BradEgeland.com
  • Welcome
  • Blog
  • Expertise
  • Resume
  • Software / Service Reviews
  • Contact
  • Videos
  • Books / White Papers
  • Mentoring Contact Form
  • Awards/Recognition
  • Templates & Downloads
  • Clients
  • Professional Services
  • Past Survey Results

Change Control is Key to Project Success

12/23/2018

1 Comment

 
Change control is one of those tasks the project manager must do but usually hates to perform. It's never easy. It can require an iron fist mentality and the willingness to take a hard line with the very customer you are trying to satisfy. Sort of a Catch 22. It can result in increased revenue, but always at the expense of a customer that needs the change to meet a business process need or requirements clarification. It can increase project profitability, but only if you are very accurate in your effort planning and estimation because it can quickly decrease project profitability. It will almost always result in a longer implementation time because more work is required – not that you're missing a deadline because the work is required, but it will always feel like you're missing a deadline. You can win, but it often feels like you're losing, too.

Delivering the right solution. Without proper change control and scope management in place, we run the risk of delivering the wrong solution. How? Because if the customer requirements call for 'x' and we allow that to morph into 'y' because of small changes the customer may think are good then when it comes time to test, the solution being tested won't match the requirements. And if no change orders were drawn up to cover the small changes requested by the client, there is no trail to test against. So which is really right – the requirements or or the solution that is being tested but doesn't match the requirements? And does anyone really know?

Profitability. If those changes are made – and if they are the right ones, then the solution being tested is right. But because no changes were tracked via scope management and change orders, additional project revenue was not realized for that work and timeframes weren't extended due to the extra tasks happening to make that work possible. What suffers then? Profitability. You still did the work, but you didn't add revenue and therefore those costs associated with the work just hit the project budget without bringing any further dollars with it. Added cost without added revenue equals decreased project profitability.

Staying on schedule. The same holds true for schedule. Adding tasks to do the work, but not adding any time to the project schedule as a result of a change order, means you'll get the work done but you won't likely be able to deliver the project on schedule. Especially not if you need to test adequately and do everything you planned to do on the project. Those tasks that were added to do the out of scope work have to hit somewhere and the timeline takes a hit with those activities.

Minimizing change orders. Good change control means you can bring potential changes up to the project client as they become obvious. Good scope discussion with your project customer will result in wise change order decisions on what we should allow to affect the project and what isn't really necessary. If they client knows what is a change and what isn't – because you're doing a good job managing scope – then they can make wise choices on potential changes. Some are going to obviously be necessary...some will be deemed luxuries and tossed aside.

Summary / call for input

It's never fun to be the one who has to yell “out of scope!” to the client and come running with an expensive change order to sign. Just like it's not fun to be the parent who does most of the disciplining in the family. But it has to be done or you'll soon have a mess on your hands. How about our readers? How good are you at managing scope? Do you hate it? What tips and tricks can you share that make scope management easier?
1 Comment
Uday
12/24/2018 03:48:37 am

Great article Brad, so true

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author:

    Picture

    Brad Egeland


    Named the "#1 Provider of Project Management Content in the World," Brad Egeland has over 25 years of professional IT experience as a developer, manager, project manager, cybersecurity enthusiast, consultant and author.  He has written more than 8,000 expert online articles, eBooks, white papers and video articles for clients worldwide.  If you want Brad to write for your site, contact him. Want your content on this blog and promoted? Contact him. Looking for advice/menoring? Contact him.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    November 2009

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.