Guidelines for Managing Change
Follow these guidelines for managing project changes:
- Introduce change control early in the project. Make it part of the project kick-off.
- Encourage the customer to fund a reasonable number of hours to be used to implement approved changes and to investigate change requests.
- Determine how changes are to be introduced and processed with a documented procedure that is part of the project management system.
- Use a change request form to document proposed changes.
- Ensure that changes are approved in writing by the authorized representatives.
- Update the baselines and all appropriate documentation after each change is approved.
- Communicate the decision on each change request to all those who need to know, including the originator of the change request.
- Early in the project, use the change control process to authorize a change that has no cost or schedule impact. The customer is much more agreeable to signing a change authorization if it does not cost them anything. By executing a no-cost change order, you and the customer will have set a precedent for approving changes.