Change management process

Welcome to the Change Management Process for the Cardano Continuity contract managed by Intersect. This process ensures clarity on how changes can be introduced, providing certainty in our operations.

Scope of the process:

This procedure applies to changes made to adjust direction, scope, or effort between Planning Increments (PI) or Statements of Work (SoWs). It also covers changes to policies and procedures affecting delivery under the Continuity work plan.

This process does not apply to the regular PI planning cycles nor to SoWs that have not yet been agreed, which agree on scope and effort for an upcoming 3-month period.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Change Requestor: Identifies the need for change, completes the change form, and ensures implementation and reporting. This role can be fulfilled by anyone representing an organization named within the contract subject to the change.

• Change Manager: Manages change procedures, evaluates requests, and maintains records. A nominated person within Intersect’s Delivery Assurance Team.

• Technical Steering Committee (TSC): Acts as the Change Advisory Board and evaluates requests.

• Approver: TSC approves changes below the agreed threshold, while the Managing Director approves changes above.

• Implementor: The Implementer is responsible for implementing the change.

Raising a new change request:

• Discuss potential requests with involved parties before formally raising them, via email or the dedicated Delivery Assurance Slack channel.

• Any party named within a contract can initiate a change request outside of the PI planning or SoW creation process.

• Requests from third parties should be raised formally through the quality & feedback knowledge page for the TSC to take appropriate action.

• The change requestor is responsible for completing the Change Request form.

• Changes may be to the scope of work, allocated effort, timelines, or any other material change.

• Formal recording of change requests via email to [e-mail] or during joint delivery assurance meetings and noted at the TSC.

Approving a new change request:

• Changes to policies and procedures will also be included in this process where these have no material impact on the cost of delivery.

• Changes in scope, effort, or cost implications are presented to the TSC for recommendation, before the change being agreed.

• Final approval by Intersect's Managing Director (MD) for changes above set thresholds.

Recording & communicating a change request:

• Intersect, as the Change Manager maintains a formal change log and updates the risk register for approved changes.

• For change requests that require MD sign-off, the Change Manager will provide an update to the TSC.

• For approved changes, impacted departments within Intersect are informed, and the community is notified via Gitbooks.

• The Intersect Security Policy may supersede any change policy.

• Cardano roadmap may be updated jointly by the Change Requestor & Manager to account for changes, and also account for new long-term work items. Roadmap items must be picked up from the roadmap via the regular planning process.

Exceptions and approval thresholds:

• Emergencies (e.g. an urgent security issue) may allow immediate action with subsequent urgent notification to Intersect.

• Initial changes require approval from the Managing Director until formal thresholds are established.