What is a Change Request?

The relation between Change Management and a Configuration Management Database is pretty clear nevertheless this leaves us with the Question, what is a Change Request as it is the main component of Change Management. This article describes a Change Request from a different perspective – not the ITIL perspective as we think it is important to understand a Change Request to be able to implement it as an ITIL component. Furthermore a CMDB has to be implemented targeting Change Management Needs.

What is a Change Request?

A change request is a formal system adjustment proposal document that contains a call for change in the management process of an already existing system. It is a declarative request that states what is to be accomplished but does not state how the change should be carried out. A change request document has a few relevant elements that are to be included in the change request documents that include among others, the customers identification card, an indication showing whether the change is necessarily required or it is optional, the type of change and is selected from a specific domain and an abstract of the change.

Origin of Change Requests

Change requests have a variety of origins. Some of their sources are, from users request for a system enhancement, in the event of other systems development, a senior management’s demand, in case of a new operating system resulting to need for changes in structure and standards, and from reports identifying bugs which must get fixed. Change requests may at times differ in names but basically describing the same concept. Some of its other description is for example, engineering change request, action request, change notice, engineering change order and request for change among many others. When dealing with a project management, the change request arises when a client for example wants an alteration to the deliverables agreed upon for the project, or when the client wants some addition to the existing system. Such changes may for instant involve, service extension, customization or addition of a feature among others. Change requests are mostly beyond the agreement scope and this basically means that clients are charged for the additional resources required to serve their requests fully.

Impact of Change Requests

Change requests generally have changes that range from significant changes that can drastically alter the whole project to minor changes that are of little or no impact to the whole project to warrant for its alteration. However, both the most significant and the less impactful changes are produced at the level of management. Typical change requests can demand for changes in different areas of the project such as requests for policies modification, procedures, processes or plans, requests to update modified schedules and requests for expenditure modification among other requests. These change requests can directly or indirectly be made and can also be internally or externally initiated. Internal requests involve a variety of actions such as patching and upgrading of softwares and hardwares.

Challenges of Change Requests

There are several challenges associated with change management and they include ensuring that all the necessary details are fully and sufficiently explicated and that the parties involved are in agreement on what is expected. Detailed and explicit documentation provides for easier identification of when a request is to be submitted. One of the biggest foes of a project manager is uncontrolled change and therefore change management that is solid can also become the manager’s best friend. This is because it allows the manager to deliver customers requests within the required timeline and within the agreed budget without missing the any of the success factors. Therefore, the ability to control and manage particularly the scope of the project is key attaining the goals and objectives of the project.

This should give you a good insight of a Change Request and makes it simpler to understand the importance of it.