Perform Integrated Change Control [Step-by-Step]

A change request is a formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable or baseline.

Several project management processes may involve a change request.

Perform integrated change control is the process of reviewing all change requests and approving the changes. This process happens throughout the project for integrating change requests.

The approved change request may be a

• Preventive action (an intentional activity that ensures the future performance of the project is aligned with the project management plan)
• Corrective action (an intentional activity that realigns the future performance of the project with the project management plan)
• Defect repair (an intentional activity that modifies a non-conforming product or product component) or
• Updates (changes to formally controlled project documents)

The approved changes are implemented through the direct and manage project work process, to achieve the project’s objectives.

Changes to the Project Management Plan

Project management plan should be baselined so that the actual project performance can be measured against the baseline. Before baselining the project management plan, it can be changed as many times as you want without going through any change control process. But, once the baseline is agreed, any further changes can happen only through formal change control process.

While developing the project management plan, we also should establish which project documents will be subject to the formal change control process.

Change management plan, a component of the project management plan, describes how the change requests will be formally authorized and incorporated.

Change log is a project document. The change log contains the status of all change requests.

In an Agile/ adaptive environment, the project manager’s focus is on ensuring the team has the ability to respond to changes.

Perform Integrated Change Control [Step-by-Step]

The first thing to do as a Project Manager is to minimize change requests in a project. You have to work to influence the causes of change requests.

You need to understand that, in spite of your efforts, changes are inevitable in a project.

If you get a change request, the following are the suggested steps to address the change request:

• Receive the change request. Any project stakeholder may request a change.
• Identify/ clarify need for change.
• Changes may be initiated verbally; in such cases, the changes should be documented into a proper change request in written form.
• Record the change request in the change log.
• Evaluate the impact of the requested change on various project objectives. The analysis should address various questions like:
  • Does the change affect the schedule?
  • Are we going to incur additional costs if the change is implemented?
  • Does it introduce any new risks?
  • How the overall project risk has changed? …

• Once the evaluation is done, the Project Manager submits the following to the Change Control Board (CCB):
  • Change Request
  • Analysis Report
  • His/ her recommendation to the CCB
• CCB reviews the change request, with the inputs given by Project Manager. After the review, CCB will take a decision either to accept the change request, defer it or reject it.

You should also note that depending on the level of authority given to the project manager, the change requests may be reviewed and approved by the project manager himself/ herself.

• Customer or sponsor approval may be needed for certain change requests after CCB approval, in case they are not part of the CCB.
• Update the change log with the decision of the CCB (approved, deferred or rejected)
• Update the relevant components of the project management plan and the project documents.
• Communicate the changes to relevant stakeholders
• Implement the changes (approved change requests go back as an input to Direct and Manage Project Work process)
• Check whether the changes are implemented (approved change requests are an input to Control Quality process)

Change Requests as Input

Do you know how many processes take change requests as an input?

It is only ONE process that takes change request as an input. Any guess which process it is?

Did you say Perform Integrated Change Control process? Yes, you are right.

Perform Integrated Change Control process is the only process where you will see change requests as an input. This makes sense as this is the only process where the change requests are reviewed and approved/ deferred/ rejected.

So, remember, if you see change requests as an input in any of the PMP exam question, the process should be Perform Integrated Change Control.

Change Requests as Output

Change requests can be generated throughout the project. PMBOK Guide has listed 25 processes where change requests may be generated. They are:

• Initiating Process Group
  1. Identify Stakeholders
• Planning Process Group
  1. Define Activities
  2. Develop Schedule
  3. Plan Risk Responses
  4. Plan Procurement Management
• Executing Process Group
  1. Direct and Manage Project Work
  2. Manage Quality
  3. Acquire Resources
  4. Develop Team
  5. Manage Team
  6. Implement Risk Responses
  7. Conduct Procurements
  8. Manage Stakeholder Engagement
• Monitoring and Controlling Process Group
  1. Monitor and Control Project Work
  2. Validate Scope
  3. Control Scope
  4. Control Schedule
  5. Control Costs
  6. Control Quality
  7. Control Resources
  8. Monitor Communications
  9. Monitor Risks
  10. Control Procurements
  11. Monitor Stakeholder Engagement

You do not need to remember all the 24 processes.

But, you should remember that all Monitoring and Controlling processes (except 4.6 Perform Integrated Change Control) will generate Change requests.

Approved Change Requests as Input

Don’t get confused between Change requests and Approved change requests. Approved change requests are inputs to three processes namely

1. Direct and Manage Project Work
2. Control Quality and
3. Control Procurements

Approved Change Requests as Output

How many processes do you think can  approve change requests? Only ONE.

Which process is that? Yes, it is Perform Integrated Change Control.

As we have discussed throughout this article, the change requests are reviewed and approved in the Perform Integrated Change Control process. So, naturally, the output of this process should be Approved change requests.

Conclusion

Changes are an integral part of any project. It is the responsibility of the project manager to adequately manage the changes in a project.

Do you follow the above steps in your project?

Do you think the above flow chart helps you in your PMP exam preparation?

Leave your thoughts.

This article was triggered by an e-mail from Sarita, extract of which is shown below:

Your posts are very helpful.
Can you pls share the complete step by step process to follow in case of change management. As this is a very imp topic and many qs come in the exam.

If you have any similar requirements, you can drop me a mail at pmdrill.com@gmail.com. I will try my best to address them in my upcoming articles.