Work packages
What they are: Groupings that organise your project's activities into a hierarchy. Think of them as folders for your work: they break a large project into manageable sections.
Example: A rail signalling project might have top-level work packages like "Systems Engineering", "Project Management", and "Safety and Assurance". Within "Systems Engineering" you might have "Requirements", "Design", and "Integration and Test".
Key points:
- Work packages are purely structural: they don't have their own schedule, roles, or products
- Every activity sits inside a work package, so a project needs at least one before you can add activities
- Work packages can nest: a work package can contain sub-packages
- A simple project can keep all its activities in a single work package
Adding work packages
On the WBS tab (under Activities), choose Edit, then Work Package (or Add Work Package in an empty project). To nest one, use Add child work package on its parent, or set its Parent work package in its details.
The WBS tab shows your work packages and their activities as a list or a diagram. In edit mode you can add activities to a work package and move them between work packages.
Related
- Activities: the work inside each work package
- Processes: a second, optional way to group the same activities
- Project tabs: the WBS tab in more detail