Rare is the project that proceeds from idea through implementation without changes. The scope of a project may increase or decrease, the budget may change, or the schedule may change, and any of these may be disruptive if not handled logically and meticulously. Submitting a change order request will always be disruptive to some degree, but how your organization handles the change order request process can minimize disruption and bureaucratic red tape. Since change is inevitable in any thriving organization, it's essential that the process is defined, streamlined, and manageable. Here are some thoughts on streamlining the change order request process.
Standard and Emergency Change Order Requests Many organizations choose to divide change orders into two categories: standard and emergency. A standard change order request applies to routine, low-risk changes that don't require a lot of oversight. Emergency change orders are reserved for non-routine changes that carry some risk and require oversight so as not to derail the entire project. While you hope to never have to use the emergency change order request process, it's wise for this process to be developed and for key personnel to learn it. An emergency change order may follow an accelerated procedure while requiring more approval steps along the way. Though it may initially seem more complicated to have two types of change order requests, long term it may be more efficient and effective. When an emergency change order is initiated, key players know the stakes are higher and can respond accordingly. Electronic Is the Only Way to Go Paper-based change order requests had their day and performed admirably, but everything is more fast-paced now, and paper change order requests are outdated and insufficient for today's needs. When a paper-based change order request process is made electronic, many worries disappear, such as worries over lost, illegible, or misrouted forms. An electronic change order request process automatically routes completed forms to the proper approving authorities and reduces errors. Electronic forms can be designed to only accept certain types of information in form fields. For example, if someone tried to submit a form with text in a field that requires numbers, the system could require corrections before allowing submission. Automated Alerts Keep Change Order Requests on Track
