Karl TwortSenior Project Manager| Fresh EggUnited Kingdom
You are the PM on a fixed date tight deadline IT project, which is on track. The client has made a change to the delivery which they assume is trivial.
However, your team has reviewed the detail and the required change will impact the delivery date.
Mikel SteadmanPMO Leader| Development Dimensions InternationalTroy, Nh, United States
Karl,
If you have a change control board process in your plan, execute the change control process.
If you do not have a change process in your plan, then you must analyze the impact of the change and communicate the impact to the client.
The client getting realized value is the most important thing. Ultimately, the client needs to make the decision.
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1 reply by Karl Twort
Nov 12, 2019 4:39 AM
Karl Twort
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Hey Mikel,
Yep, I agree. The option of initiating the CR process is an important factor in this decision. It's key to ensure this is in place from the outset, to give the tools to assist this scenario.
Saving Changes...
Karl TwortSenior Project Manager| Fresh EggUnited Kingdom
Nov 12, 2019 4:35 AM
Replying to Mikel Steadman
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Karl,
If you have a change control board process in your plan, execute the change control process.
If you do not have a change process in your plan, then you must analyze the impact of the change and communicate the impact to the client.
The client getting realized value is the most important thing. Ultimately, the client needs to make the decision.
Hey Mikel,
Yep, I agree. The option of initiating the CR process is an important factor in this decision. It's key to ensure this is in place from the outset, to give the tools to assist this scenario. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Karl
Interesting your question
Thanks for sharing
Analyze the impact of the change and communicate the impact to the client
If the client is willing to bear the costs and accept the new deadline, make a change request and formally approve
After all we are talking about changes to the project scope
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1 reply by Karl Twort
Nov 12, 2019 5:17 AM
Karl Twort
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"If the client is willing to bear the costs and accept the new deadline, make a change request and formally approve"
Interesting point, although in some cases, adding budget for additional resource *MAY* enable the fixed deadline to still be met. Let's not forget the PM triangle :)
Saving Changes...
Karl TwortSenior Project Manager| Fresh EggUnited Kingdom
Nov 12, 2019 5:14 AM
Replying to Luis Branco
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Dear Karl
Interesting your question
Thanks for sharing
Analyze the impact of the change and communicate the impact to the client
If the client is willing to bear the costs and accept the new deadline, make a change request and formally approve
After all we are talking about changes to the project scope
"If the client is willing to bear the costs and accept the new deadline, make a change request and formally approve"
Interesting point, although in some cases, adding budget for additional resource *MAY* enable the fixed deadline to still be met. Let's not forget the PM triangle :) Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Follow the defined project change management process. Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Certainly, there is a need for communications with identifying impacts to scope, schedule, cost. Based on this information, if the plan is to continue, formalize with CR, if not, note in the decision log. Saving Changes...
As others have said, you need to follow the project change management procedures defined for this specific project, but given that it schedule adherence appears to be the highest priority, the options you will present to the client would likely include either de-scoping lower value scope elements in favor of the added requirements or (if feasible and budget permits) crashing the schedule.
Yes, it is about the formal project change management process, but it is more than that. It is about stakeholder management and communications management, and ultimately about the relationships you have built and hopefully can leverage. How will you communicate the potential delay, and how will the client respond? What options have you explored before you respond? Understand why the change was requested in the first place, as it may help you understand their perspective, and above all, avoid a me vs. them approach. Saving Changes...
You have already begun the change control process because the customer has requested a change and your team has reviewed it.
Robust change control processes include multiple phases. The first is a feasibility analysis and ROM evaluation of the impact. There is no reason wasting money on a detailed evaluation of a bad idea if a high level evaluation already determines it is a bad idea.
You have done that, so it should be communicated back to the customer. They can decide if they want to go further and get a detailed answer of how much cost and schedule disruption it will add. If they still want the change, then it continues through the change management process which will determine both the impact to the customer, and the detail level impact to your plan. Saving Changes...
