TOPIC: Configuration Mgmt Plan or System, Change Mgmt Plan, Change Log

Can any one kindly elaborate on the differences and also how they are linked together? The configuration management plan, the change management plan and the change log. Is the change log the old school version of the configuration or change management system? So I understand that once a change is requested and if it impacts other project constraints, then a change request is submitted to the CCB, so do you update the change log or do you update the configuration mgmt system or the change management system?

Hi Pensee .

The configuration management plan is part of the project management plan and describes the configurable items of the project and identifies the items that will be recorded and updated so that the product of the project remains consistent and operable. (PMBOK 6th Edition Pg,88, 116)

Whereas the definition of the change management plan describes how the change requests throughout the project will be formally authorized and incorporated. (PMBOK 6th Edition Pg 88)

A change log is described as a document in which the disposition of all change requests are recorded. (PMBOK 6th Edition Pg 120)

The difference between the 3 is that the configuration management plan highlights sections or items in the project that have specific procedures for initiating and executing changes. For example in a building construction project, certain project artefacts such as drawings will be under configuration control meaning that there is a certain way that they need to be updated by involving the architect, engineer and local authority. However, the colour of the paint in the building might not be under configuration control. Change management plan then describes how any change requests are executed for all items whether they are under configuration control or not. (In our example, this applies to both the drawings and the colour of the rooms) Finally, the change log is a project artefact that describes how each change request was dispensed. This will apply to both the change requests that were accepted, deferred or rejected.

To answer your other 3 questions;
1) "...Is the change log the old school version of the configuration or change management system?..."
# No. Please refer to my explanation above.

2) "...So I understand that once a change is requested and if it impacts other project constraints, then a change request is submitted to the CCB, so do you update the change log or do you update the configuration mgmt system or the change management system?..."
# In this case you update the change log only with the dispensation of the change. For all change requests, the dispensation can either be accepted, deferred or rejected.

I hope this helps.

Best.
Eric.

The main difference between the change management and configuration management systems is that change management deals with process, plans, and baselines, while configuration management deals with product specifications.

Change vs Configuration Management Examples:

Case: 1
During the middle of the project, your contractor for steel work walks off the job and you have to find a replacement. You find an alternative, but the new contractor will not start working on your project for a week.

This will delay the project. Therefore, you will raise a change request for a one-week extension of the schedule through the change management system.

Once this request is approved, you will update your schedule baseline.

This is an example of the change management system.

Now let us look at an example of the configuration management system.

Case: 2
You are constructing a school building and the client requests that you increase the number of rooms from ten to fifteen.

This is a request to change the product scope as the client has altered the product configuration.

You will handle this change under the configuration management system because here the specifications of your product have changed. Earlier the school building had ten rooms, and now it will have fifteen rooms.
Please note that in the first case, you raised the change request to increase the deadline of the project by one week. There was no change to the product, the change was only needed in the schedule baseline; the school building was the same, but you will hand over this building to the client one week later.

If you have a change request that needs to be reviewed by the CCB ( per your org’s policies only the CCB can review requests that impact the baselines), but the CCB only meets once a month, and you have two weeks to complete the project ( which is running behind) and therefore cannot wait till next month, what would be the best step to take as a PM?

Amy:

Is that a test question (if so what are the choices?) or a "what do I do in real life" question? If a test question - please provide the choices. In real life, the PM would call a meeting of the CRB for the requested change.

Harry

In additon to Martin Email , All the changes in change Management Plan are recorded in Change log ( Whether it is accepted , rejected by PICC ), in order to prevent doing double job again in later and also to prevent Scope Creep.Hope it helps