Quality and change control
Quality planning, assurance and control
Quality planning defines the standards and acceptance criteria an output must meet. Quality assurance is process-focused and preventive: it checks that people follow the agreed process. Quality control is product-focused and detective: it inspects, tests and reviews outputs against acceptance criteria, producing corrective action. Verification asks 'did we build it right?'; validation asks 'did we build the right thing?'
Change control
Change control is the process for handling requests to alter baselines. A change request is logged, assessed for impact on scope, schedule, cost, risk and quality, then approved or rejected by the level with authority (project manager within tolerance, otherwise the board). If approved, the change is implemented, baselines and plans are updated, and stakeholders are informed. Configuration management keeps versions and baselines under control so everyone works from the same approved version.
Traps
Common traps: mixing assurance with control; believing change control means blocking change; changing a baseline without approval; and allowing gold plating, which is adding unrequested features. Also remember that a change may be rejected, deferred or accepted, and all outcomes should be recorded.
Worked example
A request adds a reporting dashboard: impact is +2 weeks, +£10,000, no change to quality standards. This is within the project manager's tolerance, so the project manager approves it, logs it in the change log, updates the schedule and cost baseline, and tells the users. Rule of thumb: no baseline changes without a recorded decision; 'we just did it' is not change control.