Guide to Cost Change Control in Project Management
Cost Change Control is a critical facet of Project Management, as per the PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition. It ensures that any alteration in the cost baseline is appropriately managed and recorded.
Its significance can be credited to its function in maintaining cost efficiency, mitigating risks, and ensuring project deliverables adhere to the prescribed budget.
In terms of operation, it involves activities like preparing cost estimates, creating the cost baseline, devising change control systems, and finally, controlling and managing any changes to the cost baseline.
Exam tips for questions on Cost Change Control:
1. One must understand that the primary purpose of cost change control is to manage actual changes when and if they occur.
2. Questions may concern 'planned value', 'actual cost', and 'earned value', thus conceptual clarity on these can contribute to your success.
3. Being familiar with the process of calculating cost variance and cost performance index can prove beneficial.
4. Remember, not every cost change results in a change request, changes may be accepted within the tolerance limits set by the cost baseline.