Change control

The formal process for requesting, reviewing, and approving changes to a project's scope or an IT environment — distinct from change management.

Change control governs modifications to a baseline: a change request is raised, assessed for impact, and approved or rejected through a defined process. It is common in project management and IT service management.

Change control is often confused with change management, but they are different disciplines — change control manages changes to the work, while change management manages the people affected by the change.

Related terms

Organizational change management (OCM)

The discipline of managing the people side of organizational change so that affected groups adopt new processes, systems, or structures and the intended benefits are realized.

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What is change management? A practical guide for 2026

A plain-language definition of change management, the end-to-end process, the roles involved, and how a change management tool keeps the work and the record together.

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