A product breakdown structure is an effective tool that details the physical components of a particular product, or system, under consideration. The formal PBS comes in the form of a hierarchy. It begins with the final product at the top of the hierarchy followed by the sub-categorized elements of the product. The product breakdown structure is similar to the work breakdown structure ( WBS ).
Like WBS, a product breakdown structure serves to reduce a complex project, or product, into manageable components. As a result, teams can obtain a clear understanding of a product, its components, and what is required to provide those components. Figure 1 (below) is a sample product breakdown structure.
What is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) | Project Management