Summary

A project is always executed task by task. The team members are chosen for the project because they have expertise in the major task areas identified in the development of the work breakdown structure. They, therefore, are well equipped to decompose the major tasks into work packages and the work packages into project tasks. Project tasks represent small units of work that the task team need not break down any further to execute the task.

Breaking down work packages into tasks does two important things. It assures that the task team fully understands what they need to do, and it provides a work unit with duration and resource requirements that are much easier to accurately estimate than composite work units.

The technique for compiling and organizing the project task list involves using the affinity diagram approach. This approach enables much planning work to be done in a short time period while building the project team's cooperation.