Change Control Board (CCB)
A Change Control Board (CCB) is a formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, deferring, or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating those decisions.
Explanation
The CCB plays a central role in the Perform Integrated Change Control process. It is composed of stakeholders — potentially including the project manager, sponsor, customers, subject matter experts, and functional managers — who have the authority and responsibility to make change decisions. The composition and authority level of the CCB are defined in the change management plan, which is a component of the project management plan.
When a change request is submitted, the CCB evaluates the impact on the project constraints (scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, and risk) and determines whether the change should be approved, rejected, or deferred. The CCB also ensures that configuration management procedures are followed so that all approved changes are properly tracked and implemented.
Not all projects have a formal CCB. On smaller projects, the project manager and sponsor may fulfill the CCB function. Regardless of the structure, the important principle is that change decisions are made by authorized parties, documented in the change log, and communicated to all affected stakeholders.
Key Points
- •Formally chartered group with authority to approve, reject, or defer change requests
- •Composition and authority defined in the change management plan
- •Evaluates changes holistically across all project constraints
- •Not required on all projects — the function may be performed by the project manager and sponsor
Exam Tip
The CCB approves or rejects changes but does not implement them. Implementation happens through Direct and Manage Project Work after approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Perform Integrated Change Control
Perform Integrated Change Control is the process of reviewing all change requests, approving or rejecting changes, managing changes to deliverables, project documents, and the project management plan, and communicating the decisions.
Change Requests
A change request is a formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline on a project. Change requests include corrective actions, preventive actions, defect repairs, and updates.
Change Log
A change log is a comprehensive list of all change requests submitted during the project, along with their current status (approved, rejected, or deferred) and key details.
Project Management Plan
The project management plan is the document that describes how the project will be executed, monitored and controlled, and closed.
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