zandax online course logo
zandax website search
zandax phone callback
Info, Blogs, Contact & Login
Courses
Tests

4 Practical Tips on How to Deal with Project Changes

From the ZandaX Project Management Blog

Articles to help to manage projects on time and on budget

Home  >  ZandaX Blogs  >  Management Blog  >  Project Management Articles  > 
4 Practical Tips on How to Deal with Project Changes

4 Practical Tips on How to Deal with Project Changes

A post from our Project Management blog

Article author: Jordan James
      Written by Jordan James
You've just been assigned a big project. After painstakingly analysing all the aspects of the project, you created a project schedule. You've been working on the project tirelessly, only to suddenly discover what you feared all along. The top management has decided to make some changes to the project, cut the budget, or perhaps they decided to tighten the delivery schedule.

Budget Cut

No matter what this change is, if not managed well, the organization may end up losing money. Unfortunately, change is inevitable – but the one thing that you can control is how to deal with it. To help you do just that, here are 4 practical tips on how to deal with project changes.

1) Understand the scope of the change

Understanding the scope of the change is the first, and probably most important step of the process. What exactly is the change? How will it affect the project? How will this change other aspects of the project? What does this mean for the budget and the delivery deadline?

Let's say you're working on creating a new product and some specifications of a crucial raw material have been changed, which may increase the cost of the end product. However, this may also affect your delivery schedule, the production method may also have to be changed, or you may even have to source the materials from another supplier. All these changes will affect the scope of your project and your end goal.

2) Assess the situation

Once you've understood the scope of the change, analyse the benefits it may bring. You may have a choice. At other times, you may not. Make sure to consider the long term repercussions of this change on the entire journey of your project instead of just thinking in immediate terms.

3) Document the change

Once you have understood and assessed the change, the next step is to document it. Some of the things you may want to consider and record are the following:
  • Who is requesting this change?
  • Who is authorising it?
  • Who must be informed?
  • What exactly is being changed?
  • How will this change affect the project?
  • How does this affect the project budget?
  • How does this change affect the timeline of the project?
  • How much additional time will be required to complete it?
  • How does this affect the overall goal of the project?
  • Does it require deployment of additional resources?
Recording changes in as many details as possible will help you in the long run. However, if you don't record project changes when they occur, it's quite possible that you will forget some crucial details after a while.

Forgetting Details
In that case, the end result will be a lot of wasted time as everyone tries to remember the specific details and how it all happened. The easiest way to avoid this is to document the change as and when it occurs instead of leaving it for a later date.

4) Have a system in place

Change management – including tracking, recording and managing change – becomes a breeze when you have a system in place. In fact, in the absence of a system, the advent of change itself will seem like a huge problem. In the presence of a system, however, change management becomes just another part of project management.



Do you have any other tips on how best to deal with project changes? Make sure to let us know in the comments below!

Back to the Project Management blog

Click the button for more Project Management articles.

The ZandaX Leadership & Management blog

Click a panel for great articles on leadership & management

Write For Us

We pride ourselves on our busy, high-quality and helpful blog, and we're always looking for guest contributors to increase the variety and diversity of what we present.

Click to see how you can write for us with an original and well-written guest post.

ZandaX Blog Contents

Want to see them all? Click to view a full list of articles in our blogs.

Online courses to boost your skills
Click a button to see more about each course
Personal Development
Microsoft Software
 
 
Leadership & Management
Sales & Presentations
Service & Support
 
 
ZandaX online training course logo
ZandaX – Change Your Life ... Today
All content © ZandaX 2023
ZandaX LinkedIn logo
ZandaX LinkedIn logo
ZandaX LinkedIn logo
Close menu element
See how you score on a range of skills that are critical to your well-being and performance
Communication Skill test
Communication Skills
How Can You Communicate Better?
Would you like to see what kind of communicator you are? And how you can improve the effectiveness of your communications?
Likeability test
Likeability
How Much Do People Like You?
Do you sometimes wonder just how likeable you are? And wouldn't you like to see how you can (genuinely) become more likeable?


Time Management test
Time Management
How Can You Make More Use Of Your Time?
Are you frustrated by how easily time slips away? Do you get frustrated when things don't get done just because you run out of time?
Assertiveness test
Assertiveness
Are you Passive, Aggressive or Assertive?
Would you like to know where you fall on the behavior spectrum? Does your response to events sometimes surprise you?


Close menu element
Information & Resources
ZandaX information
Information
Read more about us, our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service
See how we want to help you, and how we make everything easy for everyone
Callback request
ZandaX Blogs
Articles to increase your knowledge and understanding in key areas of your life and career.
Read our blogs on Personal Development, Business Skills and Leadership & Management


Time Management test
Log In
Log in to your online dashboard
View your courses, review what you want and download your workbooks and certificates
Assertiveness test
Contact Us
An easy online form to get in touch
With options for More Information, Customer Service and Feedback


Close menu element
Develop Your Skills, Knowledge and Understanding with ZandaX
Click any subject in the listings for more information and a full list of courses

Personal Development
Personal Development training
Your soft skills affect everything you do, at work, at home and with friends ... they are truly life changing!
NEW COURSES
Online training courses
Hot Off the Press...
We're always adding to and upgrading our courses, so here are a few of our latest releases:
For a full listing of courses, please visit our Quick Course Finder to find exactly what you want.
Site Cookies
We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better.

You can change your cookie settings in your browser. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue.

I'm fine with this