I have recently been participating in a Linkedin discussion about re-occurring issues that create problems for project managers. Included in the top five list is “Scope Creep.” It can also be called something else, depending on your emotional state at the time.
Once the project has started any change to the original scope of work has a potential to negatively impact quality, schedule and cost. Fact is, change happens and having an effective change management process is a key factor for success.
Here are three reasons why change control is important:
- Business process to manage Change
- Know the current state of the project at all times
- Reduce the negative impact of Change
Here are six types of changes:
- Emergency
- Major
- Significant
- Minor
- Standard
- Unauthorized
Here are six suggestions for Change Management:
1. Written change request
- Details
- Business case
- Expected impact
2. Change request Log
- Who, where, what, when, and why
3. Change request review
- Analyze impact
- Approve
- Deny
- Request additional information
- Update change log
4. Review change with business teams
5. Schedule change for implementation
- Adjust expense
- Adjust schedule
- Adjust baseline project plan
6. Implement change
- Update change log
- Monitor results
- Document results
This is a quick list from my experiences, every situation is different so use what works for you. I hope this triggers memories of past experiences and generates a few new ideas for the future.
