Configuration Management
Abstract
This chapter explains the need for configuration management and describes the five stages of this process. These are: configuration management and planning, configuration identification, configuration change management, configuration status accounting, and configuration audit. An example of a master record index (MRI) is included.
Keywords
Configuration management; configuration audit; master record index (MRI)
Although in the confined project management context configuration management is often assumed to be synonymous with version control of documentation or software, it is of course very much more far reaching in the total project environment. Developed originally in the aerospace industry, it has been created to ensure that changes and modifications to physical components, software, systems, and documentation are recorded and identified in such a way that replacements, spares, and assembly documentation has conformed to the version in service. It also has been developed to ensure that the design standards and characteristics were reflected accurately in the finished product.
It can be seen that when projects involve complex systems as in the aerospace, defence, or petrochemical industry, configuration management is of the utmost importance as the very nature of these industries involves development work and numerous modifications not only from the original concept or design but also during the whole life cycle of the product.
Keeping track of all these changes to specifications, drawings, support documentation, and manufacturing processes is the essence of configuration management, which can be split into the following five main stages:
1. Configuration management and planning. This covers the necessary standards, procedures, support facilities, resources, and training and sets out the scope, definitions, reviews, milestones, and audit dates.
2. Configuration identification. This encompasses the logistics and systems and procedures. It also defines the criteria for selection in each of the project phases.
3. Configuration change management. This deals with the proposed changes and their investigation before acceptance. At this stage changes are compared with the configuration baseline including defining when formal departure points have been reached.
4. Configuration status accounting. This records and logs the accepted (registered) changes and notifications as well as providing traceability of all baselines.
5. Configuration audit. This ensures that all the previous stages have been correctly applied and incorporated in the organization. The output of this stage is the audit report.
In all these stages resources and facilities must always be considered and arrangements must be made to feed back comments to the management stage.
Essentially the process of identification, evaluation, and implementation of changes requires accurate monitoring and recording and subsequent dissemination of documentation to the interested parties. This is controlled by a master record index (MRI). An example of such an MRI for controlling documents is shown in Figure 18.1.
On large, complex, and especially multinational projects, where the design and manufacture are carried out in different countries, great effort is required to ensure that product configuration is adequately monitored and controlled. To this end a configuration control committee is appointed to head up special interface control groups and configuration control boards that investigate and, where accepted, approve all proposed changes.