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Definition: Change requests may occur in many forms—oral or written, direct or indirect, externally or internally initiated, and legally mandated or optional. Changes may require expanding the scope or may allow shrinking it. Most change requests are the result of:
• An external event (e.g., a change in a government regulation)
• An error or omission in defining the scope of the product (e.g., failure to include a required feature in the design of a
telecommunications system)
• An error or omission in defining the scope of the project (e.g., using a BOM instead of a WBS)
• A value-adding change (e.g., an environmental remediation project is able to reduce costs by taking advantage of technology that was not available when the scope was originally defined)
• Implementing a contingency plan or workaround plan to respond to a risk.
Acceptance Level: Generally accepted
Alternative or Related Terms: None
Application Areas/Intended Uses: Scope change requests are an input into the scope change control process.
Chief Advantages: Scope change requests are an inevitable aspect of most projects and a mechanism for accommodating changing circumstances, perceptions, and needs.
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