Integrated change control

Integrated change control is the process of reviewing all change requests, approving changes and managing changes to deliverables, organisational process assets, project documents and the project management plan, and communicating their disposition. It is performed from project start until closure and is the responsibility of the project manager, with approval by a Change Control Board (CCB) or sponsor.

Why it is needed

Change is inevitable. Uncontrolled changes cause scope creep, cost overruns and delay. The process ensures all changes are evaluated for their impact on the whole project (scope, time, cost, quality, risk) before acceptance.

Steps (change control process)

1. Identify and raise change request (any stakeholder) in writing: description, reason, urgency.
2. Record in the change log.
3. Analyse impact on scope, schedule, cost, quality, risks, resources.
4. Review by CCB: approve, reject or defer.
5. Inform the requester and stakeholders of the decision.
6. Implement approved changes; update baselines and plans.
7. Verify the change and close the request.

Change request -> Log -> Impact analysis
        -> CCB decision -> Approve/Reject/Defer
        -> Implement -> Update baseline -> Close

Types of changes

• Corrective action, preventive action, defect repair, and updates to plan or documents.

Tools

Change control tools (forms, logs, version control), meetings, expert judgment.

Outputs

Approved change requests, change log, updates to project management plan and documents.

Principles

• All changes through a formal process.
• Maintain integrity of baselines.
• Keep records of every change.
• Emergency changes have a quick path but are documented later.
• Include customers where contract is affected.

Example: A client asks to add an SMS notification module. The manager estimates 3 weeks and Rs 1.5 lakh extra; the CCB approves after the client agrees to the additional cost, and the baselines are updated.