Configuration Management vs Change Management

Project environments are dynamic, and changes are constant in areas like process, planning, or scope. You can group these changes into two categories:

1. Change Management
2. Configuration Management

“Change Management” is the first category. Here you manage changes related to project management plans, processes, and baselines.

In the second category, you manage changes related toproduct scope, known as configuration management.

Change requests are required when baselines are established, and you have to make changes to them. If the baselines are not set, no formal change request is required. Change requests and configuration requests are part of the integration management system.

变更管理是项目管理中的著名术语，但配置管理不是。在IT领域，经常使用“配置管理”一词，因此，如果您不在这个行业中，则可能会面临理解该概念的问题。

As a non-IT professional, I had this struggle. However, now that I have passed the PMP and PMI-RMP exams, I can help you understand the concepts in this blog post.

Please note that change management and configuration management are the most important concepts for thePMP exam, and you are going to see many questions on them.

Change Management System

According to the PMBOK Guide 6th edition, “Change Control is focused on identifying, documenting and controlling changes tothe project和项目基线。”

In the change management system, you manage the changes related to the project scope, planning, and baselines.

For example, you run out of money and you need additional funding to complete the project, therefore, you will raise a change request for additional funds. Or, you may not be able to complete your project within the specified time and require a time extension.

In the change management system, the change request is analyzed for any possible impact on any other project objectives. Afterward, the request is either approved or rejected.

To minimize disruption, a change management system must ensure that all parameters are identified and analyzed for any possible impact.

If the change request is approved, you will update the concerned baseline, update the project documents, and inform the concerned stakeholders.

Change Management Activities

您在变更管理期间进行以下操作：

1. Identify the changes.
2. Prepare proper documentation for the changes.
3. Review, analyze, and make a decision for the change request.
4. 确保请求已实施，注册和传达。

Configuration Management System

According to the PMBOK Guide 6th edition, “Configuration Control focuses on the specifications of both the deliverables and the processes.”

In the configuration management system, you manage the changes related to the product specification and the process.

For example, suppose you are developing a product and the client requests the addition of some extra features.

由于此更改与产品的配置有关，因此您将使用配置管理系统处理此更改。

Configuration management documents how you will monitor and control changes. It is a process of defining configurable items (product, service, result, and component) and controlling changes to such items.

The configuration management plan keeps version control of the product. Here you can keep a log of all the changes made to any version of the product for review.

Configuration Management Activities

您在配置管理期间进行以下操作：

1. Identify the configurable items.
2. Record and prepare a report for all configurable items.
3. Verify and conduct an audit of all configurations are as per the requirements.

A Real World Example of Change and Configuration Management

Suppose you are working on a project to construct a school building with ten classrooms.

Case: 1

During the middle of the project, your contractor for steelwork walks off the job and you have to find a replacement. You find an alternative, but the new contractor will not start working on your project for a week.

This will delay the project. Therefore, you will raise a change request for a one-week extension of the schedule through the change management system.

Once this request is approved, you will update your schedule baseline.

这是变更管理系统的一个示例。

现在，让我们查看配置管理系统的示例。

Case: 2

You are constructing a school building, and the client requests that you increase the number of rooms from ten to fifteen.

This is a request to change the product scope as the client has altered the product configuration.

You will handle this change under the configuration management system because here the specifications of your product have changed. Earlier, the school building had ten rooms, and now it will have fifteen rooms.

请注意,在第一种情况下,你提高了change request to increase the deadline of the project by one week. There was no change to the product, the change was only needed in the schedule baseline; the school building was the same, but you will hand over this building to the client one week later.

The Difference Between Change Management and Configuration Management Systems

The main difference between the change management and configuration management systems is that change management deals with processes, plans, and baselines, while configuration management deals with product specifications.

An example of a change management system can be additional funding requirements or a schedule extension, while an example of configuration management can be an extra feature added to the product.

Conditions for Change Management

以下是变更管理的一些条件：

• Delay in schedule: You will have to develop a new schedule reflecting the current situation.
• Cost overrun: You will need to re-estimate your cost to complete the project.

配置管理条件

The following are a few conditions for configuration management:

• Market competition forces new features on the product.
• The project took so long that the product is obsolete, so an update is required.
• The client requested you add some extra functions.
• Due to cost overrun, some features are removed from the product.
• To complete the project early, some features are removed.

Change Management Vs Configuration Management

变更管理和配置管理不会争夺相同的空间。它们用于不同的目的。

According to the PMBOK Guide 6th edition, “Configuration control is focused on the specification of both the deliverables and the processes, while change control is focused on identifying, documenting, and approving or rejecting changes to the project documents, deliverables, or baselines.”

产品配置的任何更改也会影响项目范围，您将更新项目计划，成本和计划基准。

Configuration management has a larger scope than change management.

Who Can Raise a Change and Configuration Request and Who Can Authorize It?

Anyone can raise a change request but it must be approved by the project manager or a higher authority, as mentioned in the configuration or change management plan. If the client is not involved in the process, their consent is required to implement the change request.

更高的权力可以是项目管理计划中提到的变更控制委员会（CCB），项目管理办公室（PMO）或任何其他利益相关者。

Regarding a configuration request, usually, it comes from the client as it involves a change in the product.

This request is reviewed by the project manager and then forwarded to the concerned higher authority for their review and approval. An agreement from the client may be required because they have to pay for any additional features.

Summary

变更管理和配置管理是集成管理的一部分，并且都涉及项目或产品中可能发生的所有更改。变更管理与与计划，过程和基准相关的更改有关，而配置管理涉及与产品范围相关的更改。项目经理的工作是提出这些请求，并确保对它们进行适当的审查。一旦做出决定，应立即实施。

Now I hope you will not have any problem in solving questions on the PMP exam regarding change management and configuration management systems.

您如何管理项目的更改？请通过评论部分分享您的经验。