User:Bertgonzalez/sandbox

Request review at WP:AFC
People normally tend to perceive change as a bad thing, but today as businesses continue to evolve, it is unavoidable to not have a change request in the organization so the company can meet the client’s needs. The aspect of a change request, which is also known as a scope change, is an important area that requires complete understanding of the scope of work and the effect of changes from the PM group and stakeholders. These change requests at any stage or level of development, implementation or project upgrade can affect the project in areas like cost, risks, constraints, schedule, assumptions and deliverables. We can’t ignore or deny that as the world continues to change most businesses will try to request changes and It is important that we are able to handle change requests without jeopardizing the project. The dilemma we experience when working on a project is how much change is too much change? Are the changes being documented? Are tools in place to control change requests? How much will it cost? Is it necessary? These are just some of the questions can help to determine if we have some sort of procedure in place to manage the change requests and how to control them. Thus we can manage the project successfully because the effect of changes in a system without any control can turn the project to a disaster. Today in business, the aspect of change control is very important because it allows managed changes in the scope of work without losing control and avoiding disorganization in the work environment. A project manager should have some sort of mechanism or control system in place when the client asks for features to be added or removed from the project which can also increase the level of the project difficulty. According to Harris, E (2012) these are 6 six steps to manage the change control process: 1.	The process begin with the Request for Change which has to be submitted in writing. It could be with the use of a standard, simple word or excel document form that contains date, project name, project number, requested by, description of the change, reason and possibly other areas that may help to provide a good understanding of the change and the benefits to applying it. 2.	The second step is named Receive RFC. This needs to be sent to the respective person that is assigned to collect them, project manager or director. 3.	The next step is named Analyze RFC. This phase will be done by the project management team and they will check how the change will impact the scope, budget, schedule, deliverables, etc. of the project. 4.	The fourth step is named Make the Decision. At this stage, if the change requires additional money and time, the stakeholder, future user and sponsor must be informed. If the sponsor and stakeholder agree to the financial fees then the change can take place. 5.	The fifth step is Incorporate Changes into the Plans. At this point, the project needs to be updated with the change request addition. It is also imperative that all members are aware of the change addition. 6.	The final step is to Inform the Requestor. This means that the individual who submitted the RFC form needs to be notified about the addition or status of the change, what resources were necessary in order to add the change and the financial cost. This is done with the main goal to share awareness of the impact of adding or changing the systems. The change control system in any stage of a project has become a tool that can help to manage people’s requests properly. With this tool, managers can prove to be capable of driving the project with confidence, experience and knowledge. It is also recommended to make sure to keep a Change Request log that can help to track all requests submitted almost like a database. Change without control can become a bad company move, decision or risk. They are the result of a deviation, waiver or management issue process. So before approving any change, the project manager should review the change request carefully and plan strategically if the change can benefit the client.(Egeland, 2009). A good recommendation is that during the change control process you require signatures just in case anyone claims to question who placed the request, who reviewed it, or who approved it, who added it and who implemented it. In that way, you will be able to show accountability during the request process. The Change Control process helps to regulate the practices used to make modifications during any stage of a project with the main target to ensure the appropriate approval, addition and testing in any system. Heagney, J ( 2012). When change requests are submitted the respective authorized committee or entity should be the only one allowed to sign and approve the request. The purpose of this policy is to make sure all project members and the client understands that is a change control procedure in place. In conclusion, I think the change control is a great systematic process that can contribute to track any modification in the project, giving you the ability to review all change requests. Reference. Cobb, A (2012).Leading project teams: the basis of project management and team Leadership (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, Calif. Sage Richman, L (2012). Improving your management skills (2nd ed) New York. American management association. Heagney, J ( 2012). Fundamentals of project management. (4th ed). New York. America management association. http://www.epmbook.com/scope.htm Harrin, E (May,2012).The change control process. Project management tips. http://pmtips.net/change-control-process/ Egeland, H (2009). Managing project change control. Project management tips. http://pmtips.net/managing-project-change-control/