| In any project, change is inevitable whether it comes | | | | Have For Now. Such definitions need to be agreed. |
| from within the project or from external sources -- | | | | Another aspect that needs to be decided is whether |
| therefore it makes sense to have an agreed process | | | | or not the project board or senior management |
| in order to identify, assess and control any potential | | | | wanted to be involved in reviewing all project changes. |
| and approved changes to what was originally agreed | | | | If many changes are predicted then it may make |
| for the project. | | | | sense for the project board to appoint a Change |
| What is needed is a systematic and common | | | | Authority who would make decisions on such changes |
| approach. Once the project plan and other key | | | | on behalf of the project board. In such cases, the " |
| associated documents have been approved, these | | | | rules of engagement" needs to be determined. |
| become the project "baselines" and can only be | | | | For example, the change authority would only deal with |
| changed after approval by the appropriate authority -- | | | | low cost changes. Another aspect is setting up a |
| normally the project board. Change control is not there | | | | change budget for the change of authority to use to |
| to prevent changes, but to ensure that every change | | | | fund any approved changes and their implementation. |
| is agreed by the relevant authority before | | | | Such additional budgets should be captured within the |
| implementation. | | | | project plan before sign off. |
| An important and vital element, is the projects use of | | | | Onwards -- to the change control procedure itself... |
| configuration management (CM). Configuration | | | | Step 1. Whenever a change or issue is raised, it should |
| Management may be provided as a continuous | | | | be categorised and entered in the issue/change |
| organizational service or be provided by a project | | | | register. |
| support office (PSO). Everything that the project | | | | Step 2. An impact analysis should now be carried out, |
| produces is subject to configuration management, this | | | | and will normally involve relevant specialist team |
| includes management documentation as well as | | | | members. |
| specialist products and deliverables. It is important | | | | The impact analysis should consider the change or |
| therefore to integrate the use of change control | | | | issue impact (which may be positive or negative) on a |
| procedures with the configuration management | | | | variety of projects aspects such as: |
| system used by the project. | | | | - Time |
| The system that is set up to manage change should | | | | - Cost |
| also include the management of the general issues. An | | | | - Quality |
| Issue Register should be set up early in the project to | | | | - Scope |
| capture and assist in the management of change and | | | | - Business Case |
| issues. A configuration management strategy | | | | - Benefits |
| document must be created as part of planning and this | | | | - Risk |
| defines the way in which changes and issues are to | | | | The change or issue should be prioritised, first, by the |
| be managed and handled throughout the project. | | | | originator, and second, after impact analysis. It is |
| The difference between an issue and a risk is that the | | | | important when carrying out the above impact analysis, |
| issue has already happened, whereas a risk is | | | | that representatives from the project business area, |
| something that may or may not happen -- at some | | | | the users of the end products, and those who are |
| point in the future. | | | | supplying resources to the project -- are fully involved |
| Whenever an issue is raised, it may be managed | | | | so that a balanced decision can be reached. |
| informally -- usually by the project manager, however if | | | | Step 3. Having understood the full impact of the |
| it is to be managed formally then the project manager | | | | change or issue, the next step is to consider |
| would enter it into the issue register before proceeding | | | | alternative options and proposing the best actions to |
| any further. The Prince2 methodology status that and | | | | take in order to resolve the issue or implement the |
| Issue Report is created in tandem and contains | | | | change. A balanced view is needed and consideration |
| supplementary information regarding that particular | | | | should be given all these options on the projects |
| issue. | | | | duration, cost, quality, Scope, benefit, and risk |
| Changes come in two flavours: | | | | performance targets. The advantages gained should |
| A Request For Change (RFC) which comes from the | | | | be balanced against the impact of implementing the |
| customer or user and is a request to change one of | | | | issue or change. |
| the project baselines in some way. If there are any | | | | Step 4. A decision is now needed whether or not to |
| extra costs involved in implementing the RFC, then the | | | | implement the issue will change. For a RFC, this would |
| customer would normally pay for it. Since all RFC's are | | | | normally need escalating to the project board for their |
| a change to what had been originally agreed, it is | | | | decision, whereas an Off-Specification may be |
| normally the project board alone, who have the | | | | decided by the project manager if they have sufficient |
| authority to agree such changes. | | | | authority. |
| Off Specification. These are normally raised from the | | | | If the project is using Management By Exception |
| supply -- side of the project, and details some aspect | | | | where tolerance boundaries have been set, then |
| that should be provided by the project, but currently is | | | | should any proposed implementation deviate beyond |
| not - or is forecast not to be, provided. This might | | | | these tolerances, the project board must be involved in |
| include products or deliverables that are missing, or a | | | | the decision whether to implement or not. |
| product not meeting its specification all quality criteria. | | | | During implementation, the project manager should |
| At the beginning of a project it needs to be decided | | | | ensure that its status is reported to the project board |
| how changes and issues are to be prioritised, and it is | | | | up to the point when the issue or change has been |
| usual that a ratings system might include terms such | | | | fully implemented. |
| as, Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, or Won't | | | | |