E-Mail Upgrade Project Management: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) with Example

Prepare a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and project schedule in a Gantt format for an E-Mail Upgrade Project. The WBS and resultant schedule should contain the following high-level activities:

1.0 Evaluate User & System Requirements
2.0 Evaluate ODHS Network Suitability
3.0 Conduct E-mail System Selection
4.0 Upgrade Ohio Department of Human Service Network & Hardware
5.0 Develop E-mail Training
6.0 Deploy E-mail System

Each of the six WBS elements should be decomposed into two or more activities; additionally, three of these six elements should be decomposed into a third level consisting of at least two more activities. Thus, there should be six high level WBS elements, twelve or more second level activities (two per the six elements), and six third level activities. Use the format described above to define the activities (action verb followed by subject, such as Deploy E-mail System).

The Gantt chart should be developed based on the WBS (all activities should be detailed on the Gantt chart). The Gantt chart should reflect the proper dependencies of each of the activities (for example, you can't have "Deploy E-mail System" before "Evaluate User Requirements"). For activity duration, provide a reasonable estimate of the time you expect each activity to take; while students are not expected to provide accurate durations, durations should be reasonably defensible and logical. For formatting ease, high level activities should be left justified while second and third level activities should be indented below their parent activities.