# Work breakdown structure
## MicroSim spec
- **Recommended sim type:** recursion/fractal builder
- **Microsimmability score:** 52/100
- **Layout:** recursive/hierarchical figure on the canvas; sliders below (depth capped).
### Parameters (tunable controls)
- `Recursion depth`
- `Branching factor`
- `Scale ratio`
### What animates
A self-similar structure is rebuilt live as depth increases, so the recursion itself is the animation.
### Learning objective
Show how a simple recursive rule builds nested, self-similar structure.
## Links (Wikipedia order)
<!-- injected from _registry/childlinks/Work_breakdown_structure.json (2026-07-30T02:09:12Z) -->
[[Aerospace_engineering]] · [[Arthur_David_Hall_III]] · [[Benjamin_S._Blanchard]] · [[Biological_systems_engineering]] · `Budget` · [[Business_process]] · [[Cognitive_systems_engineering]] · `Common_Arrangement_of_Work_Sections` · [[Computer_engineering]] · [[Configuration_management]] · `Contract` · [[Control_engineering]] · `Cost_accounting` · `Decimal_separator` · [[Decision-making]] · `Deliverable` · `Dependency_(project_management)` · [[Derek_Hitchins]] · [[Design_review]] · [[Earth_systems_engineering_and_management]] · [[Electrical_engineering]] · [[Enterprise_systems_engineering]] · `Estimation_(project_management)` · [[Fault_tolerance]] · `Feature-driven_development` · [[Function_model]] · [[Harold_Chestnut]] · `Harold_Kerzner` · [[Health_systems_engineering]] · [[IDEF]] · [[Industrial_engineering]] · [[James_S._Albus]] · [[John_N._Warfield]] · [[Joseph_Francis_Shea]] · [[Kathleen_Carley]] · [[Katia_Sycara]] · `MECE_principle` · [[Manuela_M._Veloso]] · [[Mathematical_optimization]] · `Milestone_(project_management)` · `NASA` · [[Operations_research]] · `Organizational_chart` · `Outline_(list)` · `Performance_engineering` · `Product_breakdown_structure` · `Program_management` · `Project` · `Project_Management_Body_of_Knowledge` · `Project_Management_Institute` · `Project_anatomy` · [[Project_management]] · `Project_management_software` · `Project_planning` · `Project_team` · `Quality_function_deployment` · `Quality_management` · [[Radhika_Nagpal]] · [[Reliability_engineering]] · [[Requirements_engineering]] · `Resource_(project_management)` · `Resource_management` · `Risk_management` · `Robert_E._Machol` · `Ruzena_Bajcsy` · [[Safety_engineering]] · `Schedule_(project_management)` · `Scope_(project_management)` · `Simon_Ramo` · [[Software_engineering]] · `Spare_part` · `Spreadsheet` · [[Stanford_torus]] · `Statement_of_work` · `Structure_chart` · [[System]] · [[System_dynamics]] · `System_integration` · [[System_of_systems_engineering]] · `Systems_analysis` · `Systems_development_life_cycle` · [[Systems_engineering]] · `Systems_modeling` · `Task_(project_management)` · `Timeblocking` · `Tree_structure` · `UGM-27_Polaris` · `United_States_Department_of_Defense` · `United_States_Military_Standard` · `United_States_Navy` · `V-model` · `Verification_and_validation` · [[Wayback_Machine]] · `Wernher_von_Braun` · `Wolt_Fabrycky`
## From the Real GENERATIVE library
*Work breakdown structure — placed from the Real G.E.N.E.R.A.T.I.V.E. course library (Engineering room). Source: Wikimedia Commons (via Wikipedia article media). [Details & license](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Work_Breakdown_Structure_of_Aircraft_System.jpg).*
> A work-breakdown structure (WBS)[2] in project management and systems engineering is a deliverable-oriented breakdown of a project into smaller components. A work breakdown structure is a key project management element that organizes the team's work into manageable sections. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_breakdown_structure))
<!-- REAL-GENERATIVE-MEDIA:END -->
> p5.js MicroSim stub · part of [[System]] · [Wikipedia source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_breakdown_structure)
> Relation: subfield of System.
## Concept summary
A work-breakdown [[Structure|structure]] (WBS) in [[Project_management|project management]] and [[Systems_engineering|systems engineering]] is a breakdown of a project into smaller components. It is a key project management element that organizes the team's work into manageable sections.
## Build checklist
- [ ] Claim it: set `status: in-progress` + `lease` + `leased_at`
- [ ] Write the child page explaining the concept (tie it back to system)
- [ ] Finalize parameter ranges and defaults
- [ ] Implement the p5.js sketch (drawing + control regions)
- [ ] Add caption + the learning objective on the page
- [ ] Set `status: done`
## p5.js sketch
```javascript
// MicroSim: Work breakdown structure
let controls = {};
function setup() {
// createCanvas(...); create sliders for the parameters above.
}
function draw() {
// background(...); read controls; render recursion/fractal builder; respond live.
}
```
---
Back to [[System]] · Wikipedia: [Work breakdown structure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_breakdown_structure)
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<!-- SEMIOTIC-PROFILE:START -->
## Semiotic profile
> *The semiotic universals this article invokes, machine-derived from the crossref — **unverified** (born so). Populated 2026-07-06 for the Systems room.*
**Universals (5):** 🟡 structure (7) · 🟢 recursion (7) · 🟡 system (6) · 🟢 self similarity (5) · 🟢 tree hierarchy (1)
**Enter by sign:** Systems Semiotic Gateway · Alphabetum · Icon Registry · ← Systems Portal
<!-- SEMIOTIC-PROFILE:END -->
<!-- REAL-GENERATIVE-MEDIA:START -->
## Wikipedia : Wikitube
**Strict pair:** [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_breakdown_structure) : [Wikitube](https://en.wikitube.io/wiki/Work_breakdown_structure)
## Previous hub tags
Tree parents: [[Reliability_engineering]] · [[System_dynamics]] · [[Systems_engineering]].
Legacy hubs: none.
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*Sources: 1 legacy note. Minted wave 1, 2026-07-30 (v1.6 order).*