Integrated Change Control is a project integration management process, effectively practiced in organizations and firms at different phases of projects. It is a project management tool for handling the effect of changes on projects through suggestions, evaluations, and endorsement of these changes for successful implementation. Changes remain unavoidable in projects which imply that manager will have to implement a change to any given project (Phillips, 2013). It is essential to note that requests for change could emanate from anyplace and at any time during the project execution. The project design and approach are duly documented in the project management plan so as to manage changes along with the extent to which that design and process must be adhered. This concept provides an answer to why managing integrated change controls remained so important in management.
If a project manager of a firm was requested to effect some changes to a project right from beginning to the final stage of the project and the project was carefully evaluated to confirm that necessary changes such as project revisions, adjustments to plans, product modifications and changes to project documents remain unavoidable. Then, these changes are must be carefully evaluated and determined whether the changes should be accepted, rejected, or suspended.
An example of a typical project is a renovation of a 50 thousand sitting capacity stadium which must be completed in phases. Consequently, this project will involve an accurate implementation of the following modifications:
Project revisions: Some impromptu changes to the project cropped up before the project commencement, this could be due to financial concern, changes in demand and supply, technological advancement, etc. Implementing this changes to the project will necessitate the substitution of the core team members to fit into the revised project scope.
Adjustment to project management plan: This is a scenario whereby new team members are inaugurated, and the project will be thereby, extended by additional days or weeks.
Product changes: This involves keeping the costs to the barest minimum since the project director has resolved to amend the project and implemented the changes suggested to the project plan before its execution.
Changes to project document: These changes occur because of the introduction of new regulations and statutory policies by constituted authorities which has, directly and indirectly, impacted the stadium renovation exercise. Therefore, the changes become a prerequisite that must be included in the requirement documentation and the traceability matrix.
Managing "Integrated Change Controls" has remained remarkably important project management process that helps managers and team members to regulate the cost of executing changes to the plan and the project when the prices fluctuate as the project progresses. This management process strictly concerns about how to overcome making changes to the initially structured program and project outline as well as possible prevention of changes to plans, but if the need arises, then Integrated Change Controls will assist managers to make the changes decisions on time. When the modifications are unavoidable, then integrated change controls reinforced the process of analyzing the impact of the changes on the project.
In conclusion, specific changes suggested in a project are efficiently managed using Integrated Change Control process, which critically weighs and evaluates the impact of individual changes proposed against the entire project. The process integrated the changes made to the project and measured the impact of modification to one part of a project across the entire project.
Works Cited
Phillips, Joseph. PMP, Project Management Professional (Certification Study Guides). McGraw-Hill Osborne Media, 2013.
