I'm not use to using the term "work assignment" but when I see it, I associate that with work package. A work package is usually the level a project managers manages to. The composition of a work package is several tasks. Another way to think about it is that a work package is an actual deliverable such as "Requirements Document". The individual tasks for completing that requirements document may be 1. Schedule 1st round survey or interview 2. Create rough draft 3. Review with customer 4. Revise draft... etc. Notice that all tasks are stated in a verb noun tense. Work Packages are just nouns. They are the actual deliverables. Make sense? Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
Here's my perspective: an organization strategy boils down to team work assignments. They become more granularized into various work activities to be performed to achieve objectives. Activites (picture this as a verb) can consist of many tasks. tasks are at the lowest level.
------------Bipin Roy Lekshmanan, PMP.
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George JucanManaging Partner| Organizational Perfomance Enablers NetworkWoodbridge, Ontario, Canada
My definitions are close to Bethany’s, with a variation regarding where a deliverable is created. When you do the WBS you start with a goal (or measure of success) and you decompose it in achievements (“stepping stones”). Each achievement is further decomposed in a set of activities, each producing a deliverable. Each activity is composed of a set of tasks that can be completely and independently specified (they have dependencies to other tasks, but the description of a task does not depend on another).
These tasks are grouped for assignment to resources based on dependencies as well as resources skills and time availability. These groups of tasks are called work packages and they will be the level at which the PM will exercise control – and yes, they are used for work assignment and monitoring. However, the output of a work package could be a only part of a deliverable.
Using the same “Requirements Document” example, in my approach this deliverable is the target of an activity. It will require multiple tasks, and normally the participation of several resources. For simplicity, let’s consider only a Business Analyst for the functional requirements, an Enterprise Architect for integration with other systems, an Information Architect for privacy requirements and a Technical Architect for performance requirements.
Each of them will have assigned a number of tasks required to complete the activity and deliver the document. These tasks will be grouped, for each resource, in one or more work packages based on relationships. For example, the Business Analyst could have the following work packages (assigned and monitored by the PM):
George, your breakdown was very helpful. Your understanding matches mine of relationship between work packages, tasks and activities (which I often think of as workstreams). I am trying to find a good template for a work package creation. Would you know of where I can get hold of one, search on this site is not coming back with anything yet. Saving Changes...
George JucanManaging Partner| Organizational Perfomance Enablers NetworkWoodbridge, Ontario, Canada
Thank you Wendy, and please find attached the template I use. I'm preparing an article regarding Work Authorization and Control and this will be one of the templates attached, but it may take a bit until it shows up on gantthead.com.
Hope it helps. Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
The template is very simple and useful. thanks. Saving Changes...
