The Configuration Management Plan (CM Plan) is first defined during the project planning process and is part of the overall project plan. Like all planning documents, the level of detail included in the CM Plan should be consistent with the risk levels, compliance requirements, and composition of the project team. As a guide, Table 12.2 lists the minimum topics that should be covered in a CM Plan.
TABLE 12.2 Recommended Sections for Configuration Management Plan
| Element | Definition | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Targets | The project work products to be managed. | Usually all project work products. |
| Repository | The location and definition of the central project repository. | Depending on work product types, there might be more than one. There should be only one document repository. |
| Directory Structure | Defines the organization of the project repository. | Usually organized by project phases and work product type. |
| File Naming Conventions | Defines the conventions to be used for naming project files. | Should include project name and work product name at a minimum. |
| Keyword Conventions | Defines the list of keywords that can be associated with the work product. | Essential if team/organization/tool wants to leverage search capabilities to find/locate items and not manage overhead of directory structures and file-naming conventions, and the tool does not automatically index all contents. |
| Tools | Lists the configuration management tools to be utilized on the project. | |
| Process and Procedures | Defines how work products are introduced into the repository and how revisions are made to them. Defines the review and approval process for any work product requiring authorization before a change can be official. | Might reference subconfiguration management plans if multiple tools are used or needed. |
| Roles and Responsibilities | Defines the key roles in the configuration management process and what each project team member can do. | The key role is the librarian. |
| Reporting | Defines how configuration management status will be reported and what metrics are needed for this project. | Deliverable tracker. |
| Audits | Defines how the configuration management process will be audited for compliance and when those audits will occur. | Often a part of the QA review process. |
| Relation to other CM Plans | Indicates whether other configuration management plans are involved and how they integrate with the overall project plan. | Supplier CM Plans. Specific work product–type CM Plans. |
Caution
A common planning oversight is not factoring the CM activities into the task assignments or not allocating specific CM roles. As a result, the individuals assigned to CM activities are often overallocated. Thus, when time is tight, the CM activities are the first to go.
Tip
For whatever CM tools you leverage, make sure there is a CM tool expert either on your team or available to the core project team.
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