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.
Explanation
This process is the gatekeeper for all project changes and is performed from project inception through completion. It ensures that every change is evaluated holistically — considering the impact on scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, and risk — before a decision is made. The project manager is responsible for managing this process, though a Change Control Board (CCB) may be established to review and make decisions on change requests.
Key inputs include the project management plan (especially the change management plan and configuration management plan), project documents (such as the basis of estimates and the requirements traceability matrix), work performance reports, change requests, enterprise environmental factors, and organizational process assets. Tools and techniques include expert judgment, change control tools, data analysis (alternatives analysis, cost-benefit analysis), decision making (voting, autocratic, multicriteria), and meetings.
Outputs include approved change requests, updates to the project management plan, and updates to project documents. Approved change requests are then implemented through the Direct and Manage Project Work process. All change requests and their dispositions must be recorded in the change log. Configuration management activities ensure that the description and status of project deliverables are accurate and complete.
Key Points
- •Central gatekeeper process for all project changes — nothing changes without going through it
- •Evaluates the holistic impact of changes across all project constraints
- •The CCB may approve or reject changes; the project manager manages the process
- •Approved changes are implemented via Direct and Manage Project Work
Exam Tip
Every change request must go through Perform Integrated Change Control, regardless of size. The project manager cannot approve baseline changes unilaterally — that requires the CCB or sponsor, depending on organizational policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
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.
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.
Configuration Management
Configuration management is the collection of procedures used to track project artifacts and monitor and control changes to these artifacts, ensuring that the description and functional characteristics of deliverables remain accurate and complete.
Direct and Manage Project Work
Direct and Manage Project Work is the process of leading and performing the work defined in the project management plan and implementing approved changes to achieve the project objectives.
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