Configuration Control

Definition

Configuration Control

the configuration management task of managing changes to baselined configuration items

Classification

As illustrated in the preceding figure, Configuration Control is part of the following inheritance hierarchy:

• Type: Abstract
• Superclass: Configuration Management Task
• Subclasses:
  • None

Responsibilities

The typical responsibilities of Configuration Control are to:

• Identify changes to baselined configuration items.
• Manage that change to:
  • Ensure that only cost effective and schedule-appropriate changes to configuration items are made.
  • Avoid negative impacts to productivity, schedule, and quality.
• Ensure that the change is being properly implemented.
• Report the change to potentially interested stakeholders.
• Record the change for historical reference.

Preconditions

Configuration control typically can begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The configuration management team is staffed.
• The change control board (CCB) is staffed.
• The configuration management team and CCB members are adequately trained in configuration control.
• A version of a work product is under version control and ready to be placed under configuration control.

Completion Criteria

Configuration control is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• All configuration items are retired.

Steps

Configuration control typically involves the following teams and roles performing the following steps in an iterative, incremental, and parallel manner:

• The developer of a configuration item (i.e., a member of the project team) requests that it be basedlined (i.e., placed under configuration control).
• The configuration management (CM) team baselines the configuration item.
• A second member of the project team requests changes to the baselined configuration item.
• The change control board (CCB) requests an independent member of the project team to determine the impact of the proposed change.
• The third member of the project team independently determines the impact of the requested change and reports back to the CCB.
• The CCB evaluates the impact of the proposed change and either approves, rejects, or postpones implementation of the requested change. If approved, they request the developer to implement the the change by a specific date and an independent member of the project team to independently evaluate the implemented change.
• The developer implements the approved change to the configuration item, requests that the changed configuration item be placed under configuration control, and reports back to the CCB.
• The CM team baselines the changed configuration item.
• A fourth member of the project team independently evaluates the implemented change and reports the results back to the CCB.
• If the change was implemented correctly, the CCB closes the change request.

Techniques

Configuration control typically can be performed using the following techniques:

• A configuration management tool that supports change control.

Work Products

Configuration control typically results in the production of the following work products:

• Configuration Item
• Baseline
• Change Request Form

Guidelines

• Configuration control is probably the most important configuration management task.
• Configuration control is more formal than version control.