Definition Change Request
Projects do not always proceed as desired. During the course of a project, adjustments to the workflow or to certain work results are often necessary. Minor adjustments are usually within the scope of an individual’s discretion and can be implemented immediately. Larger deviations, however, require a formal request and subsequent review by the project management.
The instrument for this is called a change request. A change request is a formal proposal from a person involved in the project. Its purpose is to deviate from the original planning, the result or the organisation of a project at a defined point in a specific way.
A change request can relate to the following matters, for example:
- Requests to change processes, plans, deadlines and procedures
- Requests to extend or reduce the product scope or content
As a rule, a specific procedure for submitting and processing a change request is defined in advance. This procedure should be clearly communicated to all project stakeholders. Every change to the project parameters in turn requires the attention of the project management. Their task is to review and finally evaluate change requests.
When reviewing change requests, project management must carefully weigh whether
- … the proposed deviation leads to an overall better project result or not.
- … the additional effort resulting from the change, if any, is in a reasonable proportion to the benefit.
Often the last point in particular is decisive. Since projects are usually planned with minimal resource use, deviations from the plan can quickly lead to project timelines or project costs being exceeded. The decision as to whether the extent of these additional costs is offset by other factors is often difficult and must be made under uncertainty.
Regardless of the outcome of the final decision, all change requests and their decisions are documented. This makes it traceable when a change request was submitted but ultimately rejected. Conversely, every change request that is approved is also documented.
Change requests can be submitted by the project team itself, but they can also come directly from the client. If the change request is not within the scope of the concluded contract, an appropriate adjustment to the project order must also be made, or a new order is created.
Every approved change request has a direct effect on project content and scope. In order to map these plan changes efficiently, a flexible project management software is advantageous. Changes in prices and costs must also frequently be factored in. Contractors then benefit from a unified software solution with which quotations and invoices for (partial) projects can also be generated automatically.