Changes occur and cannot be ignored. Managing change is critical to the success of a project. Change management helps protect projects against scope creep, which occurs when the requirements baseline changes. As additional requirements are added to the project, the cost of the project increases and the schedule moves out.
When managing change on projects, remember the following steps:
- First, identify the change. Be sure to clarify the scope of the change and document it on a change request form. Estimate the complexity and the cost of investigating the change. The Change Control Board (CCB) will approve, reject, or defer the change request.
- Second, investigate the change. This step might be performed by the CCB. The change is investigated for its impact, as well as for the costs and benefits of the change. Alternatives might need to be developed. The cost of the change request must be estimated and submitted to the CCB.
- Third, implement the change. The change order provides instruction for implementing the change. Be sure to communicate impact assessment to stakeholders, including the originator of the change request.