Change Management Process
Last Updated: December 3, 2020
Introduction
This process is to establish standard Change Management Processes for creating, reviewing, approving, scheduling, and implementing changes within the PCMR Technical Environments.
PCMR Change Management Process is a structured approach to managing changes. Changes are defined as modifications to the existing PCMR technical components or the introduction of new components to the Technical Environments (business applications and/or system hardware, software, or networks).
Process Description
Change Management is the process that controls the life cycle of all changes, enabling beneficial changes to be made with minimum disruption to IT services and business goals.
The goals of the PCMR Change Management Process are to respond to:
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Customers' changing business requirements while maximizing value and reducing costs, incidents, disruption, and rework.
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Business and IT Change Requests (CRs) that align the service with the business needs.
Benefits
The benefits of a centralized PCMR IT Change Management process are as follows:
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Standardize and optimize process and technology
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Enforce accountability through audit and transparency
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Increase business continuity and service availability for IT services
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Reduce cost of implementing changes through proper planning and coordination of approved changes
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Share ownership of the quality of change requests throughout IT
Three focus points for IT Change Management are based on people, process, and technology.
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People: Enforce adherence to the IT Change Management Process.
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Process: Establish consistent IT Change Management processes and respective IT Service Management (ITSM) process integrations across the organization.
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Technology: Configure and utilize industry IT tools to align to our processes and business objectives.
Scope
The Change Management Process applies to all PCMR employees, contracted vendors, and organizations that introduce or implement changes to the PCMR Technical Environment. It ensures technological changes occur in a uniform and predictable manner. This document is used in conjunction with all IT and Security Policies, Processes, and Standards.
The scope of the PCMR Change Management Process includes managing the:
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Introduction of national business applications and infrastructure components to the PCMR Technical Environments
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Modification of existing business applications and infrastructure components
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Emergency Change and Expedited Processes
Change Classifications
The following Policy is established for Change Management:
Process
The Change Management Process consists of the following high-level activities specifically developed to manage the life cycle of change requests. This Change Management process describes Normal Changes. Listed below is a summary of each activity.
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Create a CR. The Requestor enters all of the required information in the approved IT Service Management tool. This may include, but is not limited to:
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Associating the CR with related CR(s), Incident(s), and/or Problem Ticket(s).
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Providing appropriate information so the Configuration Item can be updated.
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Review the CR. The Change Manager reviews the new CR and validates the details in the CR.
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Scheduled and authorize the CR. The Change Manger, in conjunction with the approvers, schedules the CR and provides approvals.
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Implement the CR. The Implementer(s) perform the tasks necessary to complete the CR.
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Close the CR. The Change Manager or Change Coordinator closes the CR when all activities have been completed.
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Update associated tickets and Configuration Items. The Change Manager updates:
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Any CR, Incident, and/or Problem Ticket(s), that are associated with the CR.
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Configuration Items, as appropriate.
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Perform a Change Audit. The Change Manager reviews selected CRs to ensure that those CRs include all of the required information and approvals.
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Perform a Post-Implementation Review. All stakeholders review the closed CR to ensure that it was implemented appropriately, as required.