A Project-Product Model-Based Approach to Planning Work Breakdown Structures of Complex System Projects

—Project planning practices employ various methods at various stages, with work breakdown structure (WBS) being a prominent starting point. Using WBS, the components and associated enabling products are often not explicitly expressed. We first introduce the notions of generic project construct and system build. Using a running example of a simplified unmanned aerial vehicle, we review the WBS method and discuss problems stemming from the lack of explicit and direct representation of the product facet in the project plan. A comprehensive project–product life cycle management model is the exclusive authoritative source for deriving project management tools, including WBS, augmented with product-related information.