By Randy Wagner - August 2004

In my experience, defining the terms “defect” and “change request” (CRs) can be small potatoes but it can really contribute to making your process understandable to the average project member. It’s an opportunity to involve lifecycle stakeholders and provide core concepts to new team members. Good change control dictates a solid process for handling Configuration Items (CIs) throughout the lifecycle. Particularly for those of us in the smaller, less mature shops, it’s where an SCM earns his or her spurs. Defining these terms, in the context of the organization and processes, can help the organization as a whole focus on many aspects of the change control system in a meaningful way.