Running Head: Construction WBS 1

Construction WBS

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Construction WBS 2

In construction meetings are important as they are held to inform the workers of crucial

updates, plan the next cause of action, and to discuss various challenges. Without proper work-

breakdown structure (WBS) and the meetings, constructing a building can be hectic. Having

operated in a construction site for some few days, I observed some best practices in project

meeting.

First, I observed that all the team members availed themselves for the meeting and those

who weren’t warned the construction manager and they sought for documentation and even one-

on-one call to be at per with the construction progress. In addition, I noted that the team

members gave the construction manager feedback regarding the meetings which provided him

with a chance to improve the quality and increase the involvement of the team members. This

also ensured that the meetings were not boring or useless. Another important aspect in the project

meeting that I observed is contribution to the meeting. The team members offered suggestions,

documentations, and even feedback when they were asked to. The interactions of the team

members in the meetings ensured their success and everybody went satisfied. Also, the

construction manager who also run the meetings ensured that the members did not go off-topic.

He made sure that every member presents at the meeting was focused on the agenda of the

meeting. This ensured effective time management as no time was wasted on irrelevant topics. He

used objectives as facilitation technique to refocus tangent discussions while keeping the

members motivated and involved. On objectives, he made sure that he communicated the

purpose of the meetings. Wherever he had doubts regarding the conversation, he asked the teams

to explain the relevance of the discussion to the objectives.

Construction WBS 3

Occasionally, the meetings got stuck due to members who overshared their opinions as

well as those who did not want to speak up. On these circumstances, the construction manager

used the ground rules and agenda to keep the members going.

WBS

A work breakdown structure is a method used to complete projects which are multi-step

and complex (What Is Work Breakdown Structure in Project Management?, n.d.). They

subdivide large projects into smaller projects which are manageable to do things more efficiently

and faster. WBS helps project managers to plan their work effectively (Markgraf, 2019).

Construction of a House
Construction manager

Procurement Construction Inspection Turnover

Design

Electrical Masonry work

Interior Walk thru
Permits

Plumbing
Exterior Building Closing
Drawings
finishes
HVAC

The above WBS is phase-based. The first level contains five elements: design,

procurement, construction, inspection and turnover. These elements represent the phases of the

project. The elements in the second level represent unique deliverables in each phase.

This hierarchical context can promote collaboration among the team members as it

provides visibility or holistic view of the entire project which provides them with an
Construction WBS 4

understanding of how they influence or impact the big picture. This helps the team members to

feel involved and motivated to collaborate with other departments. This will also keep the team

members more engaged. Furthermore, the WBS encourages teams to be involved in other

department processes while the project is still under construction ensuring that the solution

proposed by one team align with the overall project’s objective to avoid unnecessary frustrations.

For example, the team in inspection could be updated of any changes made in the design of the

house by interacting with the team in design instead of learning about the changes after

completing masonry. Through the WBS, the construction manager has an easy time planning

team check-ins and reviews from various departments which promotes collaboration.
Construction WBS 5

References

Markgraf, B. (2019). What Is the Principle Behind the Critical Path Method & How Does This

Affect Project Management? https://smallbusiness.chron.com/principle-behind-critical-path-

method-affect-project-management-78351.html

What Is Work Breakdown Structure in Project Management? (n.d.). Retrieved November 29,

2021, from https://www.wrike.com/project-management-guide/faq/what-is-work-breakdown-

structure-in-project-management/