5.5.1 Inputs to Scope Change Control

.1 Work breakdown structure. The WBS is described in Section 5.3.3.1. It defines the project’s scope baseline.

.2 Performance reports. Performance reports discussed in Section 10.3.3.1 provide information on scope performance such as which interim products have been completed and which have not. Performance reports may also alert the project team to issues that may cause problems in the future.

.3 Change requests. Change requests may occur in many forms—oral or written, direct or indirect, externally or internally initiated, and legally mandated or optional. Changes may require expanding the scope or may allow shrinking it. Most change requests are the result of:

   An external event (e.g., a change in a government regulation).

   An error or omission in defining the scope of the product (e.g., failure to include a required feature in the design of a telecommunications system).

   An error or omission in defining the scope of the project (e.g., using a bill of materials instead of a work breakdown structure).

   A value-adding change (e.g., an environmental remediation project is able to reduce costs by taking advantage of technology that was not available when the scope was originally defined).

   Implementing a contigency plan or workaround plan to respond to a risk, as described in Section 11.6.3.3

.4 Scope management plan. The scope management plan is described in Section 5.2.3.3.

5.5.2 Tools and Techniques for Scope Change Control

.1 Scope change control system. A scope change control system defines the procedures by which the project scope may be changed. It includes the paperwork, tracking systems, and approval levels necessary for authorizing changes. The scope change control should be integrated with the integrated change control described in Section 4.3 and, in particular, with any system or systems in place to control product scope. When the project is done under contract, the scope change control system must also comply with all relevant contractual provisions.

.2 Performance measurement. Performance measurement techniques, described in Section 10.3.2, help to assess the magnitude of any variations which do occur. Determine what is causing the variance relative to the baseline and to deciding if the variance requires corrective action are important part of scope change control.

.3 Additional planning. Few projects run exactly according to plan. Prospective scope changes may require modifications to the WBS or analysis of alternative approaches (see Section 5.3.3.1 and Section 5.2.2.3, respectively).

5.5.3 Outputs from Scope Change Control

.1 Scope changes. A scope change is any modification to the agreed-upon project scope as defined by the approved WBS. Scope changes often require adjustments to cost, time, quality, or other project objectives.
  Project scope changes are fed back through the planning process, technical and planning documents are updated as needed, and stakeholders are notified as appropriate.

.2 Corrective action. Corrective action is anything done to bring expected future project performance into line with the project plan.

.3 Lessons learned. The causes of variances, the reasoning behind the corrective action chosen, and other types of lessons learned from scope change control should be documented so that this information becomes part of the historical database for both this project and other projects of the performing organization.

.4 Adjusted baseline. Dependig upon the nature of the change, the corresponding baseline document may be revised and reissued to reflect the approved change and form the new baseline for future changes.