Activity list Template | FREE Download

The activity list is a full list of all the activities in the project schedule. It breaks down each work package into activities which form the basis for estimating, scheduling, completing, and controlling the work. It includes an identifier and a description of the scope of work for each activity. It needs to contain enough detail for the project team to understand what needs to be done. stakeholdermap.com

1. What are activities in project management
2. The Relationship between the Work Breakdown Structure, Work Packages and Activities
3. Activities vs Milestones
4. The contents of the Activity list Template
   • Project details and document control
   • Activity ID
   • Activity Title
   • Activity Description
   • Scope of Work
   • Successor Activities
   • Constraints
   • Assumptions
   • Resource Requirements
5. Activity list Template
   • Excel download - Activity list Template (.xls)
   • Excel download - Activity list Template (.xlsx)
   • OpenDocument Spreadsheet - Activity list Template (.ods)

What are activities in project management

Activities in project management are the individual tasks or actions that need to be completed to achieve project objectives. The activity list serves as a comprehensive inventory of all the activities within the project schedule. It effectively breaks down each work package into specific, manageable activities that form the foundation for estimating, scheduling, executing, and controlling the project work.

A well-constructed activity list includes an identifier for each task and a detailed description of the work scope. This level of detail is crucial as it ensures that the project team has a clear understanding of what needs to be accomplished. The activity list is typically an output of the process of defining activities, as outlined in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide (6th edition). It can be developed in conjunction with the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and WBS dictionary, or it may be created as a subsequent step after the WBS is finalized. Project managers often leverage standardized lists or draw from the experience of previous similar projects to aid in the creation of a comprehensive and accurate activity list.

The Relationship between the Work Breakdown Structure, Work Packages and Activities

This diagram illustrates the hierarchical relationship between the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Work Packages, and Activities in a project:

1. At the top, we have the overall Project.
2. The Project is broken down into WBS levels (1, 2, and 3 in this example).
3. The lowest WBS level (Level 3 in this case) is further divided into Work Packages.
4. Each Work Package contains specific Activities.

Key points about the relationship:

1. WBS: This is a hierarchical decomposition of the project into smaller, more manageable components.
2. Work Packages: These are the lowest level in the WBS, representing a group of related tasks.
3. Activities: These are the specific tasks or actions that need to be performed within each Work Package.

The diagram shows how a project is progressively broken down from the high-level WBS to the detailed activities, demonstrating the relationship between these project management concepts.

Activities vs Milestones

Activities are different from milestones, because they have durations. In other words, the activity will take a certain amount of time and may have resources and costs associated with it. Milestones are zero duration markers usually denoting of the completion of an important stage or phase within the project.

This is a FREE Activity list Template in Excel. The template is fully editable with Microsoft Excel and can be converted or changed to suit your project requirements.

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