Managing Change Worksheet

MANAGING CHANGE WORKSHEET

Directions: The easiest way to manage change is to create an Òearly-warningÓ system to prepare for the inevitable. This worksheet consists of a set of questions to use with the project team to identify potential change and to proactively manage that change. This will limit the risk factors associated with change. A question or probe is provided in the first column for the project team to use to identify potential change factors that will most likely occur in the project. These factors should be noted in the second column. For example, in answer to the first question regarding the trigger for change, the team identified competitor product offering changes, new technological advancements, and economic changes as the change factors. In the third column, a plan for how the project team will proactively manage the change factors is identified. To expand on the previous example, a plan for managing a new technological advancement might be to align with a group that could provide specifications and technical information so you can adjust your plan accordingly.

IDENTIFIEDPLAN FOR

ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊQUESTIONCHANGE FACTORMANAGING CHANGE

1.What is most likely to trigger a change for

this project? An internal project change such

as a project manager leaving or a major

specification change? Or an external change

such as a new technological development or

a change in the product marketplace?

2.How can you network with individuals

outside of your team on a regular basis to

ensure you hear about the changes most

likely to have an impact on the project?

3.What points within the project plan are more

open to change and what points are least

flexible? How can you manage changes

around these within the project plan time

frame?

4.How can your stakeholders assist you in

managing change for the project?

5.What reengineering techniques can you use

to minimize the impact of changes on the

overall project plan? For example, can you

map change? Can you predict side-effects?

Can you predict the characteristics of project

change?