Configuration management plan

Configuration management plan
See also
Project change management Accountability and transparency Integration of risk management Project monitoring and control Monitoring and control Project implementation phase Management efficiency Time and money Change in scope

A configuration management plan is a document that outlines how the project team will control, manage, monitor, and organize changes to the project's deliverables, products, and documents. This plan is essential for supporting effective project management and ensuring that changes are properly tracked and documented. It includes processes for identifying, approving, and implementing changes to the project's scope, schedule, budget, and other elements. The plan also includes stakeholder roles, responsibilities, and communication protocols for managing changes.

Best practices of configuration management plan

1. Establish a Change Control Board: A Change Control Board (CCB) should be established to ensure that all changes to the project are properly evaluated, approved, and tracked. The CCB should include representatives from each of the project stakeholders and should be responsible for evaluating and approving all changes to the project.
2. Develop a Change Control Process: A Change Control Process should be developed to ensure that all changes are properly documented and tracked. This process should include steps for identifying, evaluating, approving, and implementing changes.
3. Document Changes: All changes should be documented in the project’s Change Log. This log should include details on the change, the rationale for the change, and the date the change was approved.
4. Track Changes: The project team should track changes in the project’s Change Log and ensure that the changes are implemented in a timely manner.
5. Communicate Changes: The project team should communicate changes to all stakeholders and ensure that everyone is aware of the changes and the impact they may have on the project.
6. Monitor Change: The project team should monitor changes to ensure that they do not negatively affect the project’s scope, schedule, budget, and other elements.
7. Review Changes: The project team should periodically review changes to ensure that they are appropriate and do not cause any negative impacts to the project.

When to use configuration management plan

A configuration management plan is an important document for successful project management. It outlines how changes to the project's deliverables, products, and documents are to be tracked, monitored, and managed. Configuration management plans should be used in the following situations:

• When project scope, schedule, budget, or other elements need to be changed.
• To ensure that changes are properly described and documented.
• To identify and assign roles and responsibilities for managing changes.
• To define communication protocols for stakeholders to follow when managing changes.
• To monitor and control changes throughout the project's lifespan.

Types of configuration management plan

A configuration management plan outlines how the project team will manage, monitor, and organize changes to the project's deliverables, products, and documents. There are several types of configuration management plans, including:

• Change control plan: A change control plan identifies procedures for making changes to the project's scope, schedule, budget, and other elements. It also lays out roles, responsibilities, and communication protocols for managing changes.
• Version control plan: A version control plan tracks changes to software components, documents, and other assets. This plan outlines how versions are identified, managed, and archived.
• Release management plan: A release management plan outlines the processes for testing and releasing new versions of the project's deliverables, products, and documents.
• Configuration audit plan: A configuration audit plan outlines procedures for auditing and verifying changes to the project's deliverables, products, and documents.
• Configuration baseline plan: A configuration baseline plan outlines procedures for setting and maintaining a baseline configuration for the project's deliverables, products, and documents.

Steps of creating configuration management plan

A configuration management plan includes the following steps:

• Establishing the Change Control Board: The Change Control Board (CCB) is responsible for approving and monitoring changes to the project. This board should include representatives from all relevant stakeholders and should be chaired by the project manager.
• Identifying Change Requests: Change requests can come from both internal and external sources and should be identified, documented, and prioritized.
• Assessing Changes: The CCB will review and assess each change request to determine its impact on the project and if it should be approved.
• Approving Changes: The CCB will vote on the change and will either approve or reject it.
• Implementing Changes: If a change is approved, the project team will then implement the change, following the procedures outlined in the configuration management plan.
• Tracking Changes: All changes should be tracked and documented, including the reason for the change, the impact it has on the project, and any risks associated with it.
• Evaluating Changes: After the changes have been implemented, the project team should evaluate the results to determine if they have achieved the desired outcome.

Advantages of configuration management plan

A configuration management plan is a document that outlines how the project team will control, manage, monitor, and organize changes to the project's deliverables, products, and documents. It provides a number of advantages, including:

• Improved visibility into changes and their impacts: The plan helps project teams track changes and their impacts in order to forecast how they will affect the project.
• Reduced risk of introducing new bugs: The plan helps teams test changes to the project before they are implemented, reducing the risk of introducing new bugs.
• Increased efficiency in the development process: The plan helps teams quickly identify, approve, and implement changes, making the development process more efficient.
• Improved communication: The plan helps promote effective communication between stakeholders, ensuring everyone is aware of changes and their impacts.
• Reduced costs: The plan helps teams quickly identify and implement changes, reducing the cost of development.

Limitations of configuration management plan

A configuration management plan is a document that outlines how the project team will control, manage, monitor, and organize changes to the project's deliverables, products, and documents. However, there are certain limitations of configuration management plans that should be taken into account. These include:

• The plan may not be comprehensive enough to cover all possible changes that may occur during the project lifecycle.
• The plan may not be flexible enough to adjust to any changes in project scope or schedule.
• The plan may not be detailed enough to provide step-by-step instructions for making and implementing changes.
• The plan may not be easily understood by all stakeholders, leading to confusion and delays in making and implementing changes.
• The plan may not include appropriate controls to ensure that changes are properly authorized and implemented.
• The plan may not include sufficient communication protocols to ensure that stakeholders are informed of changes in a timely manner.

Suggested literature

• Hass, A. M. J. (2003). Configuration management principles and practice. Addison-Wesley Professional.