Are you aware of the right time to think about change management Right after project initiation. Also, as soon as possible. Why? All knowledge areas should be involved in change management throughout the project’s lifecycle. How does it happen? You begin project execution. Soon, a change request is received. It is a small and simple correction to a requirement. To integrate this change into WBS you will need to redesign it. These are just inconveniences. The real problem lies deeper. You will also notice them later. You will not be able to link poor change management to reduced quality, unexpected serious risk, or delays in schedule.
Actively avoid changes
You want to avoid changes, no matter what method you use. Do not confuse Scrum with any other agile or adaptive methodology. They are designed to minimize the impact of rapidly changing environments. However, it is possible to introduce a change within an iteration.
All change management efforts should be geared towards avoiding any changes. It is a complex task and requires a certain mindset.
Change Management Mindset
PMBOK(r), Guide Change Management is part of Integration Management. You don’t know why? Because a change can have a ripple effect on a project in multiple knowledge areas.
A small change in scope is not possible. This change will have an impact on schedule and costs. A change in scope could lead to a conflict between requirements. It could pose new risks. It could require additional effort to ensure quality. It might require skills and knowledge that the project team does not have at the moment. It may also require changes to contracts with vendors or other third parties.
More important is the change impact stakeholders expectations. You must manage them proactively.
It is not an easy task. Never.
You must understand that a change can have a significant impact on several aspects of a project. Every project has multiple aspects. There are always difficult interrelations between known activities and risks. Assessment with a systematic approach is required. Included without analysis should not be done. Should be approved by customer.
These are five reasons you should avoid making changes.
Management of change is like a puzzle. It should be the center of everything. [iStock/EtiAmmos]When does Change Management Happen?
Once a project management plan has been approved, change management can begin. During the planning phase, you don’t need to create change requests. Nothing is final here, and everything is a draft.
This is what I want you to know. It doesn’t matter if it is a Sprint Backlog or a Project Management Plan, once it has been signed and approved, the only way to make a change is to create a Change Request. At the very least, you want to try for it.
Types of changes
Do you believe that only clients or stakeholders can make a difference? Nope. It’s done by project managers.
There are four types of requests in theory:
Change Request. This type of request can be used to request a change to an approved plan, its baselines, or to a policy or procedure. It is a general type.
Corrective Action. This type is used for taking any necessary actions to return to the original plan. This is what I will repeat. You cannot change the project plan at will. You must do your best to adhere to the plan. You must resolve problems, remove obstacles and push the project forward.
You must take action when things get really bad. You can ask your team members to work overtime to catch up. You can also remove something from your project scope. Or push the deadline.
Preventive Action. This type is the exact same as the one before. You take preventive action. You try to prevent possible problems.
