6.2 Define Activities
Process Definition
With the scope baseline completed, the first step in schedule development is to define the activities required to produce the project deliverables, as outlined in the WBS. This list of activities should result in the completion of each work package in the WBS.Process Assessment
This first step, defining the activities required to create and deliver each WBS element is critical in the creation of a good schedule. Making sure that activities are identified for each and every WBS element is often overlooked, with focus skewed toward product development. Things like training, spares and support facilities are frequently neglected.
Figure 10. Define Activities: Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs. Reprinted from "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5th Edition" by Project Management Institute, 2013, p. 149. Copyright 2013 by Project Management Institute, Inc. Reprinted without permission.
- Schedule Management Plan: This schedule management plan was created specifically for this portfolio example as an input to the "Define Activities" process. It describes the level of detail and tools required for capturing project activities.
- Expert Judgment: This paper discusses tools and techniques for using the WBS to identify activities.
- Fence Schedule: A schedule for a Backyard Privacy Fence project. The project schedule contains the identified activities that are outputs of the "Define Activities" process.