The Purpose of the Change Theme

B.

The Change theme is one of the seven themes of PRINCE2, a widely used project management methodology. The purpose of the Change theme is to identify, assess, and control any potential and approved changes to baselined products. The term "baselined products" refers to the products that have been approved and agreed upon by the project stakeholders.

In a PRINCE2 project, the Change theme helps the project team to manage changes that may occur during the project lifecycle. The Change theme is not about preventing changes to baselined products, but rather managing changes in a controlled manner. This helps to ensure that changes are evaluated for their impact on the project's objectives, and that any necessary adjustments are made to the project plan, costs, and timelines.

The Change theme involves a set of processes, activities, and responsibilities that are designed to manage changes effectively. These include:

1. Change control approach: The project manager defines a change control approach that outlines how changes will be identified, assessed, and authorized. This approach also defines the roles and responsibilities of the project team members who are involved in the change control process.

2. Configuration management: The project team uses configuration management to identify and manage the components of the project that are subject to change. This includes maintaining a baseline of the approved products, tracking changes, and maintaining a history of changes.

3. Issue management: The project team manages issues that arise during the project, including any issues related to changes. This involves identifying, assessing, and addressing issues in a timely manner.

4. Change control: The project team uses change control to evaluate proposed changes and decide whether to approve or reject them. This involves assessing the impact of changes on the project's objectives, costs, and timelines, and seeking approval from relevant stakeholders.

In summary, the purpose of the Change theme in PRINCE2 is to manage changes effectively by identifying, assessing, and controlling any potential and approved changes to baselined products. This helps to ensure that the project objectives are achieved, and that any necessary adjustments are made to the project plan, costs, and timelines in a controlled and managed manner.