A project brief almost always exists in some form—but not all artefacts are structured to support PBS tracking. That’s exactly why this step matters.

I work with stakeholders to translate the “why” into collaboratively created delivery artefacts—each tied to MVP criteria and progress metrics. The PBS becomes the foundation for reality-based project governance and underpins WBS tracking.

Where PBS isn’t explicit, I build one to support WBS-based reporting. If 75% complete is claimed on a four-week spec task, I want to see a near-final draft—not just hope and a Trello card.

Where PBS defines *what*, WBS defines *how*. I collaborate with delivery teams to break work into trackable chunks with clear ownership—not “just enough Gantt to get by.”

Each WBS task is tied back to a PBS artefact, creating a governance loop that’s traceable and real. If what’s built doesn’t match progress claims—I flag it (gently).

I break work into tasks and gather best, worst, and most likely estimates from everyone. It’s surprisingly fun and builds trust.

Estimates are consolidated, discussed, and compared to programme constraints. If it doesn’t fit, we don’t fudge—we escalate through RAID. It turns collective gut feel into something defendable.

I run a staging RAID log to triage what’s real, what’s fluff, and what needs escalation. It’s not for parking problems—it’s the project’s early warning system.

4.1 🎯 Quality (The What – PBS)

• Risks: scope creep, weak requirements, SME gaps.
• Issues: rejections, misaligned outputs, missed sign-off.
• Dependencies: e.g. data model needed before build.

4.2 🛠️ Progress (The How – WBS)

• Risks: timeline squeeze, under-resourcing, manual chaos.
• Issues: missed handoffs, delays, under-reporting.
• Assumptions: invisible dependencies, optimism, wishful plans.

4.3 🧭 Bottom Line

Are we building the right things? Are we doing it the right way?

PBS-enabled artefacts make EVA useful. I track Planned Value, Earned Value, and Actual Cost—and calculate CPI and SPI. If something’s off, I dig.

Variance triggers action, not blame. We reforecast, RAID it, or correct calmly.

Scrum, Kanban, hybrid—I adapt based on context. Estimating uses Planning Poker or three-way. I run retros, sprint reviews, and stand-ups that aren’t theatre.

Velocity, spend, capacity—all tracked and visible. Agile works best when it’s tailored, not templated.

“Done” is defined up front. PBS keeps scope and quality honest. Every artefact is reviewed, not just filed.

I run retros at sprint and phase ends to drive improvement—not as blame sessions, but as levers for better delivery.

The blueprint never survives reality. There’s always a heroic spreadsheet, duplicated effort, or manual nudge. It ticks the MVP box but leaves tech debt at the door.

The trick? Knowing when to stop chasing perfection and start steering.

I lead with structure, pragmatism, and adaptability. PBS, WBS, RAID, Agile, EVA—they’re my toolkit for clarity, calm, and measurable delivery.

I don’t do busywork. I do progress that lands, reports that mean something, and governance that actually helps.