You can use a work breakdown structure to organize your team’s products, services, and data.

Experts commonly refer to this method of identifying small tasks from a broad vision as “decomposition.” However, you can approach your Work Breakdown Structure from a few different angles:

The Deliverables Approach

Managers who focus on deliverables often use work breakdown systems to cut large goals into smaller and smaller chunks. Eventually, they identify the smallest possible task groups (often called “work packages”). These tiny activities represent the least amount of work/time needed to move a project forward.

For example, if you make crepes on the sidewalks of France, you could break down an order for three crepes into three steps (the time it takes to cook each crepe). You could even measure the time it takes you to complete each step of the process: pouring the dough, adding the fillings, sliding it off the griddle, rolling it up, and adding toppings. However, if you tried to break these down to another level, you’d find that you were “getting lost in the weeds,” and stop the decomposition process.

Obviously, breaking the “pouring the dough” process into various steps (picking up the bowl, tipping it toward the griddle, etc.) is a little silly (and inefficient). A smart manager knows when to stop breaking things down, look at the picture, and take action!

The Process Approach

If your team needs to coordinate the timing of their efforts, you can categorize your plan by various large phases. Within these major phases, create medium- and short-term milestones for your teams.

For example, a team of crepe-makers could break their work into steps on an assembly line (let’s imagine you’ve invented a conveyor-belt griddle). The dough-pourer would set the pace, setting up the filling and spatula people with just enough work for optimal quality and efficiency. Burnt crepes don’t sell very well!

Involving your team members in your planning of sensitive timing issues can save a lot of frustration – and wasted resources.