Guideline: Change Requests
This guideline describes the type of information that is typically associated with a change request to support the prioritization and scoping of work and to monitor progress.
Relationships
Main Description

Change requests typically have a lifecycle.  They are raised, reviewed, accepted or rejected, implemented and verified.  Each of these states defines the status of the change request at a particular point in time and represent critical information for tracking progress.

During review of a change request, the goal is to assess the technical, cost and schedule impact of implementing the change request.  The technical impact assessment includes the determination of which work products are affected and an estimate of the level of effort required to change and verify all affected artifacts.  This information is the basis of the cost and schedule impact assessment, and ultimately whether the change request will be accepted or rejected.

If accepted, the implementation and verification of the change request will be assigned to an iteration in the same manner as any other work item.

The current process uses the Artifact: Work Items List is used to capture, prioritize and track the change requests using a minimal lifecyle derived from the attributes of the Work Item List:

  • If the iteration attribute of the change request has a value, it indicates that the change request has been reviewed, accepted and scheduled for implementation and verification in the given iteration.
  • If the completion date attribute of the change request has a value, it indicates that the change request has been implemented and verified as of the given date.  
  • If the priority of the change request is set to "Abandoned" it indicates that the change request has been considered and rejected.