How do you control change requests in a waterfall project?
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Change requests are inevitable in any project, but they can be especially challenging to manage in a waterfall project, where the scope, schedule, and budget are fixed from the start. How do you control change requests in a waterfall project without compromising quality, stakeholder satisfaction, and team morale? Here are some tips to help you handle change requests effectively and efficiently in a waterfall project.
Define a change control process
The first step to control change requests in a waterfall project is to define a clear and consistent change control process that outlines how changes will be identified, evaluated, approved, communicated, and implemented. The change control process should also specify the roles and responsibilities of the project manager, the project sponsor, the change control board, the project team, and the stakeholders. Having a well-defined change control process will help you avoid confusion, delays, and conflicts when dealing with change requests.
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Firstly, there is no such thing as a 'Waterfall project'. Secondly, who in their right mind would believe that you can fix all three of scope, schedule and budget? Change control is an important part of any project, to the extent that it is written in to many forms of contract. It is absolutely true that you need a well defined change control process but the premise that it is somehow difficult on a 'Waterfall Project' is flawed.
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Your introduction is not accurate 1) there is no waterfall project or PM method 2) plans are not fixed. Plans provide guidelines, and good plans will have flexibility 3) also, is it not the purpose of a change management process to change the plan where and when needed? Change management is needed for all projects, regardless of the development approach, whether sequential or agile. Every project must have objectives, if we change objectives, we have to change the plan and the implementation, again, even in an agile environment.
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Assess the impact of change requests
The second step to control change requests in a waterfall project is to assess the impact of each change request on the project scope, schedule, budget, quality, and risks. You should use a change request form to document the details of the change request, such as the originator, the reason, the description, the benefits, and the alternatives. You should also perform a change impact analysis to estimate the cost, time, and resources required to implement the change request, as well as the potential effects on the project deliverables, milestones, dependencies, and assumptions. You should use a change log to track the status and outcome of each change request.
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I believe it is essential to an impact analysis for every change request. Ideally, every change request should be thoroughly assessed with respect to all major project control parameters: scope, schedule and cost. Every change will have an impact on the project operation as a whole, or even a certain process, as well as downstream and upstream. Whenever a change is put forth, the stakeholders must comprehend its effects and implications on the linked functions.
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Yes, agree. It is best to be informed before making a change. Knowing the cost, risk, impact and outcome are necessary. I would scale this process according to the size of the project. You may not need a change log if you have only 5 change requests in three months.
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Obtain approval for change requests
The third step to control change requests in a waterfall project is to obtain approval for each change request from the appropriate authority. Depending on the size and complexity of the change request, you may need to get approval from the project sponsor, the change control board, or the stakeholders. You should present the change request form and the change impact analysis to the approver, and explain the pros and cons of the change request. You should also seek feedback and input from the project team and other experts before submitting the change request for approval.
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Don’t forget that specific and critical projects may need input from SME that can validate or clarify to the change control board the magnitude and full impact of the requested change.
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Surely, approval is the last stage before the order is confirmed for execution by the implementer. Clear communication is therefore necessary to all stakeholders.
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Communicate and implement change requests
The fourth step to control change requests in a waterfall project is to communicate and implement the approved change requests. You should update the project plan, the project scope statement, the work breakdown structure, the schedule, the budget, the quality plan, and the risk register to reflect the changes. You should also inform the project team, the stakeholders, and the other affected parties about the changes, and provide them with the revised project documents and instructions. You should assign the tasks and resources needed to execute the changes, and monitor and control the progress and performance of the change implementation.
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Communication remains a strong linkage in project implementation regardless of stage/phase. The clarity in communication will eliminate any misinterpretation by any stakeholder. Communication must be simplified to the dot to see its effectiveness among all involved.
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Approved changes require excellent communication to ensure a successful change. If you had done a change impact analysis or otherwise noted a significant impact from a change you would want to iterate back through your project management documentation and update anything this could have effected.
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Review and evaluate change requests
The fifth step to control change requests in a waterfall project is to review and evaluate the results and outcomes of the change implementation. You should compare the actual cost, time, and quality of the changes with the estimated cost, time, and quality of the changes. You should also measure the benefits and value of the changes for the project objectives and stakeholder expectations. You should document the lessons learned and best practices from the change management process, and share them with the project team and other relevant parties. You should also celebrate and acknowledge the achievements and contributions of the project team and other involved parties.
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In Addition to Manage Expectations and relationships in your project, Do not overpromise, be realistic and promise only what your team can deliver. Agree to only those goals which you feel your team is competent to deliver. Once you and your customer mutually agree on project goals, ensure that they are delivered on time and to exceptional standard. Set Milestones Accurately Setting the right milestones is imperative when you start working on a project. They give clarity on how a project will progress and keep things transparent between both parties. Be honest and transparent about what kind of performance you expect from your team. Manage Project Expectations & Get Ready for a Successful Take Off.
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Changes need input from third parties. It is rare for the team executing a change to know all aspects of impact for their change. Despite planning and preparing for a change there could be other conflicts they are not aware of, such as changes in other areas. A common place I see this occurring is changes from one project occurring simultaneously as others. A system update to servers would prevent an application update from working on time, so it is best to review and evaluate all of your project changes with other projects and operational functions as well.
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Manage expectations and relationships
The sixth and final step to control change requests in a waterfall project is to manage expectations and relationships with the project sponsor, the stakeholders, and the project team. You should communicate frequently and transparently with them about the status and outcome of the change requests, and address any issues or concerns that may arise. You should also manage their expectations realistically and proactively, and avoid promising or agreeing to changes that are unrealistic or unfeasible. You should also build trust and rapport with them, and seek their feedback and involvement throughout the project lifecycle.
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One thing I found helpful is to set right expectations and proper two-way communication and engagement throughout the project lifecycle- to continuously be on the same page. Successfully managed change control systems can have a major impact on our customer expectations and their opinion. In addition, it’s important for the project team to always document the lessons learned - don’t reinvent the wheel.
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Its a great effort to do a proper stakeholder analysis on a project environment. This will facilitate meeting expectations of the beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries with minimized conflicts, but also champion a manageable co-existence. All in all; stakeholder involvement helps to create beneficial ownership at completion and most of all mutual sustainability.
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Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?
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I think that it's essential to correctly classify the restriction and/or area of knowledge to which the Changeis linked to, in addition to mapping the business areas involved and also the interested parties as such. The objective is to consolidate change's cause in a transparent manner and facilitate the evaluating and dealing by those responsibles. For example, a Change that directly affects a commercial area may require actions in the way this department interacts with other areas linked to the project. In this way, adjustments in the area's internal processes are demanded and, therefore, the need for the correct classification of the changing event, based on the restrictions that are affected, and the link with the affected areas.
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Contingency budget is as essential to a project's health as having a Change Mgmt Plan and a Risk Mgmt Plan. Changes are going to happen; without a contingency budget, once a critical change occurs, the only option available to a Project Owner is to reduce one of the constraints (Time - Cost - Quality) in order to "pay" for the change (or to ignore it). This is true in any type of project, including Agile and Scrum projects. There's always a "cost" associated with critical changes, and you're going to pay for it one way or another.
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