Mastering Project Integration: Change Management and Communication
Perform Integrated Change Control is a critical process in project integration management. It involves reviewing all change requests, approving changes, managing changes to deliverables, project documents, and the project management plan, and communicating the decisions. This process ensures that only approved changes are implemented, reducing the risk of unnecessary changes that could negatively impact the project.
The key benefit of the Perform Integrated Change Control process is that it allows for documented changes within the project to be considered in an integrated manner. This process addresses overall project risk, which often arises from changes made without consideration of the overall project objectives or plans.
The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of the Perform Integrated Change Control process are crucial to its successful execution. These include change requests, change control tools, and approved change requests, among others.
The project manager plays a crucial role in the Perform Integrated Change Control process. They are responsible for managing and controlling changes, ensuring that they align with the project's objectives and plans.
Change requests can impact the project scope, the product scope, any project management plan component, or any project document. Therefore, it's important to carefully review and manage these requests.
The project's configuration management plan defines which project artifacts need to be under configuration control. Any change in a configuration element must be formally controlled and will necessitate a change request.
The change control board (CCB) is a formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, deferring, or rejecting changes to the project. They also record and communicate decisions about changes to the project.
Approved change requests may necessitate new or revised cost estimates, activity sequences, schedule dates, resource requirements, and analysis of risk response alternatives. These changes can lead to adjustments in the project management plan and other project documents.
Finally, customer or sponsor approval might be necessary for certain change requests after the Change Control Board (CCB) approval. This ensures that all stakeholders are on board with the changes, promoting project success.