How do you handle change requests and issues that arise during the implementation of change initiatives?

1 Define change control

Change control is a formal process that ensures that any changes to the project plan, scope, deliverables, or resources are reviewed, approved, and documented. Change control helps to avoid scope creep, reduce risks, and maintain stakeholder satisfaction. Change control involves identifying the change request or issue, analyzing its impact and feasibility, deciding whether to accept or reject it, and implementing and verifying the change. Change control also requires updating the project documents, such as the change log, the project schedule, the budget, and the quality plan.

2 Identify change requests and issues

Change requests and issues can come from various sources, such as the project sponsor, the client, the team, the suppliers, or the external environment. Change requests are formal proposals to modify the project plan, scope, deliverables, or resources. They can be triggered by new requirements, feedback, opportunities, or problems. Issues are problems or conflicts that arise during the project execution and need to be resolved. They can be caused by technical errors, human errors, communication gaps, or unexpected events. You need to capture and document change requests and issues as soon as they occur, using a standard template or form that includes the description, the source, the date, the priority, and the status.

3 Evaluate change requests and issues

Once you have identified and documented a change request or issue, you need to evaluate its impact and feasibility. You need to assess how the change request or issue affects the project objectives, scope, quality, cost, time, risk, and benefits. You also need to consider the availability of resources, the alignment with the project strategy, and the stakeholder expectations. You can use tools and techniques such as impact analysis, cost-benefit analysis, feasibility study, or decision matrix to help you evaluate change requests and issues. You need to document your evaluation results and recommendations, and communicate them to the relevant stakeholders.

4 Decide on change requests and issues

Based on your evaluation results and recommendations, you need to decide whether to accept or reject a change request or issue. You need to follow the change approval process that is defined in the project plan or the change management plan. The change approval process specifies who has the authority to approve or reject changes, what criteria are used to make decisions, and how decisions are communicated and documented. You need to ensure that the change approval process is transparent, fair, and consistent. You need to document the decision outcome and rationale, and update the change log and the issue log accordingly.

5 Implement and verify changes

If a change request or issue is accepted, you need to implement it according to the approved plan. You need to assign roles and responsibilities, allocate resources, update the project schedule and budget, and monitor the progress and quality of the change. You also need to communicate the change to the relevant stakeholders and manage their expectations and feedback. You need to verify that the change is completed successfully and meets the project requirements and standards. You need to document the change results and lessons learned, and update the project documents accordingly.

6 Resolve issues

If an issue is rejected, or if it cannot be resolved by implementing a change, you need to resolve it using other methods. You need to identify the root cause of the issue, and explore possible solutions or alternatives. You can use tools and techniques such as problem-solving, brainstorming, negotiation, or escalation to help you resolve issues. You need to document the issue resolution and lessons learned, and update the issue log accordingly.

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?