A change request should be authorized, modified, rejected or deferred as a result of the impact assessment. Once a change has been authorized, the decision should be communicated to the relevant stakeholders, the project documentation updated, as appropriate, and the change implemented. The status of the change request should be recorded and tracked, until it has been implemented and closed.
Implementing and closing change requests in change management involves several key steps to ensure that changes are executed effectively and that their outcomes are properly documented and integrated into the project. Here’s how the project organization typically handles the implementation and closure of change requests:
- Implementing Change Requests:
- Once a change request is approved, the project manager initiates the implementation process.
- Assign tasks and responsibilities to relevant team members for executing the approved changes.
- Follow the established change control procedures and adhere to the change implementation plan developed earlier.
- Communicate the approved changes to all stakeholders to ensure everyone is aware of the modifications being made.
- Monitor the progress of change implementation activities to ensure they are completed within the specified timeline and budget.
- Address any issues or obstacles that arise during the implementation process promptly and effectively.
- Regularly update project documentation and records to reflect the changes being implemented.
- Closing Change Requests:
- Once the approved changes have been successfully implemented, the project manager initiates the closure process for the change requests.
- Verify that all tasks associated with the change implementation have been completed as per the change implementation plan.
- Review the outcomes of the changes to ensure they align with the project’s objectives and meet the stakeholder requirements.
- Obtain formal acceptance or sign-off from relevant stakeholders, indicating their approval of the implemented changes.
- Update project documentation, including the project plan, requirements documents, and any other relevant records, to reflect the approved changes.
- Communicate the closure of the change requests to all stakeholders, informing them that the changes have been successfully implemented and integrated into the project.
- Conduct a lessons learned session to capture insights and feedback from the change implementation process, identifying areas for improvement and best practices to be applied in future projects.
- Archive the change request documentation and related records for future reference and audit purposes.
By following these steps, the project organization ensures that change requests are implemented efficiently and that their outcomes are properly documented and integrated into the project. This approach helps maintain project alignment with stakeholder requirements and ensures that changes contribute to project success.
A change request should be authorized, modified, rejected or deferred due to the impact assessment.
Assessing the impact of change requests is a critical step in change management. Based on the assessment, change requests can be handled in various ways:
- Authorized: If the impact assessment determines that the change is feasible and aligns with project objectives, it can be authorized for implementation. Authorization may involve obtaining approval from relevant stakeholders or change control boards.
- Modified: Sometimes, a change request may need modification to mitigate its impact or align it better with project constraints. This could involve adjusting the scope, schedule, budget, or other aspects of the change. After modification, the change request can proceed for authorization.
- Rejected: If the impact assessment reveals that the change is not feasible, does not align with project objectives, or has adverse consequences, it may be rejected. Rejection means that the change request will not be implemented, and the project will continue as planned without incorporating the proposed change.
- Deferred: In some cases, a change request may be deferred due to various reasons such as resource constraints, dependencies on other activities, or the need for further analysis. Deferral means that the change request will be reconsidered or revisited at a later stage when conditions are more favorable for implementation.
Handling change requests based on impact assessment ensures that changes are managed effectively, considering their potential effects on project scope, schedule, budget, quality, and other factors. It helps maintain project alignment with stakeholder expectations and minimizes disruptions to project progress.
Once a change has been authorized, the changes are implemented.
Once a change has been authorized for implementation, the project team proceeds with executing the necessary actions to incorporate the approved changes into the project. This implementation phase involves several key steps:
- Execution of Tasks: The project team executes the specific tasks outlined in the change request and associated implementation plan. This may involve modifying project deliverables, updating documentation, adjusting schedules, allocating resources, or any other activities necessary to implement the change.
- Resource Allocation: Ensure that the required resources, such as personnel, equipment, materials, and budget, are allocated appropriately to support the implementation of the approved change. This may involve reassigning tasks, acquiring additional resources if needed, or reallocating existing resources.
- Communication: Communicate the approved changes to all relevant stakeholders, including team members, project sponsors, clients, and other affected parties. Ensure that everyone is informed about the nature of the change, its impact on the project, and any adjustments to expectations or requirements.
- Quality Assurance: Maintain a focus on quality throughout the implementation process to ensure that the changes meet the desired standards and requirements. Conduct quality checks and reviews to verify that the implemented changes achieve their intended objectives and do not introduce new issues or risks.
- Monitoring and Control: Continuously monitor the progress of change implementation activities to ensure they are proceeding according to plan. Use project management tools and techniques to track tasks, identify any deviations or issues, and take corrective actions as necessary to keep the implementation on track.
- Documentation: Document all changes made during the implementation process, including any modifications to project plans, schedules, budgets, requirements, or other relevant documents. Maintain comprehensive records to track the history and status of each change and facilitate future reference or auditing.
- Testing and Validation: If applicable, conduct testing or validation activities to verify that the implemented changes function as intended and meet the specified requirements. This may involve user acceptance testing, system integration testing, or other validation processes to ensure the changes are effective and reliable.
- Approval and Sign-Off: Once the changes have been successfully implemented and validated, obtain formal approval and sign-off from the appropriate stakeholders or change control authorities. This signifies their acceptance of the implemented changes and confirms their readiness to proceed with the updated project deliverables or processes.
By following these steps, the project team can ensure that authorized changes are implemented effectively, minimizing disruptions and maximizing the benefits of the approved modifications to the project.
The decision should be communicated to the relevant stakeholders.
Communication is essential in change management, especially when decisions are made regarding authorized changes. Once a change has been authorized for implementation or other decisions have been made regarding change requests, it’s crucial to communicate these decisions promptly and effectively to all relevant stakeholders. Here’s why and how:
- Transparency and Clarity: Communicating decisions regarding authorized changes ensures transparency and clarity within the project team and among stakeholders. It helps everyone understand what changes are being implemented, why they are necessary, and how they will impact the project.
- Alignment and Buy-In: Clear communication helps stakeholders align their expectations with the approved changes and gain buy-in from all parties involved. When stakeholders understand the rationale behind the decisions and the benefits of the changes, they are more likely to support and cooperate during the implementation process.
- Mitigation of Resistance: Effective communication can help mitigate resistance to change by addressing concerns, clarifying misunderstandings, and highlighting the positive aspects of the approved changes. It creates a supportive environment where stakeholders feel engaged and motivated to contribute to the success of the project.
- Timely Action: Prompt communication ensures that stakeholders are informed in a timely manner, allowing them to take any necessary actions or adjust their plans accordingly. It prevents delays or misunderstandings that could arise from lack of communication or delayed notifications.
- Feedback Mechanism: Communication provides an opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback or ask questions about the approved changes. This feedback loop allows project managers to address any concerns or issues raised by stakeholders and make adjustments as needed to ensure successful implementation.
- Documentation and Record-Keeping: Documenting and recording communication regarding authorized changes helps maintain a clear audit trail and historical record of decisions made throughout the project. It provides a reference point for future discussions, evaluations, or audits related to change management.
When communicating decisions regarding authorized changes, consider the following best practices:
- Use clear and concise language to convey the decisions and their implications.
- Tailor the communication to the specific needs and preferences of different stakeholder groups.
- Choose appropriate communication channels, such as meetings, emails, project management software, or collaboration platforms, to reach stakeholders effectively.
- Provide opportunities for stakeholders to ask questions, seek clarification, or provide feedback on the decisions.
- Follow up with stakeholders as needed to ensure that they have understood the communication and are prepared to support the implementation of the authorized changes.
By prioritizing effective communication, project managers can ensure that decisions regarding authorized changes are understood, accepted, and successfully implemented by all stakeholders involved in the project.
The project documentation should be updated.
Updating project documentation is a critical step after decisions regarding authorized changes have been communicated to relevant stakeholders. Documentation serves as a formal record of project activities, decisions, and changes, and keeping it up-to-date is essential for maintaining project transparency, accountability, and alignment. Here’s why and how project documentation should be updated:
- Accuracy and Completeness: Updating project documentation ensures that it accurately reflects the current status of the project, including any approved changes or decisions made. It helps avoid discrepancies or misunderstandings that could arise from outdated or incomplete documentation.
- Traceability and Auditability: Comprehensive and up-to-date documentation provides a clear trail of changes, decisions, and their associated impacts throughout the project lifecycle. This traceability facilitates project governance, compliance, and audit processes by enabling stakeholders to track the evolution of project requirements, scope, and deliverables.
- Decision Records: Documenting decisions regarding authorized changes ensures that the rationale, considerations, and implications of those decisions are captured for future reference. Decision records serve as a reference point for stakeholders to understand why specific changes were approved and how they align with project objectives.
- Baseline Management: Updating project documentation helps maintain accurate baselines for project plans, schedules, budgets, and other essential components. Baselines serve as benchmarks against which project performance and progress can be measured, and they need to reflect any approved changes to ensure accurate tracking and reporting.
- Communication and Transparency: Updated documentation promotes effective communication and transparency among project team members and stakeholders. It ensures that everyone has access to the latest information, including changes in project scope, requirements, timelines, and resource allocations, fostering collaboration and alignment.
- Risk and Issue Management: Project documentation should reflect any changes to risk assessments, mitigation strategies, or issue resolutions resulting from authorized changes. Keeping risk registers, issue logs, and mitigation plans up-to-date helps project teams proactively identify and address potential challenges or opportunities arising from changes.
- Lessons Learned: Updating project documentation provides an opportunity to capture lessons learned from the change management process. Documenting insights, best practices, challenges, and recommendations helps improve future change management efforts and enhances overall project performance and resilience.
To ensure effective updating of project documentation:
- Assign responsibility for updating specific documents to relevant project team members or stakeholders.
- Establish a process for reviewing and approving changes to project documentation to maintain quality and consistency.
- Use version control or document management systems to track revisions and ensure access to the latest versions of documents.
- Communicate updates to project documentation to all stakeholders to keep them informed and aligned with project changes.
By prioritizing the updating of project documentation, project managers can ensure that project information remains accurate, accessible, and actionable, facilitating successful project execution and delivery.
The status of the change request should be recorded and tracked until it has been implemented and closed.
Recording and tracking the status of change requests until they are fully implemented and closed is crucial for effective change management. This process ensures transparency, accountability, and visibility into the progress of requested changes throughout their lifecycle. Here’s why and how the status of change requests should be recorded and tracked:
- Visibility and Transparency: Recording and tracking the status of change requests provide stakeholders with visibility into the progress of requested changes, including where they are in the approval process, whether they have been authorized for implementation and their current implementation status. This transparency fosters trust and confidence in the change management process.
- Accountability and Ownership: Assigning responsibility for tracking the status of change requests to specific individuals or roles ensures accountability for their progress. It clarifies who is responsible for monitoring the status of each change request, following up on pending approvals, and coordinating implementation efforts, enhancing efficiency and accountability.
- Timely Action and Follow-Up: Tracking the status of change requests enables timely action and follow-up on pending approvals or implementation tasks. It helps prevent delays or bottlenecks in the change management process by identifying issues or discrepancies early and facilitating prompt resolution or escalation as needed.
- Communication and Collaboration: Recording and tracking the status of change requests facilitates communication and collaboration among project team members, stakeholders, and change control boards. It provides a centralized repository for accessing up-to-date information on requested changes, promoting collaboration, and ensuring everyone is aligned with the status of change requests.
- Risk Management: Monitoring the status of change requests allows project managers to identify potential risks or delays in the change management process. By tracking changes closely, project managers can proactively address issues, mitigate risks, and prevent disruptions to project timelines or objectives resulting from pending or unresolved change requests.
- Reporting and Analysis: Tracking the status of change requests generates valuable data for reporting and analysis purposes. It enables project managers to generate status reports, analyze trends in change requests, identify areas for improvement in the change management process, and make informed decisions to optimize project outcomes.
To effectively record and track the status of change requests:
- Establish a standardized process or workflow for managing change requests, including defined stages (e.g., submission, review, approval, implementation, closure).
- Use a centralized change management system or tool to capture and track change requests, their status, associated documentation, and communication history.
- Assign ownership of change requests to responsible individuals or teams and establish clear roles and responsibilities for tracking and managing their status.
- Regularly update the status of change requests based on their progress through the change management process, ensuring accuracy and timeliness in status tracking.
- Communicate changes in the status of change requests to relevant stakeholders promptly, keeping them informed of progress and any actions required.
By effectively recording and tracking the status of change requests, project managers can ensure that changes are managed efficiently, risks are mitigated, and project objectives are achieved effectively.
