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PRINCE2 2009 - Change part 18

The PRINCE2® approach

Issue and change control procedure

Decide

The Project Manager may be able to resolve issues without the need to escalate them to the Project Board.
For example, a minor change to an approved detailed design document that does not affect any other products could be handled by the Project Manager (if allowed in the Configuration Management Strategy), as long as it is formally recorded.

Other issues may need to be escalated to the Project Board (or its delegated Change Authority) for a decision.

The escalation could be in the form of an Issue Report (as part of a request for advice) or in the form of an Exception Report (if the selected option to address the issue would cause an exception - see the section covering ‘Progress’).

For escalated issues and exceptions, the likely Project Board responses are shown in below.

RequestRequest for change
Project Board (or
Change Authority) response
  • Approve the change
  • Reject the change
  • Defer decision
  • Request more information
  • Ask for an Exception Plan (if the request for change cannot be implemented within the limits delegated to the Change Authority).
ConsiderationsIf a request for change involves extra cost, there are three principal ways to fund it:
  • Use the change budget (if being used and if of sufficient size)
  • Increase the project budget
  • De-scope other elements of the project.
Tolerance should not be used to fund requests for change.
RequestOff-specification
Project Board (or
Change Authority) response
  • Grant a concession
  • Instruct that the off-specification be resolved
  • Defer decision
  • Request more information
  • Ask for an Exception Plan (if the concession cannot be granted within the limits delegated to the Change Authority).
ConsiderationsThe Project Board may decide to accept the off-specification without immediate corrective action.
This is referred to as a concession.
When a product is granted a concession, the Product Description will need to be revised before the product is handed over to the User.



RequestProblem/concern
Project Board (or
Change Authority) response
  • Provide guidance
  • Ask for an Exception Plan
ConsiderationsCould the problem/concern be resolved by relaxing the stage tolerances?

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Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 - 2005 edition
Managing successful Projects with PRINCE2 – 2009 edition
Directing Projects with PRINCE2.
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The Complete Project Management package.

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