Change Control Process

.consulting .solutions .
partnership
Change Control Process

March 2019
Agenda
1 Definitions
2 Changes in projects
3 Change Control Process
4 Templates
5 Conclusions
For each slide see details in Text Notes area
Interested in templates only? Go to section #4
© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 2

Definitions
What does Change means/implies?

Definitions
Change definition (Merriam Webster)
• Change (transitive verb)

- To make different in some particular (alter); To make radically different (transform)
- To give a different position, course, or direction to
- To replace with another
- To make a shift from one to another (switch)
- …
• Change (intransitive verb)
- To become different; to undergo transformation, transition or substitution; etc.
• Change (noun):
- The act, process, or results of changing such as: Alteration, Transformation, Substitution
- Money in small denominations
- A fresh set of clothes
Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/ (14-March-2019)

Definitions
One process only, but output of many
Initiating Planning Executing Monitoring and Controlling Closing
Integration 4.1 Develop 4.2 Develop Project Management Plan 4.3. Direct and Manage 4.4 Monitor and Control Project Work 4.6 Close Project or
Project Charter Project Work 4.5 Perform Integrated Change Control Phase
4.5 Perform Integrated Change Control
Scope 5.1 Plan Scope Management 5.5 Validate Scope
5.2 Collect Requirements 5.6 Control Scope
5.3 Define Scope
5.4 Define WBS
Time 6.1 Plan Schedule Management 6.7 Control Schedule

6.2 Define Activities
6.3 Sequence Activities
6.4 Estimate Activity Resources
6.5 Estimate Activity Duration
6.6 Develop Schedule
Cost 7.1 Plan Cost Management 7.4 Control Costs

7.2 Estimate Costs
7.3 Determine Budget
Quality 8.1 Plan Quality Management 8.2 Perform Q Assurance 8.3 Control Quality
Human 9.1 Plan Human Resource Management 9.2 Acquire Project Team
Resources 9.3 Develop Project Team
9.4 Manage Project Team
Communications 10.1 Plan Communications Management 10.2 Manage Communications 10.3 Control Communications
Risk 11.1 Plan Risk Management 11.6 Control Risks

11.2 Identify Risks
11.3 Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
11.4 Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
11.5 Plan Risk Responses
Procurement 12.1 Plan Procurement Management 12.2 Conduct Procurement 12.3 Control Procurement 12.4 Close Procurement
Stakeholder 13.1 Identify 13.2 Plan Stakeholder Management 13.3 Manage Stakeholder 13.4 Control Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholders Engagement
1. Source: Project Management Book of Knowledge, 5th Edition, 2015 Processes with Change Requests as output

Definitions
Definitions in Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMI)
• Approved Change Requests: A change request that has been processed through the integrated
change control process and approved
• Approved Change Requests Review: A review of the change requests to verify that these have
been implemented and approved.
• Change Control: A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines
associated with the projects are identified, documented, approved, or rejected
• Change Control Board (CCB): A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating,
approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating
such decisions
• Change Control System: A set of procedures that describes how modifications to the project
deliverables and documentation are managed and controlled.
• Change Control Tools: Manual or automated tools to assist with change and/or configuration
management. At a minimum, the tools should support the activities of the CCB
• Change Log: A comprehensive list of changes made during the project. This typically includes
dates of the change and impacts in terms of time, cost, and risk.
• Change Request: A formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline

Definitions
Changes have different meanings in a project
• The term “Change” and its variations in the previously mentioned PMBOK
- 850+ occurrences in 600+pages
• The project is a change for the customer
- Operations as the standard way to run the business
- The project as a change, followed by a new stable way to run the business
- Resistance to change by the users (especially who knows the old system very well)
- Look for champions in customer organization
• Change in customer organization is different from Change Management in projects
- Processes and organizational changes in parallel with projects, usually outside the scope
• Projects are unique, but why changing and reinventing the wheel?
- Re-use documents and coding (check IR first), leverage on templates
- Similar customers have similar requirements, propose Best practices
• Changes in project scope
- Changes are opportunities, Project Managers should not be so in love with the baseline…
- … but not to flexible to accept changes without a formal process

Agenda
1 Definitions
4 Templates
5 Conclusions

Changes in projects
Changes from what?
• If you’re changing, there is a starting point
• Purpose of the project:

- Deliver something
- On time
- On budget
• Triple objectives: Scope + Time + Budget
- Should be prioritized: Which first, if you need to balance
• Quality as objective “on top”
• Must
- Define the baseline of the project
- If a CR is raised, balance against the prioritized objectives
- If the CR is approved, re-baseline

Changes in projects
Example: New requirement or changes in a requirement
Impact Drivers
Scope Large Complexity of the requirement & Amount of work
Time Medium Raised earlier Vs later in the project cycle
to Low Possibility to do the work in parallel with other tasks
Resource availability
Complexity of the requirement & amount of effort
Cost Medium Amount of work
Resource mix
• Options
- If the scope is priority, ok to go if acceptable costs increase and low impact on time
- If the time is main objective, postpone the new requirement to a later project or sacrifice other
requirements. Postponing or replacing requirements is also an option not to increase the
budget of the current project
- Do not proceed if too high budget or risk on current schedule
- Look for workarounds for both the Postpone option and the No-Go option

Changes in projects
Example: Negative CR (removal of requirement or activities)
Impact Drivers
Scope Large Complexity of the removed requirement & related amount of work
Time Medium Reduced effort and activities
(See the case when schedule is at risk)
Cost Medium Amount of work
Reduced mix
• Options
- Reduce the budget
- Move the budget to other activities, such as:
• More support during the project or after Go-Live
• More training
• Look for other items in the backlog of nice to have requirements
• Rebuild a depleted contingency budget in T&M projects
- Reject the proposal

Changes in projects
Example: Re-schedule (typically delaying activities)
Impact Drivers
Scope No / Low Add scope item from backlog if resources are available
De-scope not to delay the overall duration of the project
Time Large Possibility to bring forward other activities
Presence of schedule contingency in baseline to reduce delay
Risk of key activities late in project (e.g. development close to UAT)
Cost Low / Cross-activities (e.g. Project Management) extended
Medium Delay due to activity taking longer and more effort
Possibility to re-allocate resources if pure delay with same effort
• Options
- Accept delay because there is no alternative, evaluate the impact on cost
- Accept delay if additional risks on schedule are low and budget increase is minimal
- Re-plan activities in order to keep the same overall schedule (do something else earlier)
- Challenge the delay, find ways to recover
- Reduce the scope and postpone some requirements after Go-Live, evaluate cost reduction

Changes in projects
Example: More support (on a T&M basis even in FP)
Impact Drivers
Scope None
Time Medium Available resources with proper skills
Cost Large Resource mix
• Options
- Accept if the budget increase is reasonable
- If support is not possible or extra cost is high, extend duration of some activities to allow entity
in charge to complete the work (CR for re-scheduling?)
- If support is not possible in the given timeframe, re-schedule the project when the resources
will be available
Evaluate the implications (see previous example)

Agenda
1 Definitions
4 Templates
5 Conclusions

Change Control
Committee
Steering
Evaluate Appro Yes

CR ved ?
No
Log the Yes End

Prj Managers
CR
Yes
(PMO) Estimate
Large Appro Add CR to
impact on
CR ? ved ? baseline
cost & No
Assign schedule Update
owner No log
CR Owner
Propose Propose
solution and alternative
estimate solution
Project
Team
Raise Document
CR the CR
Start Thresholds should be defined to decide whether a CR is Large or Small,

CR Log
for both budget and schedule variation due to the CR.

Flow in details (1/2)
1. A Project team member raises a Change Request

- Better limit to key roles
- Some customers prefer only customer can raise CR
2. The CR Raiser documents the request and the reasons behind
3. The Project Managers (msg / customer) or PMO logs the CR and assigns it to a
owner
4. The CR owner analyzes the request and proposes a solution or more solutions
matching the request
- Including pre-requisites, impacts and anything relevant
5. The CR owner estimates the effort and time to implement the solution(s)
6. The msg Prj Mgr consolidate the estimates in terms of variations on the schedule,
resource allocation and cost
7. The msg Prj Mgr communicates to the customer Prj Mgr the cost and schedule to
implement the CR

Flow in details (2/2)
8. For small CR the decision can be taken at Prj Mgmnt Team level
a) If approved, msg Project Manager adds the CR to the baseline (plan updated); both Prj Mgrs
inform the Steering Committee is informed and the process ends
b) If not approved
I. Go back to step 4, or
II. Drop the request and the process ends
9. For larger CR the request is forwarded to the Steering Committee for approval
a) If approved, msg Project Manager adds the CR to the baseline (plan updated) and the
process ends
b) If not approved
I. Go back to step 4, or
II. Drop the request and the process ends
10. Any Project Manager or PMO keeps the CR log up to date after each step
• Thresholds for level of authorization defined at project start, both for budget and time

Agenda
1 Definitions
4 Templates
5 Conclusions

Change Control Templates
Available Templates
• Two templates are currently available in the Project Management templates repository
• Word document to raise and document the Change Request

- One per each CR
- Versioning during the CR life cycle, draft when raising a CR, then adding the proposed solution
when identified
• Excel table to log all Change Requests in the project
- Living document in the project repository
• Guidelines are included in both templates

• Both templates can be tailored to suite project needs
- More or different sections in the Word-based CR request
- Different columns in the Excel-based CR log

Change Request Document – Header and footer
Copy paste
customer logo
Tailor the project
name or the title of
the document
Put the name of the

customer on the
footer

Change Request Document – CR description
Define a naming convention. Here suggested to

number the CR with three digits.
Use the same naming convention for the filename.
CR Raiser
When the CR owner is

assigned the CR to evaluate.
Use this section for the longer description.

Responsible person is the CR owner who will The title is short and will be used in the CR
look for the solution the solution log.

Change Request Document – CR Description (1/2)
Field Guidelines
CR title Short enough to refer to it quickly, e.g. in the CR log
CR # Unique number of CR. Be consistent throughout the project
Raised by Who raises the CR, i.e. the CR Raiser
Date Raised Date when the CR was raised
Area Use this to categorize the CR, usually referring to project streams.
Examples: Business or specific Business area, Integration,
Migration, Infrastructure, Testing
Type New Request or Change to an existing requirements.
Impact on Reference to the triple constraint, which are affected?
Wider description of impact is on the CR Description box

Change Request Document – CR Description (2/2)
Field Guidelines
Priority High, Medium or Low. Set by the CR raised, agreed upon with
customer
Responsible Person The person who is assigned the CR to evaluate the solution (CR
owner).
Date Assigned Date when the CR was assigned to the CR owner
CR Description In this section the reason behind are described, explaining the
consequences if the CR is not implemented.
Consequences may include risks.

Change Request Document – Solution(s)
Estimated effort is used only for

Completion date cannot be T&M project or T&M activities in a
committed without a starting date. Fixed Price project.
The starting date give insight on
the timeline to approve the CR.
Files with details can be attached.

Change Request Document – Status Log
This section is used to log the various steps in the CR life cycle. Some of them which
will be recorded in the CR log as well.
Usually the CR document is created either when the CR is raised or more typically
when the solution is drafted.
Only one among “Accepted” ‘ Rejected” or “Postponed” should be used. The CR may
be postponed and then later rejected, etc.
“Completed” might not be used, since the CR will be in the project baseline anyway.

CR Log – Project Info
Confidential between
the customer and msg
If the file is stored on a

repository like
SharePoint, these two
fields might be ignored.

Change Request Log table

CR log – Fields (1/2)
Field Format Guidelines

ID CR-number In the template this is automatically computed from the
line of the table. Three digits are used.
Area Text Category of the Change Request (from CR Document)
CR Title Text Short title of the Change Request (from CR Document)
CR Description Text Longer description, which however should be shorter
than the longer description in the CR Document.
Status Text Be consistent throughout the project. Limit the option,
e.g.: Raised, Analyzed, Proposed, Approved, etc.
Raised by Text Name of the CR Raiser
Date originated Date This date refers to the when the CR Raiser creates the
CR. However, if the CR is mentioned for the first time
during a meeting, the date of the meeting can be used
here.

CR log – Fields (2/2)
Field Format Guidelines

Analyzed by Text Name of the CR owner. The CR might be analyzed by other
people, but one reference person only is recommended.
Date analyzed Date When the CR has been analyzed and solution is thought of.
Date proposed Date When the CR and its solutions are submitted to the
customer, jointly with the estimated cost and schedule.
Effort Number Person-days to perform the activities (for T&M only)
Cost Number Cost to implement the proposed solution
Approved / Text The name who has authorized or declined the proposal.
Rejected by One field only is used, since one case only happens. The
status will inform about which case.
Date Appr/Rej Date When the CR has been approved or rejected.
Notes Text Any additional info related to this CR. Avoid novels.

Agenda
1 Definitions
4 Templates
5 Conclusions

Conclusions
Some Recommendations (1/2)
• Raise even apparently small CR’s at project start to get the customer familiar with the
process, e.g. a CR on rescheduling with no impact on cost
- Do not exaggerate in opening many silly CR’s though
• For large CR, you may need significant effort to evaluate the request; this should be
pre-authorized by the customer as additional budget.
- The analysis is additional work even if the request is eventually rejected, as example a three
person-days threshold can be defined
• Evaluate the CR as you estimate a project, i.e. including:
- Analysis, development, unit test, project management
- Contingency for uncertainties
- Documentation and training
- Pre-requirements, Customer related activities, interdependencies with other project activities
• Propose the cost impact as you propose a project to the customer, i.e. keep some
margin for negotiation, even for T&M projects

Conclusions
Some Recommendations (2/2)
• If you don’t have a sound scope definition and a well defined baseline, you cannot raise
any Change Request
- Expect the users to asks for new requirements, they have likely not been involved in the
definition of the project
• Always keep in mind the priority among project objectives (see triple objectives)
• Do not overlook a delay in the project, since it generally increases project costs
• Change Requests are good practice for Time & Material projects as well
- The customer should be informed of the extra costs
- In case of cost-sharing, the baseline needs to be updated
• Do not wait to raise a Change Request, it should be raised as soon as request occurs
• Do not start working on a not approved Change Request
• Avoid gold plating, even if resources are free

Marco Perezzani msg global solutions ag (Headquarters)
Project Portfolio Services and PM Community Eichwatt 3, 8105 Regensdorf
Leader Switzerland
Marco.Perezzani@msg-global.com www.msg-global.com
.consulting .solutions .partnership

Change Control Process

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.consulting .solutions .

Change Control Process

3 Change Control Process

For each slide see details in Text Notes area

Interested in templates only? Go to section #4

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 2

What does Change means/implies?

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 3

Change definition (Merriam Webster)

• Change (transitive verb)

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/ (14-March-2019)

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 4

One process only, but output of many

Initiating Planning Executing Monitoring and Controlling Closing

Time 6.1 Plan Schedule Management 6.7 Control Schedule

Cost 7.1 Plan Cost Management 7.4 Control Costs

Risk 11.1 Plan Risk Management 11.6 Control Risks

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 5

Definitions in Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMI)

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 6

Changes have different meanings in a project

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 7

3 Change Control Process

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 8

Changes from what?

• If you’re changing, there is a starting point

• Purpose of the project:

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 9

Example: New requirement or changes in a requirement

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 10

Example: Negative CR (removal of requirement or activities)

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 11

Example: Re-schedule (typically delaying activities)

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 12

Example: More support (on a T&M basis even in FP)

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 13

3 Change Control Process

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 14

Evaluate Appro Yes

Log the Yes End

Start Thresholds should be defined to decide whether a CR is Large or Small,

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 15

Flow in details (1/2)

1. A Project team member raises a Change Request

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 16

Flow in details (2/2)

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 17

3 Change Control Process

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 18

• Word document to raise and document the Change Request

• Guidelines are included in both templates

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 19

Change Request Document – Header and footer

Put the name of the

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 20

Change Request Document – CR description

Define a naming convention. Here suggested to

When the CR owner is

Use this section for the longer description.

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 21

Change Request Document – CR Description (1/2)

© msg global solutions | March 2019 | Change Control Process in projects 22

Change Request Document – CR Description (2/2)