What's the difference between change management and release control?
Brianne JeongProgram Manager| Getty ImagesSeattle, Wa, United States
I work with a client that would like me to implement a release control process. I've already been working on a change management process which seem to have a lot of the same components. What's the difference? Saving Changes...
Senior Advisor to the CEO| PMISterling, Va, United States
Hi Brianne,
I think it's generally a question of granularity. A software release refers to a large scale change (or set of changes) in a software system - like a Microsoft service pack or the release of version 4.X of a software package. Change Management processes and systems are often more about component-level changes and versions of source code.
The audience for a software release (typically external, delivered to end-users) and internal "change management" is also often different. Software releases often need user documentation vs just technical docs and the communication around each release is more important.
Here are lots of articles on the site that might help.
Saving Changes...
Owen WernerIT Service Manager| Vector LimitedAuckland, New Zealand
Hi,
I've been using the ITIL definitions for change and release. At a high level the change activities are;
Managing the process of requesting the change, assessing changes, authorising changes and reviewing changes.
Release activities;
Planning, design, build and configuration, Rollout planning, testing, UAT, Communication and testing, installation/deployment.
As a summary, Change Management is the process that makes sure that all Changes go through a solid validation and approval process. Just using Change Management doesn't really get any changes 'out there'. Change Management should gather relevant information about each and every change in the system (why, who asked for it, was it approved?, when...).
Release Management, on the other hand, is the process that groups changes (if needed), and takes care about the schedule, the communication, etc. And then they are Released to the field, to the end-users, to the production environment, or to whatever is applicable within your activities. Data collected within Release Management should allow you to know, for instance, when was each specific Change released.
Of course, all of that makes a lot more sense, and is lots easier, if you also have a good configuration management system and process in place, following the ITIL recommendations. Saving Changes...
Matthew YurksaitisOwner/CEO| YFI Enterprises LLCGoldsboro, Nc, United States
There is some good info in the previous posts about release management from a process standpoint, however; what is missing is the actual Release Management Role as Release Management is more than a process it is a discipline (such as Project Management) and as such should have a defined role in an organization. Without these components a "release management process" is really nothing more than scheduling application deployments - for which there are any number release management software programs which can accomplish the same function.
A release management process or methodology without the complete discipline and organizational functional role often misses achieving the key goal of release management: Implementing Solution (not just limited to software any longer) into an organizations production environment in a controlled manner to eliminate or minimize impact to the production environment and business operations.
The release management discipline includes incorporating the business changes which both drive & correlate to the solution bieng released. This is one key short fall of a "process" focus - often the process itself is focused on a functional area such as IT and "sofware releases". What is often forgotten is that there are business components to a "Release" which is noted by the lack of any reference to the business side of a release process in the posts presented to date. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the "glazed over look" mentioned in one of the articles referenced in the previous posts.
A comprehensive release management program & discipline includes the business & technical aspects when referring to a "Release" Saving Changes...
PMI Team Member
