Change Management Plan Template
This template allows a project manager to control, manage and monitor change requests that occur throughout the life of a project. This plan defines who has the authority to approve the change requests and sets up a process of how a person can make a change request. It defines the information and justification that is required for each change.
Its intent is to ensure that only 'considered' changes are present to the CCB (Change Control Board) or team responsible for changes as defined in the project plan.
A project change management plan will be developed in the planning phase of and names the individuals that are responsible and involved in the whole process of recording, managing, assessing and monitoring change requests. The project sponsor and project manager play key roles in this process and the development of this plan. Its purpose is to minimize 'scope creep' by allowing only approved changes to be implemented so any alterations to the project schedule, resources, budgeting, risk assessment or quality control are negligible.
When an individual requests a change to be made to the project scope the component of the project plan it implicates must be clearly stated. In many cases it will have implications for more than one component and the impact must be clearly defined for each one. These components consists of such things as the:
• Personnel in the organization
• Customer relationships or service levels
• Cultural impact to the organization or business relationships
• Impact of using new or different technology
• Documentation, legal or legislative requirements
• Operational processes & procedures
• Alterations to skills required & ability to retrain within the desired timescale.
It is essential that your procedures for reviewing all change requests, approving changes and managing changes to the deliverables, organizational guidelines, project documents and the project plan are properly integrated.
