Change Requests and the Change Request Log

Purpose

Change requests are written or verbal statements of need or desire. They reflect a stakeholder’s interest in making a modification to the project as proposed, planned, or in execution. The change request log provides a documented record of change requests, as well as their disposition.

Application

Change requests are used when any stakeholder believes the project or customer organization may be better served by a different strategy or approach to the process or deliverables. Change requests may be initiated by virtually anyone at any level of either the buyer or seller organization. In some organizations, only written change requests will be acknowledged or evaluated, whereas in others, verbal change requests will also be given consideration. The change request log is used as a history of change requests and as a means of tracking their disposition on an ongoing basis.

Content

The change request, either verbal or written, should include a description of the nature of the change, the source of the request, and the rationale for the request. The change control log catalogs that information, as well as impact information, in a column format, similar to that shown in Table 5.3.

The table may also include cross-reference information, linking the change request to certain contract line items or to elements of the work breakdown structure. It may also include a glossary of terms for “current disposition” and “impact assessment,” because different organizations may require different levels of review and approval for changes.

Approaches

The change request log builds in a measure of consistency into the change management process. It encourages common inputs into the process and a common evaluation approach for all change requests. As a key component of project requirements, the log should be readily available to project team members responsible for project delivery. It should be maintained in a file with read-only access to those who are not responsible for approving or disapproving project change requests. If multiple iterations of the document are being retained over time, a rigid version control process (using dates or 1.X.X codes) should be established to reflect the currency of the document.

Considerations

Verbal change requests are not uncommon so, ultimately, before their impact is assessed and approval granted, they need to be documented. Many organizations will not accept any change request that is not in writing. Others wait until the change reaches the approval stage before they commit it to paper. In either case, it is essential to capture the history of changes as part of the project document record in order to ensure the right project requirements are ultimately being met.