Ah, great! Another article about Change. I know, right? When is it all going to end? We get it already, "the only constant is change.". Now if you would just tell us how to do something about that change,...

I plan to.

So, you say you have a change control process for your business, a change program for you project management group, and a change plan for your projects. You utilize toll gates, assessments, and have a firm grasp on the triple constraints of budget, schedule, and scope keeping your eye solidly on customer expectations so that you will get quality outcomes. What more do you need to do?

Nothing.

Good news, right? Because you are already doing a lot. If you are anything like me and just about every other project manager I know or have worked with, you need to stop doing some things. Here's a quick list of things you can stop doing today:

• Stop telling people you'll get back to them on that, when they bombard you for that 2 minute "post-meeting" meeting. They usually turn into 20 minute discussions. (you know, the ones that start with: "Hey, you got a minute? I think this is a change, but before I go through all that hassle I was just wondering,...")

• Stop entertaining "What-if's" in regards to the project deliverables. Some examples: "What if we combine this document with this other document? What if we do the system this way rather than that way?" My personal favorite, usually brought up by something that had about zero interest or input early on the project: "Why are we doing it this way again? What if we were to "

• Stop "bundling". This one may be difficult. Bundling is when you have a bunch of insignificant "one-offs" that you are saving up until they warrant a "true change". Stop doing that, it is circumventing the system, fostering a culture of lackadaisical approach to policy, which will likely bleed over into your safety stats very soon.

In my position, I have the opportunity to spread the PMBOK® with people just entering my industry. They send a lot of time creating new and novel ways to accomplish things that have already been accomplished. This is great, I think, as it brings in new ideas and allows for some fresh thought. However, once the project is underway, it is nearly impossible for me to accurately account for Earned Value and supply an accurate Schedule Performance Index if they introduce undocumented changes. Frequently, these changes are colorfully termed "enhancements", when they should just as appropriately be labeled as "re-work". The change process assists in showing where we started, and were we plan to finish. Shortcuts usually end up being pretty long excursions.

So, to recap, the good news, you are doing everything you need to be doing. You just need to stop doing more than that.

Of course, if you don't have a change process, and don't know about gates, and were looking for another article about things to consider when starting up a change program,... we can talk offline...right after the next meeting is finished.