When discussing change management, there are two fundamental types to consider: people change management and IT change management. Today, I am focusing specifically on IT change management and why it is absolutely crucial for successful IT operations.
Why IT Change Management Matters
IT change management is essential because it ensures you understand the potential impact of any changes you make to your IT systems. Without proper change management, even small adjustments can cause significant disruptions to your business operations.
Understanding Configuration Items
At the heart of change management is the concept of a configuration item (CI). Simply put, a configuration item is any IT component that you plan to modify. This could be hardware, software, documentation, or any other IT asset that needs to be controlled through the change management process.
Three Key Pillars of Effective Change Management
For successful IT change management, you need to focus on these three critical elements:
- A robust Configuration Management Database (CMDB) – This serves as the central repository for all your configuration items and their relationships.
- Solid change management practices – This means implementing well-defined processes and ensuring proper separation of duties. Your change process should involve distinct roles:
- Change requester
- Change designer
- Change approver
- Change implementer
- Thorough documentation – Documenting changes properly is non-negotiable for effective change management.
The Change Management Approach
Regardless of where you work, there is a standard approach to change management that should always be followed, and this is what I highly recommend:
Before the Change
- Silence the alerts
- Contact your Network Operations Center (NOC)
- Inform them about the maintenance window
- Request that they disable alerts for the affected device and any related systems
- Create a fresh backup
- Back up the configuration item before making any changes
- Store the backup in an agreed-upon central repository accessible by the team
- Never save backups on your personal computer
- Perform pre-change checks
- Document the current state as your baseline
- Conduct IT related testing to verify system functionality, this activity has to be completed by the IT Teams and evidence such as screen captures, etc…saved.
- Perform business validation to confirm application functionality, this activity has to be completed by business teams and evidence such as screen captures, etc…saved.
This pre-change testing is vital because it establishes whether systems were working correctly before any changes were implemented. This prevents situations where pre-existing issues are incorrectly attributed to your change.
During the Change
- Follow the implementation procedure precisely
- If any deviation from the documented procedure occurs, back out of the change immediately
- Document everything as you go, taking screenshots for evidence
After the Change
- IT testing – The IT team should verify that everything works from a technical perspective
- Business testing – Only after IT testing is complete should the business users perform their validation
- Enable Alerts – The alerts that were disabled before starting the change should be enabled now
- Update CMDB – Update CMDB as required for move, add, change, delete for the impacted configuration items.
Essential Change Management Artifacts
Artifacts for each change should be stored in a central repository where everyone can access them.
1. Method of Procedure (MOP)
This is essentially a timeline document or a sequence of activities, usually spreadsheet or a project plan that outlines: – Who is responsible for each task – There should be one owner for each task – When each task should begin and end – Dependencies between different tasks – Phone numbers for all involved team members executing the change and their managers – Go/No Go criteria – Clear timeframe after which the change should be rolled back as extending beyond that point business operations can be negatively impacted, causing service disruptions.
The MOP does not contain detailed implementation steps but references the appropriate sections in implementation procedures.
Documentation and Time Management
The change manager must update the MOP with actual start and end times for each task. This information is invaluable for: – Learning from the change process – Improving future time estimates – Coordinating changes when multiple teams are involved – Setting realistic change windows
2. Implementation Procedure
This detailed document, usually a word document that contains: – All commands to be executed – Screen captures or outputs that show what systems should look like before, during, and after the change – Clear back-out instructions – Screenshots documenting the change as it is implemented
You can create either: – A single implementation procedure with different sections for various teams (system administrators, database administrators, network personnel) – Separate implementation procedures for each team, all referenced in the MOP
Post-Change Documentation
After completing the change: 1. Store all documentation in a central repository 2. A dedicated folder for each change 3. Save both pre-change and post-change versions of the MOP and implementation procedures 4. Include screenshots and any other evidence gathered during implementation 5. Enable screen recording if that feature is avaiable
The Value of Consistency
Having a documented process ensures everyone follows it and avoids different team members creating their own processes. When everyonein the team follows the same agreed-upon procedures: – Changes become more predictable – Risks are minimized – The process becomes person-independent – Quality and reliability improve
By implementing these practices, you will establish a robust IT change management framework that protects your systems and supports your business objectives.
I hope you found this useful. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Do not forget to follow us for more IT management insights.
Thank you!