Norveld Nugget — Change Control Plan

They say that change is the one constant in life—that’s especially true for projects. How you handle project changes will determine how well your project stays on track. Don’t try to prevent changes or to accept them wholesale. Either way, you’ll not only sink your project but maybe your career as well!

Not all change requests are created equal. Some changes are needed more than others and some not at all. Some have significant impact on project constraints, and some don’t. But if you accept all change requests, you will soon find yourself fighting for more time and money. That money is not always available, and that time is made up by working long days and weekends.

Change requests by themselves aren’t a problem. It’s how you handle those requests that can make the difference between the project meeting stakeholder expectations or not—the difference between success and failure. It’s not about preventing change—you can’t. It’s about properly incorporating valid changes into the plan, managing the implementation of those changes during the project, and effectively communicating the changes throughout the project organization to keep everyone on the same track.