Organisation breakdown structure
An organisation chart or organisation breakdown structure (OBS) helps clarify and define an organisation. This is particularly important on construction projects, which involve a wide range of different people and businesses from a variety of different backgrounds, and on projects where matrix management structures are used.
An organisation breakdown structure should clearly define the roles, authorities, responsibilities and accountabilities of all project team members, and this should be communicated across the whole project team. This should help team members understand what aspects of the project they are responsible for, who they report to and who reports to them. A clear organisation breakdown structure can help avoid confusion, omissions and duplication of effort.
Ref Earned Value Management Handbook, Published by the Association for Project Management in March 2013.
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