University Project: Critique of Project Management Planning Tools

This project presents a comprehensive critique of two essential project management tools: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Network Diagrams. The report begins with an introduction to project management and the significance of various tools, highlighting the importance of effective planning. The discussion delves into the functionalities, strengths, and limitations of WBS, which aids in project scope planning by breaking down deliverables into manageable components, and Network Diagrams, which facilitate project scheduling and workflow visualization. A detailed comparison of the two tools reveals that while WBS helps in scope planning and budget development, Network Diagrams are instrumental in scheduling. The analysis further explores the advantages of each tool, such as WBS's utility in detailed activity scheduling and network diagrams' role in analytical techniques like critical path analysis, while also acknowledging their limitations, such as the potential for over- or under-decomposition in WBS and the reliance on task progression assumptions in network diagrams. The project concludes by emphasizing the importance of these tools for effective project management, advocating for their strategic use to meet project objectives, and fostering creative responses to varying project conditions.

Running head: CRITIQUE OF TWO TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING
Critique of Two Tools For Project Management Planning
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1CRITIQUE OF TWO TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING
1. Introduction
The project management deals with a wide variety of topics that range from people to
management of different kind of strategies based on any kind of project. Based on managing the
various aspects of project, there are different forms of tools based on project management that
are widely used in order to establish the various changing facets of project (Harrison and Lock
2017). With the use of different forms of tools based on project management, the project
managers involved with the developmental aspect of the project would be highly helped with the
management aspects of the project. The discussion in this report would discuss over performing
a detailed analysis and critique over the usage of different tools based on project management.
This report thus discusses about the varied use of WBS and Network diagrams that are widely
used for managing projects and handling different critical aspects in relation to projects.
2. Discussion
The different kind of tools based on project management are widely used for planning
and performing various kinds of developmental aspects of various project are: Gantt chart,
Network Diagrams, Critical Path Method, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Program
evaluation and Review technique and documentation for the project (Milosevic and Martinelli
2016). Based on the wide amount of concern over different projects, the most common and
useful form of project management tool could be helpful for maintaining the proper progress of
the project.
The discussion over the project management tools could be highly necessary for the
developing any form of project. The two tools based on project management, which can be used
are: Network diagrams and WBS.

2CRITIQUE OF TWO TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) – The WBS can be described as a hierarchical
decomposition of various kind of project requirements based on the aligning with the definition
and proper form of organisation of the project. The use of WBS could be used for subdividing
the major form of deliverables into various forms of manageable kind of activities (Sharon and
Dori 2014). These activities should be planned and thus manageable by taking help from the
team of the project. With the help of different kind of deliverables for the project, it would
enable all kind of stakeholders to gain a common form of understanding about the scope of any
project (Kenley and Harfield 2014). Based on a proper kind of knowing of the different sub-
divided deliverables, the stakeholders in each of the team would be knowing about the kind of
deliverables that need to be provided for developing the project in a proper manner.
With the help of WBS, it would be helpful in dividing the deliverables for the project and
each of the project work into different kind of manageable components. The items, which are
listed at the lower level of the WBS are known as work packages. Each of the work package
could be scheduled in a proper manner, costs could be estimated in a proper manner and hence
the entire process could be further controlled in an individual manner (Zecheru and Olaru 2016).
Based on a proper form of breaking up the activities of a large project into different kind of
smaller work packages, it would be highly helpful for enabling the project to be tracked, planned
and managed in a better manner.
2. Network Diagrams – A network diagram can be defined as a graphical representation
of the responsibilities, tasks and the entire work-flow for the project. This chart is comprised of
arrows and boxes. The network diagram could be further used for mapping out the work
sequence and schedule based on different forms of project (Sears et al. 2015). The network

3CRITIQUE OF TWO TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING
diagram further helps in the illustration of the project scope as it is directly in association with
every form of single outcome and helps in tracking of each project stage.
The project manager makes a wide use of network diagram in order to track every
detailed element of any form of project. Hence, the network diagram, if used within a project
could further help in boosting productivity and performance. It also reduces the amount of stress
that would be further put on the team members involved with the project (Nicholas and Steyn
2017). There are two forms of network diagram designing methods, which are – Precedence
Diagram Method (PDM) and Arrow Diagram Method (ADM). These type of methods are further
used in project management areas for depicting the project dependencies that are present
between milestones and activities.
Critique and Analysis over the Tools
Comparison of WBS and Network Diagram
In comparison to both of the tools based on project management, the network diagram
and WBS could be helpful in serving different kind of purposes though they could help in
complementing each other. The network diagram could be described as a tool for planning of
project schedules while the WBS could be defined as a tool for planning project scope (Parlak
2016). The network diagram could be helpful in the management of two different dimensions
based on the project management iron triangle. However, the WBS could help in providing input
for development of budget. The WBS could help in complementing the fact that the breaking
down of different tasks and scope activities should be ordered and planned based on proper
execution of the project plan. The network diagram would also provide a certain direction to the
project team in order to achieve to a certain destination (Novitasari, Sandora and Lestari 2018).

4CRITIQUE OF TWO TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING
On the other hand, the tool of WBS could be further used in collaboration with Gantt chart tool
for using information about the different kind of tools based on planning of scope such as
traceability matrix, deliverables deployment diagram and project scope statement.
Strengths – The WBS when used within a project could be further converted for
scheduling the different project activities. The major and sub-divisions within a project could be
detailed based on adding of resources, duration and dependencies (Richardson 2014). The use of
WBS when used for management of projects could be further used for management of work
programs and portfolios.
The network diagram could also have different kind of benefits. It can be thus defined as
a better kind of technique and would incur different form of benefits (Xu et al. 2014). It can be
defined as an introductory technique, which is used for performing numerous forms of analytical
techniques that includes the critical chain and critical path. With the help of such kind of
technique, it would highly help the project team in engaging and communicating with
stakeholders for getting a necessary form of obligation and appropriate resources.
Limitations – The WBS can be under-decomposed further based on the requirements
from a project. Hence, excessive form of detailing within the project could lead to derailing of
project. The process of under-decomposition could lead to stakeholder dissatisfaction and
unfulfilled expectations (Qazi et al. 2016). The details are further lacked and cannot be
interpreted in a full form.
The network diagram designed for the project could also have some form of limitations.
It brings in the assumption of task progression based on beginning till the end. The network
diagram however depends on the working of critical path analysis based on prioritization of tasks

5CRITIQUE OF TWO TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING
(Sage, Dainty and Brookes 2014). In order to overcome the discussed limitations, different forms
of estimation techniques such as parametric model estimating, expert judgement, analogous
estimates and many others would be considered.
3. Conclusion
Hence, from the supported discussion it can be determined that the use of a wide range of
project management tool could form a major aspect for the development of the project in the best
manner. From the discussion, it would be important to know that the planning for any project
would be highly important. Hence, different forms of planning tools such as network diagram
and WBS are highly important for the entire project team to achieve the set objectives for the
project. The stakeholders who would be involved within a certain project should be clear about
the objectives such that they could help in efficient management of every form of critical project
aspects, understand them and thus define several objectives for future planning. The project
manager involved with a certain project should have proper form of access to different kind of
planning tools. Hence, they need to make use of such kind of tools that would be help in
effective planning of every form of project aspect. The planning for projects should be done in
such a manner that it would efficiently meet with the needs of flexibility and thus create different
forms of creative responses for variant project conditions. Hence, the use of such kind of
techniques would help in better planning of projects.

6CRITIQUE OF TWO TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING
References
Harrison, F. and Lock, D., 2017. Advanced project management: a structured approach.
Routledge.
Kenley, R. and Harfield, T., 2014. Location Breakdown Structure (LBS): a solution for
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Conference on Construction in a Changing World(pp. 4-7).
Milosevic, D.Z. and Martinelli, R.J., 2016. Project management toolbox: tools and techniques
for the practicing project manager. John Wiley & Sons.
Nicholas, J.M. and Steyn, H., 2017. Project management for engineering, business and
technology. Routledge.
Novitasari, A.D., Sandora, R. and Lestari, R.L., 2018. PROJECT SCHEDULING ANALYSIS
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7CRITIQUE OF TWO TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING
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