Process: Perform Integrated Change Control

Process Group: Monitoring and Controlling
Knowledge Area: Project Integration Management


Purpose

The Perform Integrated Change Control process ensures that all change requests are formally evaluated, approved or rejected, and documented in a controlled and coordinated manner. It maintains the integrity of the project baselines by managing change in a consistent, transparent, and systematic way.


Inputs

  • Project Management Plan – Especially the change management plan, baselines, and configuration management plan.
  • Project Documents – Includes issue log, lessons learned register, requirements documentation, and risk reports.
  • Work Performance Reports – Highlight trends or variances that may trigger change.
  • Change Requests – Proposals to modify scope, schedule, cost, quality, or any other project element.
  • Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs) – Governance frameworks, stakeholder risk tolerance, or regulatory standards.
  • Organizational Process Assets (OPAs) – Change control procedures, templates, historical change logs.

Tools and Techniques

  • Expert Judgment – Involves sponsors, technical experts, or functional managers to assess change impact.
  • Change Control Tools – Digital systems used to submit, track, and manage change requests.
  • Data Analysis
    • Alternatives Analysis
    • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Decision Making
    • Voting
    • Autocratic Decision Making
    • Multicriteria Decision Analysis
  • Meetings – Change control board (CCB) reviews to assess and decide on changes.

Outputs

  • Approved Change Requests – Formal authorization to implement changes.
  • Project Management Plan Updates – Adjustments to baselines or subsidiary plans.
  • Project Document Updates – Updates to impacted areas such as schedule forecasts, risk register, and cost estimates.

Role in the Process Group and Knowledge Area

  • Within the Monitoring and Controlling Process Group, this process safeguards project alignment by ensuring only approved changes are implemented.
  • As part of Project Integration Management, it centralizes change handling across all knowledge areas and prevents uncontrolled scope creep.

Why It Matters

  • Maintains Project Control – Ensures changes are aligned with strategic goals and project constraints.
  • Prevents Scope Creep – Adds discipline to how changes are introduced and managed.
  • Supports Traceability – Tracks who requested a change, what was decided, and why.
  • Promotes Accountability – Involves the right people in change decisions, increasing stakeholder buy-in.