Change Control in Integrated Change Control

Submitted by eldrin.connery on Tue, 09/14/2010 - 17:40

I have seen such detailed explanations, especially by the PM PrepCast team, that I am sending my first post. Hope I get a detailed explanation as others.


I have just started my PMP and am looking at the Project Integration Management Knowledge Area. I am getting confused with the entire end-to-end change control process. For example:


1) Lets assume Change Requests get created in the Control Scope/Control Schedule etc process. I do understand that change requests are inputs to the the Perform Integrated Change Control which are  approved/rejected by the CCB  and then they act as an input to Direct and manage project execution as  "Approved Change Requests". But I see that that the Direct and Manage Project Executon process as well as the Control Scope/Schedule process both have Project Management Plan/Project Document updates as their output which confuses me.


2) Some books mention that a change request needs to be created first  and then impact analysis done with options while others say that impact analysis should be done with options and then a change request should be created.


Could someone kindly give a detailed explanation of the entire change process anatomy from start to end i.e. from inception of change to communication the information to the stakeholders once a change gets approved?


Thanks.


 


 


 


 


 

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pmpodcast

Sun, 09/19/2010 - 18:23

 Hi,

 

Although I have answered the same question at some other forums, let me repeat that answer so the others can benefit from it as well.

 
Change requests arise from two parties; from the project team including the project manager and from the customer or sponsor. If the change request is from the sponsor or the customer, that is, external to the project, you have to analyze the change request first before you forward it for approvals. You can see here, that in this scenario, the change request is followed by the analysis. On the other hand, if during any stage, either the project manager or the project team feel a change imperative to the project, you need to first analyze it before you issue the change request and then seek it’s approval. You can see that in this scenario the analysis is now followed by the change request. No matter what the situation is, a change request must always be analyzed before you forward it for approvals.
 
Let’s address your second question now. Let’s see the lifecycle of a specific change request by an example. Consider you are managing a building construction project that you have to complete in one year. In the sixth month, you feel that if you continue with your current speed you will not be able to complete the project before the deadline. Now you want to fast-track the project in order to complete it within time. However before you issue the change request, you have to study the change impact during the control schedule process. If you are satisfied by the change and its impacts, you will issue the change request and forward it for the approvals. Now hold over here for a minute, you have just issued a change request and forwarded it for approvals, don’t you have to document this? You have to document the reasons behind the change request, your analysis details and the change request itself right? Correct! So you will document all these in your project documents before you forward the change request for approvals. The change request will be processed out of the project team by the CCB during a part of the integration change control process. You will receive the approved change request in your direct and manage project execution process. Here you will implement the change request and also update your project plans (remember you will not update your project plans before the change requests get approved). Also, won’t you document the actual change request implementation information and impacts observed somewhere now? Earlier were the results of assumptions and analysis, but now you have actuals? Yes, you will document all this information in your project documents and also update the project management plan before you execute the change request, both during the direct and manage project execution process.
 
To summarize, before the change request approval, you will use both the control process and the integration control process to issue the change request. While, once the change request gets approved, you will again used the direct and manage project execution and the control process again to execute and monitor the change.
 
I hope this addresses all of your questions.
 
Regards,
 
Exam Support Team