Artifact: Change Requests
 Change Request |
Changes to development
artifacts are proposed through Change Requests (CRs). CRs are used to document the
'defect', and how it may be fixed. The benefit of CRs is that they provide a record of
decisions, and, due to their assessment process, ensure that change impacts are understood
project wide.
|
| Worker: | Any worker can raise a CR |
Purpose 
The necessity for change seems to be inherent in evolving or existing software systems. Change Control procedures, and maintaining Change Requests (CRs), ensure that changes to a system are made in a controlled way so that their effect on the system can be predicted.
Brief
Outline
The following attributes are useful in coming to decision about any submitted Change:
Size
How much existing work will have to change?
How much new work will need to be added?
Alternatives
Are there any?
Complexity
Is the proposed change easy to make?
What is the possible ripple effect of the change?
Schedule
When is the change required?
Is that feasible?
Impact
What are the consequences of making the changes?
What are the consequences of not making the change?
Cost
What is the cost or saving from making the change?
Relationship to Other Changes
Will other changes supersede or invalidate this one, or does it depend on other changes?
Test
Are there any special test requirements?
EXAMPLE CHANGE REQUEST FORM
Identification
Project:
CR Number:
CR Type: (Problem or Enhancement)
Title:
Date Submitted:
Originator:
CR Priority:
Current Problem
Description of the current problem:
Critical Failure:
Nuisance:
Enhancement:
New Requirement:
Conditions under which the problem was observed:
Current Environment: Hardware
Operating System
Compiler
Source of the current problem:
Cost Impact of the current problem:
Proposed Change (Originator)
Description of the proposed change:
Estimated cost to implement the proposed change:
Proposed Change (Change Review Team)
Action:
Approved:
Disapproved:
Deferred:
Description of the proposed change:
Affected Configuration Items:
Category:
Error Fix:
Enhancement:
New Feature:
Other:
Resolution
Estimated cost to implement the proposed change:
Implementer:
Actual time to implement change:
Analysis:
Implementation:
Test:
Documentation:
Affected Number of Lines of Code:
Assessment
Test Methods:
Inspection
Analysis
Demonstration
Test:
Test Platforms:
Test Cases:
Change Review Team Disposition
Changes Approved and Accepted:
Timing
CM practices are often institutionalized, or established early on in the project lifecycle. As such, Change Requests (CRs), which are integral to the 'change process, can be raised at any time during the course of the project.
Responsibility
Anyone on the project staff should be able to raise a CR. However, CRs need to be reviewed and approved to be valid by the supervisor of the worker raising the CR. The final arbitration on a CR is done by a Review Team or a Change Control Board (CCB).
