Project Management Framework
Planning - Change Management Plan
Definition
The Change Management Plan is the definition of the formal process for making changes to the project's original scope. It generally involves redefining existing objectives and deliverables or specifying new project objectives and deliverables.
Why is this important?
When the project was defined in the Project Charter, expectations were set as to what the project will produce, the costs involved, and the amount of time and resources required. The Charter approval essentially resulted in a contract between the involved parties. Any request that changes the scope of that contract can jeopardize the successful outcomes of the project. Therefore, execution of a formal Change Management Plan is crucial to the success of the project.
Instructions
Prepare a Change Management Plan describing the project's process for managing requested project changes. The plan should describe the following elements:
- Initiating a Change Request
- Logging and Tracking Change Requests
- Assigning Change Requests for Analysis and Recommendation
- Implementing Change Request Resolution Actions (acceptance, delayed acceptance or rejection of change request)
- How accepted changes will be integrated into the project control documents (Schedule and Task Plan, Risk Management Plan, Acquisition Plan, etc.)
- Roles and Responsibilities in the Change Management Process
- Examples of the Change Request Form and the Change Request Log
Communicate the Change Management Plan to all project team members and stakeholders. Well-documented change request descriptions, resolutions and action plans are key to successful change management.
How to Scale
It is best to create a change request for all changes that impact the project. This way, a central repository of change information can be established and maintained for the project. It will be tempting to go ahead and make minor changes; however, the danger in doing this is that each exception implemented in this way creates precedence for follow-on requests. For this reason, it is recommended that
all change requests be processed per the change management plan.
One way of dealing with the overhead of processing smaller, less significant changes is to accumulate several requests and at the appropriate time, process them as one change. This approach works best when change requests are related to a particular project phase or outcome of the project.
Record change requests in a change log for review by the project manager on a regular basis. Include a summary description of the impact of change requests on the project in project status reports. Implement the change management process as soon as possible, preferably immediately after completing the Initiation Phase.
Related Links:
Change Management Plan Example
Change Management Plan Template
Change Management Plan Execution
Change Request Form
Change Request Log
Checklists