To ensure proper handling of changes, which plan governs the process of requesting, approving, and tracking changes?

• A. Communications Plan
• B. Scope Management Plan
• C. Change Management Plan
• D. Risk Management Plan

Answer: (C)

Managing changes requires a formal mechanism that defines how a change is requested, analyzed, approved or rejected, and tracked through to implementation. The Change Management Plan provides this mechanism. It specifies the process for submitting a change request, who reviews and approves it (often a change control board), the criteria and thresholds for decisions, and how changes are recorded in a change log and communicated to stakeholders. It also explains how approved changes adjust baselines and how scope, schedule, and cost are re-evaluated as needed.

Other plans focus on different areas: a Communications Plan guides how information is shared with stakeholders, a Scope Management Plan outlines how the project scope will be defined and controlled, and a Risk Management Plan describes how risks are identified and addressed. None of these establish the end-to-end governance for requesting, approving, and tracking changes as comprehensively as the Change Management Plan.