in the WBS structure. That includes the work of planning and managing the project, i.e. the Project Workflow.

• The Project Workflow is the first deliverable for all projects. Tailor your Project Workflow to meet the needs of the project, the organization, and the customer. A two week project will not need as many steps or work packages in the workflow as a 9 month or longer project.

• If it’s not in the WBS i.e. the deliverables and work packages it’s not in the project. Ideas and suggestions that don’t fit the needs/ requirements for the current project go on a list for possibly being part of the next version or a different project. That list can be entered into the WBS for a potential new project.