Configuration management is essential for the project to maintain control over its management and specialist products. The level of control required will vary from project to project. The maximum level of control possible is determined by breaking down the project's products until the level is reached at which a component can be independently installed, replaced or modified. However, the level of control exercised will be influenced by the importance of the project and the complexity of the relationship between its products.
The initial set of Configuration Item Records will be created during this activity. The Configuration Management Strategy will define the format and composition of the records that need to be maintained
PRINCE2 suggests:
✔ Review the Project Brief to understand whether any corporate or programme management strategies, standards or practices relating to configuration management need to be applied (in particular whether the customer and/or supplier has an existing configuration management system that should be applied)
✔ Seek lessons from similar previous projects, corporate or programme management, and external organizations related to configuration management. Some of these may already have been captured in the Lessons Log.
✔ Review the Risk Register and Daily Log for risks and issues associated with configuration management
Define the Configuration Management Strategy, including:
✔ The configuration management procedure (e.g. planning, identification, control, status accounting, verification and audit)
✔ The issue and change control procedure (e.g. capturing, examining, proposing, deciding, implementing)
✔ Tools and techniques that will be used
✔ Records that wi II be kept
✔ How the performance of the procedures will be reported
✔ Timing of configuration management activities and issue and change control activities
✔ The roles and responsibilities for the procedures. Consider whether a Change Authority and/or change budget should be established
✔ The scales for priority and severity of issues
✔ Consult with Project Assurance to check that the proposed Configuration Management Strategy meets the needs of the Project Board and/or corporate or programme management
✔ Create the initial Configuration Item Records (at this point there will only be Configuration Item Records for the management products that have already been created and any preexisting project documentation that needs to be controlled, e.g. feasibility study, request for proposal etc.)
