Change request

Projects do not always go as desired. Often, adjustments to the workflow or to certain work results are necessary in the course of the project. Smaller adjustments are usually within the individual's scope of action and decision-making and can be implemented immediately. Larger deviations, on the other hand, require a formal application and subsequent review by the project management.

The instrument for this is called a change request. A change request is a formal proposal by a person involved in the project. Its purpose is to deviate in a certain way from the original planning, the result or the organisation of a project at a defined point.

For example, a change request may relate to the following matters:

Requests to change processes, plans, schedules and procedures.
Requests to expand or reduce the product scope or content.

Usually, a specific procedure for submitting and processing a change request is defined in advance. This procedure should be clearly communicated to all project stakeholders. Any change to the project parameters in turn requires the attention of the project management. Their task is to check and finally evaluate change requests.

When reviewing change requests, the project management must carefully weigh up whether

... the proposed deviation will lead to an overall better project result or not.
... the additional effort, if any, as a result of the change is in reasonable proportion to the benefit.

Often, the last point in particular is decisive. Since projects are usually planned with minimal resources, deviations from the plan can quickly lead to project times or project costs being overrun. The decision as to whether the extent of these additional costs is offset by other factors is often difficult and must be made under uncertainty.

Regardless of the outcome of the final decision, all change requests and their decisions are documented. Thus, it is also comprehensible if a change request was submitted but ultimately rejected. Conversely, of course, every change request that is approved is also documented.

Change requests can be submitted by the project team, but they can also come directly from the client. If the change request is not within the scope of the concluded contract, a corresponding adjustment must also be made in the project order or a new order is created.

Each approved change request has a direct effect on project content and scope. In order to be able to efficiently map these changes to the plan, flexible project management software is advantageous. Changes in prices and costs also have to be taken into account frequently. Contractors then benefit from a uniform software solution that can also automatically generate quotations and invoices for (sub-)projects.

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