Concepts
Managing project changes is an inescapable fact of a project manager’s job. Regardless of how well planned a project is, changes are likely to occur due to various internal and external factors. The ability to effectively manage project changes is a cornerstone of the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam.
1. Understanding The Types Of Project Changes
There are generally three types of changes that occur in a project:
- Requested Changes: These are changes that a stakeholder within or outside the project team has asked for. These changes often stem from new business requirements, opportunities or challenges.
- Unplanned Changes: These changes occur without prior notice or planning. These can be due to unforeseen circumstances like a financial crisis, sudden technology obsolescence or other unexpected events.
- Emergent Changes: These are changes that come up during the routine execution of the project. They usually occur as a result of better understanding of the project or when unforeseen issues crop up.
Knowing these types of changes, project managers can better plan and manage them when they arise.
2. Change Management Processes
The Project Management Institute (PMI) in its Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)® Guideline has illustrated a process for managing project changes:
- Change Request: Any changes to the project must first be formally requested. This serves as an official record of the needed change.
- Evaluate Impact: Once a change is requested, project managers must evaluate its impact on the project. This includes assessing its effect on the project’s scope, cost, schedule, and quality.
- Approve or Reject Change: After an exhaustive impact analysis, the identified stakeholders must either approve or reject the change.
- Implement Change: If a change request is approved, it must then be implemented in the project plan.
- Validate & Document The Change: The change has to be validated to ensure that it was correctly implemented and then documented for future reference.
For better understanding, here’s a comparison table denoting the stages of Change Management Processes and their significance.
| Stage of change process | Significance |
|---|---|
| Change Request | To formally record a needed change |
| Evaluate Impact | To assess the change’s effect on the project |
| Approve or Reject Change | To decide whether the change will be implemented |
| Implement Change | To integrate the approved change into the project |
| Validate & Document Change | To ensure correct implementation and record for future reference |
3. Using Tools For Change Management
There are several tools available that project managers can use to manage changes effectively. These include:
- Change Control Tools: There are quite a lot of software available that can track change requests, store documents related to changes, and produce status reports.
- Expert Judgment: Rely on experts’ opinions in understanding the impact of changes and the strategies to manage them.
- Meetings: Regular meetings with the project team and stakeholders can facilitate discussion about the changes and plan the measures to address them.
In conclusion, managing changes in a project is a necessary skill for project managers. Understanding the types of changes that occur in a project and following the stages of Change Management Processes can make project managers proficient in handling changes. Tools like change control tools, expert judgment, and regular meetings can be handy. Preparing for the PMP® exam includes understanding and practicing these skills.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True or False: Changes in a project are always negative and should be avoided at all costs.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: While changes can introduce risk and uncertainty to a project, they are not always negative. Managed correctly, they can lead to improvements and innovation.
In project management, what is Change Control?
- A. A process for identifying and documenting necessary changes
- B. A process for managing and approving project changes
- C. A process for eliminating project changes
- D. A process for ignoring project changes
Answer: B. A process for managing and approving project changes
Explanation: Change control is a formal process used to ensure that all changes to a project are introduced and implemented in a controlled and coordinated manner.
True or False: One of the keys to managing project changes is to have a formal, documented change management process.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Having a formal, documented change management process in place is essential for managing change in a project, as it allows for a uniform and controlled approach to the handling of changes.
Who is responsible for approving or rejecting project changes?
- A. The stakeholders
- B. The project manager
- C. The team members
- D. The change control board
Answer: D. The change control board
Explanation: Typically, a change control board consisting of project stakeholders is formed to review and approve or reject project changes.
Which of these is NOT a necessary input into the change management process?
- A. The change request
- B. The impact analysis of the change
- C. The project’s budget
- D. The results of the last company excursion
Answer: D. The results of the last company excursion
Explanation: The last company excursion is not needed. Key inputs include the change request and the impact analysis.
A Change Log is:
- A. A record of the change requests
- B. A record of a project’s budget
- C. A record of the project’s timeline
- D. A record of the project’s stakeholders
Answer: A. A record of the change requests
Explanation: A Change Log is a document that is used to record all change requests which have been received and processed.
The primary key to manage project changes is:
- A. To say no to all changes
- B. To say yes to all changes
- C. To evaluate, control, and document all changes
- D. To ignore all changes
Answer: C. To evaluate, control, and document all changes
Explanation: Evaluating, controlling, and documenting all changes is essential to effectively manage project changes.
True or False: Impact analysis is not an integral part of change management.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Impact analysis is a significant part of change management as it helps understand the effects of the proposed change on the project variables.
Which is NOT a part of the change control system in project management?
- A. Change Request
- B. Change Control Tools
- C. Configuration Management System
- D. Marketing toolsets
Answer: D. Marketing toolsets
Explanation: Marketing toolsets are not part of the change control system but are generally part of the organization’s marketing function.
All changes in a project must be:
- A. Approved by the project manager
- B. Documented, assessed and approved
- C. Ignored
- D. Rejected
Answer: B. Documented, assessed and approved
Explanation: It is important to ensure that all changes in a project are documented, assessed, and approved to maintain control over the execution phase of the project.
Great post! Managing project changes is indeed crucial for PMP.
Does anyone have tips on change control boards (CCB)?
Can anyone suggest a good tool for tracking project changes?
Thanks for the insights! Very helpful.
It’s important to document every project change meticulously. Any thoughts?
Change management should include stakeholder communication. Agree?
I found the blog very informative. Thanks for sharing!
How about the role of risk management in managing project changes?