Use Change Control to your advantage

I’m a great believer in minimising documentation within a project – anyone who slavishly follows the process and form filling without always understanding the benefits or appropriateness will never learn the fluid approach required to become a really good project manager. But there is one area where you can use pedantry to your advantage – Change Control. The dictionary definition of “millisecond” should be redefined to the time between someone suggesting any change to your (carefully planned) project, and the Change Control forms being whipped out. Of course, there will always be necessary change, and a robust process of analysis and acceptance is a good and necessary control, but nothing can stop whimsical and spurious add-ons in their tracks like a wad of Change Control papers. Firstly, ensure your process is clearly defined for impact and benefit assessment, then front load the process with a detailed input form, completed by the proposer (never fill these in yourself!) Then sit back and wait for the stream to dry up to a trickle.