Standard Operating Procedure SOP No: SOP0000

Version No. 0.01

Page No. 1 of 7
Issue Date: 20 December 2004
Change Management Procedure Authorised by: Project Office Coordinator

Purpose
The purpose of this document is to define a structured approach to application of changes to project
documentation to ensure changes are effected in a controlled and considered manner.

Scope
This procedure defines the actions to be taken in establishing a change management system and
implementing change control procedures.
This procedure should be applied to all projects.

TEMPLATES

T025 Variation/Change Request For requesting variations/changes to

Variation/Change Control Log plan.
Log of Variation/Change Requests and
progress.
Excel Workbook.
T026 Variation/Change Request Form for detailed analysis of
Analysis Variation/Change Requests.
Excel Workbook.

REFERENCES

Generic Project Management Methodology

Generic Methodology - Implementation Phase Task 3.1.1

Project Management Procedures

 Scope Definition.
 Communications Management Plan.

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 Standard Operating Procedure SOP No: SOP0000
Version No. 0.01
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Issue Date: 20 December 2004
Change Management Procedure Authorised by: Project Office Coordinator

RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibility Authority
Primary Project Manager.
Consultation Key Stakeholders.
Sign Off Chairman Change Control Board or
Project Manager as appropriate.

Note: If a formal Change Control Board is established, sign-off responsibility for individual changes
requests rests with the Chairman, Change Control Board. On all other occasions, the Project
Manager may sign-off completed actions subject to advice and consultation with the appropriate
stakeholders.

PROCEDURE

Inputs
The project body of documentation.

PROCESS
Project change control involves an initial step of establishing a Change Management Organisation.
Hence change control is a four-step process for each change request, as shown in Figure 18 below.
Establish Change
PREAMBLE
Management Organisation

Change Request PROCESS

Assess Request Inform Those

Affected by
Changes
Implement Change

Update all Documents

and Libraries

Figure 18 Change Control Process

PREAMBLE - ESTABLISHING A CHANGE MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION

Whilst change control essentially remains a Quality Management function, each project should have
its own change control procedures in place.
The following need to be implemented:

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 Standard Operating Procedure SOP No: SOP0000
Version No. 0.01
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Issue Date: 20 December 2004
Change Management Procedure Authorised by: Project Office Coordinator
1. Change Request Documentation.
2. Change Control Procedures (This Document).
3. Version Numbering procedures for:
 Documents.
 Software.
 Test data.
 Plans.
 Specifications.
 Data models.

Change Request Documentation

A Change Request form is required to activate a change proposal. A Change Control Log is required
to control the receipt and processing of each Change Request.

Change Control Procedures

Change request procedures are contained in this document. These procedures are required to
ensure that all changes can be assessed for impact on achieving project objectives, and on other
projects and systems. Application of formal procedures will enable prioritisation of requests, and
allow for multiple changes to the system or documentation to be implemented together rather than on
an ad hoc basis.
For larger projects, it is useful to establish a formal Change Control Board to screen and assess
Change Requests. This board should comprise the Project Manager, a customer or user
representative, technical expert and a business (or financial) expert.

Version Numbering Procedures

Documents New version numbers applied to major revisions of project
documents.
Page Version Where loose leaf amendments are issued, apply update number
and date.
Software Identify by version numbers and revision dates in all cases.
Test Data Apply unique identifiers, version numbers and amendment dates.
Plans Must be dated - date of plan will indicate currency; version
numbering is optional.
Drawings Apply unique identifiers, version numbers and amendment dates.
Specifications Apply unique identifiers, version numbers and amendment dates.
Data models Apply version numbers and dates.

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Version No. 0.01
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Issue Date: 20 December 2004
Change Management Procedure Authorised by: Project Office Coordinator

STEP ONE - CHANGE REQUEST

Timing
This step must be completed prior to any resources being utilised for proposed changes to a project.

Purpose
The purpose of this step is to document any proposed changes to the project, providing reasons and
supporting information, to provide an audit trail for changes to original project documentation.

Process:
Change Request Originator

Complete the Originator’s section in the Variation/Change Request Template (T025).

Develop any supporting documentation to substantiate the reasons for the change request, or to
provide information on proposed arrangements for implementing the change.
Forward to the Project Manager for further action.
Project Manager

Log the Variation/Change Request in the Variation/Change Control Log (This will be done in the
spreadsheet by following the instructions for the Workbook (T025).
Assign a CR number.
Allocate an initial priority.
Complete the Project Manager’s Position section of the Variation/Change Request by indicating if you
intend to support the change or otherwise.
If the change is significant, raise a Variation/Change Request Analysis form and forward to the
assessment authority.
If the Project Manager has sufficient expertise he/she may assess the impact of the change. Proceed
to Step 2.

Process Output
Initiated Variation/Change Request.

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Issue Date: 20 December 2004
Change Management Procedure Authorised by: Project Office Coordinator

STEP TWO - ASSESS REQUEST

Timing
This step is undertaken after completing Step One.

Purpose
The purpose of this step is enable assessment of the change request to determine technical, financial
and resource feasibility, and the consequential impact on the project cost, schedule and technical
solution.

Process
The Variation/Change Request is analysed within the following areas of expertise:
1. Technical or Professional as appropriate to determine:
 technical solution and feasibility.
 resource and time estimates.
 initial cost estimates.
 impact on the base lined solution.
2. Financial to determine:
 The financial feasibility of the proposed solution.
 The impact on the project budget, particularly with respect to current program
commitments.
3. Project Manager to determine the impact on the project schedule, including changes to the Key
Activity Schedule and planned completion dates.
Each area of responsibility should complete the Variation/Change Request Analysis Template (T026)
if required and forward to the next person in the chain.
The project Manager may undertake the assessment. Guidance on the areas to be covered are in the
form. Particular attention needs to be paid to impact on the project schedule, budget and technical
performance of deliverables.
Consult with the Customer (or internal project sponsor) to determine the acceptability or otherwise of
the proposed change(s) and resultant impact.
The Variation/Change Request is then forwarded to the approving authority for consideration. In
larger, more complex projects, this may be a Configuration or Change Control Board. In small
projects, the decision may be taken by the Project Manager in consultation with the Program
Manager. In all cases involving significant changes to project schedule, budget or solution, approval
to implement the change will require authorisation from the project’s original approving authority (e.g.
Board or Executive).
Decisions are entered into the Variation/Change Control Log.
In the event of a Variation/Change Request not being approved, the Variation/Change Request form
is to be annotated accordingly, including reasons for rejection. A copy of the Variation/Change
Request is then forwarded to the Originator.
Approved Variations/Changes are to be forwarded to the Project Manager for further action.

Process Output
Approved or Rejected Variation/Change Request.

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Issue Date: 20 December 2004
Change Management Procedure Authorised by: Project Office Coordinator

STEP THREE - IMPLEMENT CHANGE

Timing
Implementation of any proposed change is undertaken only as a consequence of approval of the
Variation/Change Request by the appropriate authority.

Purpose
The purpose of this step is to ensure that approved changes are implemented.

Process
1. The Project Manager allocates a priority and updates the Variation/Change Control Log.
2. Work is authorised in accordance with normal procedures (see Performance Monitoring and
Control) through release of a Tasking Sheet (see Template T019).
3. On receipt of actuals data on returned Tasking Sheets, the Variation/Change Request and
Variation/Change Control Logs are annotated with Actual Start Dates.
4. On completion of the Implementation, the actual completion date is recorded in the
Variation/Change Request.

Process Output
Implementation of the Variation/Change.

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Version No. 0.01
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Issue Date: 20 December 2004
Change Management Procedure Authorised by: Project Office Coordinator

STEP FOUR - UPDATE ALL DOCUMENTS AND LIBRARIES

Timing
This process is commenced in parallel with Step Three and completed following implementation of the
change.

Purpose
The purpose of this step is to ensure that all project documentation affected by the change accurately
reflects the status of amendments.

Process
The Project Manager ensures that all relevant documentation is updated to include detail associated
the change.
Document version numbers and dates are amended accordingly.
Variation/Change Control Log and Variation/Change Request are ‘signed off’.

Deliverable
Updated project documentation.
T025 – CHANGE MANAGEMENT FORMS
T026 – CHANGE REQUEST ANALYSIS

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