mediumMultiple Select
PK0-005 A project team is developing a WBS Practice Question
A project team is developing a WBS. Which THREE of the following are characteristics of a well-constructed WBS?
⚠ Common exam trap
PK0-005 often tests the confusion between deliverable-oriented (WBS) and activity-oriented (schedule/activity list) structures — candidates who pick 'activity-oriented' or 'lists the project schedule' misunderstand the WBS's fundamental purpose.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It is deliverable-oriented
Option B is correct because a well-constructed WBS is deliverable-oriented, meaning it is organized around the project's outputs and deliverables rather than the activities or tasks used to produce them. Option D is correct because the WBS must be decomposed to a level where work packages are small enough to be reliably estimated, scheduled, monitored, and assigned to a responsible person or team. Option E is correct because the WBS must obey the 100% rule, capturing all project scope—including internal, external, and project management work—without adding anything outside the approved scope. Option A is incorrect because the project schedule is a separate artifact produced from the WBS and activity list, not a characteristic of the WBS itself. Option C is incorrect because an activity-oriented breakdown describes a task list or schedule network, whereas the WBS is deliberately deliverable-oriented.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It lists the project schedule
Why it's wrong here
A WBS decomposes deliverables into work packages, not time-based activities; scheduling belongs to Gantt charts or network diagrams. Listing the schedule confuses scope with chronology, so it fails the deliverable-orientation criterion. It tempts because schedules and WBS both structure project work hierarchically, and a schedule would be the correct artefact when sequencing activities and dependencies.
- ✓
It is deliverable-oriented
Why this is correct
A deliverable-oriented WBS decomposes scope into tangible outputs rather than activities, so each node names a verifiable product, service, or result. This satisfies the stem's requirement for a well-constructed WBS, since deliverable focus enables accurate estimation, assignment of accountability, and unambiguous verification of completion against the project's defined scope baseline.
- ✗
It is activity-oriented
Why it's wrong here
A WBS decomposes deliverables, not activities; activity orientation belongs to the schedule network diagram. Choosing it confuses scope decomposition with scheduling, so the WBS would list tasks rather than products. Activity-oriented breakdowns are correct when building a project schedule, where work packages feed duration estimating and sequencing.
- ✓
It is decomposed to a level where work packages can be estimated and assigned
Why this is correct
Decomposition continues until work packages are small enough for reliable estimating and clear assignment, satisfying the WBS's purpose of enabling accurate cost, duration and resource planning. This granularity also supports accountability, since each package has a single owner, and prevents scope ambiguity during execution and progress tracking.
- ✓
It includes all work of the project (100% rule)
Why this is correct
The 100% rule guarantees the WBS captures every deliverable and activity required to meet the project scope, with no work omitted or added outside it. This satisfies the stem's demand for completeness, ensuring scope, cost, and schedule baselines derive from a fully decomposed hierarchy rather than partial coverage.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 954 original PK0-005 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This PK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PK0-005 exam.