How to Create WBS Diagram

WBS

> Basic Diagram How-Tos > How to Create WBS Diagram

Posted by James Freeman | 12/23/2019

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) diagram, including the basic steps and useful tips, which intend to help you work more effectively with Edraw Project Management software.

WBS, which is short for work breakdown structure, is a deliverable oriented decomposition of a project into smaller components. People use it for project planning by breaking the process into easily definable and understandable goals, milestones and tasks. It's presented with a "top-down" tree structure. Edraw is designed with a WBS template, through which you can easily build a WBS diagram.

Start to Create a WBS Diagram

Open Edraw, on the start page click Project Management to find WBS template. Double click the template to open a new drawing page.

WBS Diagram Symbols

On the left of the drawing page, you will find all the shapes and symbols for WBS Diagram in the library.

Drag a Main Task Table to Start Drawing

From the library, drag a main task table and drop on the drawing page. There are five different designs of task tables, you can choose the one you need.

Basic Setting for Task Box

Through Contact Tools in the Ribbon, you can add or delete rows and columns, merge or split the cells, distribute columns and rows, set borders and margin, etc.

Fill in the Information

Edit the content in the box by double-clicking each cell.

Change the Task Table Size

1. Change the size of the task table.
Drag the green resizing handles to change the table size.
2. Change the size of columns and rows.
Place the mouse cursor on the line between two cells and drag, just like the way excel does.

Change the Task Table Fill Color

1. Select the area you want to change color.
You can select the whole shape or a sub shape by moving the mouse while holding the left button. The area selected will turn purple.
2. Fill the area with the color you like. There are two options.
a. Select a color from the quick access color bar at the bottom of the page.
b. Choose a color from the HOME tab, Fill button. Read Fills, Shadows and Patterns to learn more about the fill function.

Connect Boxes with Dynamic Connectors

Steps:
1. Drag a connector from the library.
2. Approach the connector to a blue X mark appearing on the box.
3. When the mark turns red, release your mouse, the connector will be glued with the box.
4. Connect the other end of the connector with another task box in the same way.

Change the Style of the Connector

Steps:
1. Click to select the connector.
2. Go to Home tab, Line button to set the connector style. You can set the line color, line weight, arrows styles here. Read Line and Line Ends to learn more about line setting.

Add More Sub Tasks

Steps:
1. Drag a sub task shape from the library.
2. Use dynamic connector to connect the shape with the superordinate task.
3. Double click the shape to edit contents.

Here are some complete templates of WBS diagrams created by Edraw.