The Practice of Integrated

Change Control in Engineering

Projects

Rakesh Patel, P.E., PMP

Show of Hands – Who all Manages Projects ?
 What is Change Management?

Change management is proactive management of project

scope during the execution phase by evaluating
needs/requests/expectations of the project sponsor by
comparing it against agreed upon baseline at kickoff

When change management is done well, all stake holders

are engaged in the change process and work collectively
towards a common objective of making the project
successful
 Data Courtesy of Prosci’s 2012 Best Practices in Change Management
Benchmark Report
Effect of Effective Change Management
on Project Outcomes
 Real Life Project Scenario
There is substitution request from the client on an equipment you
specified as a part of your construction deliverables. Is this a
formal change order with schedule and/or budget impact?

• What if the equipment system you specified is obsolete and no

longer available?

• The lead engineer made an assumption about what the client

wanted. Even though the system you specified meets all functional
specs, it is not one of the customer approved manufacturers.

• The installation contractor simply knows more about the application

and has a better recommendation for the equipment system
 Change Management Plan Elements
(aka The world according to PMI PMBOK Guide)

Change Control General policies and procedures by which changes

Procedures are approved, validated, and implemented
Change Control Plan outlining how changes will be managed and
Plan controlled
Change Control The Change Control Board approves and rejects
Board & Meetings changes.
Change
Who can Authorize a change - PM, Change Control
Authorization
Board, or sponsor depending on degree of change
Protocol
Change Control Standardized templates for tracking and controlling
System changes
 Another Interactive Poll
How many companies follow am formal Change
management processes ?

• Does your Change Management Plan Include all of these

Elements?

• Some Elements ?

• Are any of these steps done differently. Why?

• Any one here who does not believe in formal change

management ?
 Why Changes Happen On a Project

• Poor Scope Definition/Requirements Identification Upfront

• Incomplete or Deficient Project Management Plan

• Deficiencies in Stake Holder Management

• Malicious or Unethical Behavior by Team Member(s)

• Legitimate reasons to change project deliverables based on new

information or current business environment
 Why Project Teams Despise Changes

• Distrust of Project Management Processes

• Lack of Awareness about Big Picture about Requested Change

• Impact of Change on their Current Role

• Organization’s Past Performance Dealing with Change

• Lack of Support/Commitment from their Manager

 Why Management Hates Changes

• Distrust of Project Team

• Loss of Control or Authority over Project Team

• Impact of Change on their Current Role

• Increased Workload and/or Lack of Time

• Culture of Change Resistance and Past Failures

 Slide on Formal Change Order Vs
Design Adjustment/Development
• To be Added….
 Recommendations for Effective
Change Management on Projects

• Detailed Scope of Work and Thorough Project Execution Plans

• Proactively Manage the Change
• Influence & Mitigate Factors that Cause Changes
• Ensure Changes are Beneficial and Evaluated before Adopting
 As a PM Always Ask…

What Category Does This Change Request Fall in ?

• A - Must Accept?
• B - Should Accept?
• C - Nice to Accept?
• D - Can’t Accept?
Change Management Workflow
CHANGE
Request
REQUEST
Denied
RECEIVED
Yes

Request D C Sponsor
Denied CATEGORY? Agreement

Impact on No
Cost,
Quality
Schedule
No

Category No Sponsor
A? Approval

Yes
Cancel Y
Authorize Change
Project
es
Update Project
Plans
 Impact of Change Management on
Project Risk
• To be Added….
Questions ?

Contact Info:
937-768-0177
rpatel@adfengineering.com