How can you effectively document changes in a waterfall project?

1 Define the change process

Before you start your project, you should define and document the change process that you will follow in case of any changes. This should include the roles and responsibilities of the change requestor, the change manager, the change board, and the change implementer. It should also specify the criteria, steps, and tools for evaluating, approving, rejecting, and communicating changes. Having a clear and consistent change process can help you avoid confusion, conflicts, and wasted time.

3 Assess the change impact

Before you approve or reject a change request, you should assess its impact on the project. This means that you should consider how the change will affect the project objectives, scope, schedule, budget, quality, and risks. You should also evaluate how the change will affect the dependencies, deliverables, and requirements of the previous and subsequent phases. Assessing the change impact can help you weigh the benefits and costs of the change, and determine its feasibility and priority.

4 Implement the change plan

Once a change request is approved, you should implement it according to the change plan. This means that you should update the project documents, such as the project charter, the project plan, the requirements specification, and the design specification, to reflect the change. You should also communicate the change to the relevant stakeholders, such as the project team, the project sponsor, and the end users. Implementing the change plan can help you execute the change in a controlled and coordinated manner.

5 Verify the change quality

After you implement a change, you should verify its quality and functionality. This means that you should test the change to ensure that it meets the specifications and expectations, and that it does not introduce any errors or defects. You should also review the change to ensure that it complies with the standards and guidelines of the project. Verifying the change quality can help you ensure that the change delivers the desired value and quality.

6 Document the change outcomes

Finally, you should document the outcomes and lessons learned from the change. This means that you should record the results and feedback of the change, such as the benefits, drawbacks, issues, and risks. You should also document the best practices and recommendations for future changes, such as the success factors, challenges, and improvement areas. Documenting the change outcomes can help you evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the change, and learn from your experience.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?