Change management

System Fundamentals

Change management is the process of identifying, documenting, and approving or rejecting changes to a system in production. It is an important aspect of the development and maintenance of a system because it helps ensure that changes to the system are implemented in a controlled and coordinated manner.

There are several reasons why change management is important:

1. Change management helps prevent unexpected or unintended consequences of changes to a system. By carefully reviewing and approving changes, the risk of introducing errors or other problems into the system can be reduced.
2. Change management helps maintain the integrity and stability of a system. By controlling the introduction of changes, the system can be kept in a known and stable state, which is important for maintaining the reliability and performance of the system.
3. Change management helps ensure that changes to a system are properly documented and communicated to all relevant parties. This can help ensure that everyone is aware of the changes and how they may affect the system.
4. Change management helps facilitate the orderly and efficient implementation of changes to a system. By following a structured process for reviewing and approving changes, the development and deployment of changes can be streamlined and made more efficient.

Real-world practical advice

"Hey can you change this one little thing for me?". This is a very common request. Here's the thing: users think a request is minimal, "no big deal" or "just a little thing". But because end-users don't have a full picture of a system, they do not have information to evaluate if a change is minimal or if it is more involved.

When a user asks you to change something, you should smile and take a deep breath. You should then spend time carefully understanding exactly what functionality the user wants and how you can best plan and implement the functionality.

In larger organizations, there is a well-established Request For Change process which uses a change request form. Always think before you make a change.

Standards

• Describe the need for change management.

Give a specific name, value or other brief answer without explanation or calculation.

Assess the implications and limitations; make judgments about the ideas, works, solutions or methods in relation to selected criteria.

Give a detailed account or picture of a situation, event, pattern or process.