Learning Outcomes
After studying this article, you will be able to explain the purpose and structure of change control processes in project management, identify how change requests are handled, differentiate between types of changes and their approval paths, and recognize common mistakes regarding change management. You will also be able to apply integrated change control principles to project scenarios as tested on the PMP exam.
PMP Syllabus
For PMP, you are required to understand how changes are managed and controlled throughout a project. This includes identifying when changes should trigger formal change control processes, knowing the steps involved in evaluating, approving, or rejecting change requests, and applying integrated change management principles across project constraints. Before reading, focus your revision on:
- The purpose and structure of integrated change control.
- How change requests are originated, evaluated, and approved or rejected.
- The roles of project manager, sponsor, and change control board in change control.
- The impact of changes on project baselines and constraint interdependencies.
- Key documentation required for effective change control (change logs, status updates, etc.).
- Common mistakes and pitfalls related to change management on the PMP exam.
Test Your Knowledge
Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision.
- A stakeholder requests a significant change to project scope during execution. What should the project manager do first?
- Which changes require formal integrated change control approval?
- Who is typically responsible for approving or rejecting changes affecting project baselines?
- Which document is updated each time a change request is evaluated?
Introduction
Projects will experience requests for changes—these may arise from stakeholders, unforeseen issues, defects, or updates to requirements. Without a systematic approach, changes can threaten project success by shifting scope, timeline, budget, or quality. Change control processes provide a structured method to capture, evaluate, authorize, implement, and communicate changes. These must be consistent, documented, and integrated across all project constraints. Understanding change control is an essential PMP exam competency.
Why Change Control Is Important
Change control processes ensure that only beneficial and necessary changes are allowed. Every change, whether proposed by the client, the team, or management, is reviewed for its impact on scope, schedule, cost, risks, quality, and resources.
Key Term: Change Control The defined process to manage change requests by evaluating, approving, rejecting, and documenting any changes, ensuring project objectives remain aligned.
Integrated Change Control vs. Ad Hoc Changes
Integrated change control means evaluating each proposed change for its impact across all project constraints—not in isolation. This prevents scope creep, wasted resources, and misalignment with project goals.
Key Term: Integrated Change Control The process of assessing and managing the impact of any proposed change across all areas of the project plan, ensuring changes are only approved after full evaluation.
Change Requests: Types and Origins
Change requests can be initiated by anyone (team members, stakeholders, functional managers), and may relate to scope, cost, schedule, quality, procurement, risk responses, or resources.
Common categories:
- Corrective Action: Restore future performance to plan.
- Preventive Action: Prevent future problems or deviations.
- Defect Repair: Rectify a deliverable or process that does not meet requirements.
- Updates: Modify plans, baselines, or documents.
Key Term: Change Request A formal proposal to modify any component of the project plan, baseline, deliverable, or process, subject to change control review.
The Change Control Process
All changes that affect baselines, policies, the charter, statements of work, contracts, or organizational processes must be submitted via change request for integrated change control review.
Typical steps in the change control process:
- Raise the Change Request. Anyone can submit, but must provide required data (description, reason, impact).
- Evaluate the Impact. The project manager and, where appropriate, the team must analyze how the change will affect all project constraints, not just the immediate area.
- Identify Options. Propose alternatives (e.g., reschedule, adjust resources, trade scope for time) to reduce negative impact.
- Seek Approvals. Changes affecting baselines or project plans usually require sponsor or change control board (CCB) review and sign-off.
- Update Change Log. Status and reasoning (approved, rejected, deferred) are documented.
- Communicate Change. Inform all relevant stakeholders of change decisions and downstream impacts.
- Implement and Update Documentation. Approved change is incorporated into all affected plans and baselines before execution proceeds.
Key Term: Change Control Board (CCB) The formally assigned group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, deferring, or rejecting changes to the project plan or baselines.
Impact on Baselines and Documentation
Only after a change is approved are all relevant project documents, plans, scope statements, WBS, schedules, and baselines updated to reflect new requirements. Project teams then execute according to revised plans.
Who Approves Changes?
The level of approval depends on the impact:
- Minor document updates may be approved by the project manager.
- Baseline changes (scope, schedule, cost) require sponsor and/or CCB approval.
- Scope changes outside the original charter must be escalated for sponsor sign-off.
- All approvals, rejections, and the rationale are recorded in the change log.
Worked Example 1.1
A team member identifies an error in a specification that would affect overall product quality if left unaddressed. She recommends changing a component, which involves shifting cost and schedule.
What is the project manager’s next step?
Answer: Submit a formal change request with a full analysis of the impact on scope, cost, and schedule; evaluate options; present to the change control board or sponsor for approval; record the decision in the change log; and only then proceed to implementation after approval.
Change Log and Tracking
A change log is critical for tracking all proposed, approved, rejected, and implemented changes. This prevents repeated requests, enables traceability, and serves as historical record.
Key Term: Change Log The project document used to record all change requests, their status, approval decisions, and any actions or comments.
The Importance of Evaluating All Constraints
Any change may affect other constraints. For example, a change to scope may impact cost, quality may affect schedule, and so on. The project manager must always analyze these interdependencies before seeking approval.
Exam Warning
If a scenario states that a change has been made without formal evaluation or approval, it almost always indicates non-compliance with proper project management. The PMP exam will penalize “act first, get approval later” approaches.
Escalation and Change Authority
Not all changes are within the project manager’s authority. Changes outside the approved charter, contractual terms, or organization policies must be escalated—typically to the sponsor, steering committee, or CCB.
Change Control in Agile and Predictive Life Cycles
- In predictive (waterfall) projects, integrated change control is formal, and changes are restricted after baselines are established.
- In agile projects, change is expected. The product backlog is reprioritized in each planning cycle, but major changes outside agreed cost or schedule tolerances may require sponsor or high-level approval.
Worked Example 1.2
During project execution, the client requests adding a feature not in original scope. The project manager estimates the change will add two weeks to schedule and $10,000 cost.
What should the project manager do next?
Answer: Evaluate the effect on all constraints; prepare a change request; submit to CCB or sponsor for decision; update the change log and communicate the result; only implement if approved.
Revision Tip
On the PMP exam, always select options that evaluate change impacts across all constraints before implementation or communication to stakeholders.
Summary
Change control processes ensure that all significant modifications to project plans are evaluated, approved, documented, and fully integrated across all project constraints. Only after a change is approved should plans be updated and execution continued according to revised baselines.
Key Point Checklist
This article has covered the following key knowledge points:
- Change control processes are essential for managing change requests in projects.
- Integrated change control ensures all constraints are evaluated for impact before approval.
- Change requests may originate from any stakeholder but must be formally documented and assessed.
- Approval authority depends on the effect—significant baseline changes require sponsor or CCB approval.
- Every change is logged, tracked, and communicated to stakeholders.
- Only after change approval are baselines and plans updated and execution allowed.
- Change control in agile projects is less formal for product backlog work, but major scope/cost/time changes must still be controlled.
Key Terms and Concepts
- Change Control
- Integrated Change Control
- Change Request
- Change Control Board (CCB)
- Change Log
