SG 2 Track and Control Changes
Changes to the work products under configuration management are tracked and controlled.
The specific practices under this specific goal serve to maintain the baselines after they are established by the specific practices under the Establish Baselines specific goal.
SP 2.1 Track Change Requests
Track change requests for the configuration items. Change requests address not only new or changed requirements, but also failures and defects in the work products. Change requests are analyzed to determine the impact that the change will have on the work product, related work products, and schedule and
cost.
Typical Work Products
1. Change requests
Subpractices
1. Initiate and record change requests in the change request database.
2. Analyze the impact of changes and fixes proposed in the change requests. Changes are evaluated through activities that ensure that they are consistent with all technical and project requirements.
Changes are evaluated for their impact beyond immediate project or contract requirements. Changes to an item used in multiple products can resolve an immediate issue while causing a problem in other applications.
3. Review change requests that will be addressed in the next baseline with those who will be affected by the changes and get their agreement.
Conduct the change request review with appropriate participants. Record the disposition of each change request and the rationale for the decision, including success criteria, a brief action plan if appropriate, and needs met or unmet by the change. Perform the actions required in the disposition, and report the results to
relevant stakeholders.
4. Track the status of change requests to closure. Change requests brought into the system need to be handled in a proficient and timely manner. Once a change request has been processed, it is critical to close
the request with the appropriate approved action as soon as it is practical. Actions left open result in larger than necessary status lists, which in turn result in added costs and confusion.
SP 2.2 Control Configuration Items
Control changes to the configuration items. Control is maintained over the configuration of the work product
baseline. This control includes tracking the configuration of each of the configuration items, approving a new configuration if necessary, and updating the baseline.
Typical Work Products
1. Revision history of configuration items
2. Archives of the baselines
Subpractices
1. Control changes to configuration items throughout the life of the product.
2. Obtain appropriate authorization before changed configuration items are entered into the configuration management system.
For example, authorization may come from the CCB, the project manager, or the customer.
3. Check in and check out configuration items from the configuration management system for incorporation of changes in a manner that maintains the correctness and integrity of the configuration items.
Examples of check-in and check-out steps include the following:
· Confirming that the revisions are authorized
· Updating the configuration items
· Archiving the replaced baseline and retrieving the new baseline
4. Perform reviews to ensure that changes have not caused unintended effects on the baselines (e.g., ensure that the changes have not compromised the safety and/or security of the system).
5. Record changes to configuration items and the reasons for the changes as appropriate.
If a proposed change to the work product is accepted, a schedule is identified for incorporating the change into the work product and other affected areas.
Configuration control mechanisms can be tailored to categories of changes. For example, the approval considerations could be less stringent for component changes that do not affect other components.
Changed configuration items are released after review and approval of configuration changes. Changes are not official until they are released.
