4.3 Overall Change Control

Introduction

Overall change control is concerned with:

influencing the factors which create changes to ensure that the changes are beneficial
determining that a change has occurred
managing the actual changes when and as they occur.

Overall change control requires:

Maintaining the integrity of the performance measurement baselines - all approved changes should be reflected in the project plan but only proejct scope changes will affect the performance measurement baselines.
Ensuring that changes to the product scope are reflected in the definition of the project scope.
Coordinating changes across knowledge areas.

4.3.1 Inputs

Project plan
Performance reports
Change requests

4.3.2 Tools & Techniques

Change control system
Configuration management
Performance measurement
Additional planning
Project management information system

4.3.3 Outputs

Project plan updates
Corrective action
Lessons learned

4.3.1 Overall Change Control - Inputs

4.3.1.1 Project plan

The project plan provides a baseline against which changes may be measured.

4.3.1.2 Performance reports

Performance reports provide information on project performance and may also alert the project team to issues which may cause problems in future.

4.3.1.3 Change requests

Change requests may occur in many forms - oral or written, direct or indirect, externally or internally initiated, legally mandated or optional.

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4.3.2 Overall Change Control - Tools and techniques

4.3.2.1 Change control system

A change control system is a collection of formal, documented procedures that defines the steps by which official project documents may be changed. It includes paperwork, tracking systems and approval levels necessary for authorizing changes.

In most cases the performing organization will have an existing change control system that can be adapted for use.

On larger projects the CCB (Change Control Board) is responsible for approving or rejecting change requests. The power and responsibilities of the CCB should be well-defined and agreed upon by key stakeholders.

Other characteristics of a change control system:

It must include procedures to handle changes that may be approved without prior review eg emergencies.
It will allow for "automatic approval" of pre-defined categories of changes.

4.3.2.2 Configuration management

Configuration management is any documented procedure used to apply technical and administrative direction and surveillance to:

Identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of an item or system.
Control any changes to such characteristics.
Record and report the change and its implementation status.
Audit the items and system to verify conformance to requirements.

The term "configuration management" may refer to:

a subset of the change control system, or
any rigorous change control system.

4.3.2.3 Performance measurement

Performance measurement techniques such as earned value analysis help to assess whether variances from the project require corrective action.

4.3.2.4 Additional planning

Projects seldom run exactly according to plan. Prospective changes may require new or revised cost estimates, modified activity sequences, analysis of risk response alternatives, or other adjustments to the project plan.

4.3.2.5 Project management information system (PMIS)

Refer PMIS.

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4.3.3 Overall Change Control - Outputs

4.3.3.1 Project plan updates

Project plan updates are any modification to the contents of the project plan or its supporting detail.

4.3.3.2 Corrective action

Refer corrective action.

4.3.3.3 Lessons learned

The causes of variances, the reasoning behind the corrective action chosen, and other types of lessons learned should be documented so that they become part of the historical database for both this project and other projects in the performing organization.

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