Issue management approach

The issue management approach describes how issues will be identified, assessed, resolved, and, where necessary, result in changes to the project baseline.

It defines the procedures, techniques, standards, and responsibilities for ensuring issues are handled consistently, efficiently, and in alignment with the project’s objectives and governance structure.

This approach ensures that:

• All issues are captured and recorded in a controlled manner.
• Changes to the project baseline are assessed, approved, and implemented following agreed procedures.
• Roles and responsibilities for issue management and change control are clearly defined.

It covers:

• Procedures for raising and reporting issues.
• The change control process for modifying project baselines.
• The use of change budgets, tools, and standards.

Life cycle

The issue management approach is applied throughout the project, aligning with PRINCE2’s processes:

1. Starting up a project (SU) – Any early issues identified are noted informally in the daily Log. No formal issue management activities are undertaken at this stage.
2. Initiating a project (IP) – The project manager creates the issue management approach, defining the scope, procedures, baseline elements, change control process, authorised budgets, timing, and responsibilities.
3. Directing a project (DP) – The project board approves the issue management approach as part of the project initiation documentation, confirming the change authority and any delegated powers.
4. Controlling a stage (CS) – Issues are recorded in the issue register, assessed for impact, prioritised, and resolved following the agreed procedures. Any required changes to the project baseline are raised through the change control process.
5. Managing product delivery (MP) – Team managers escalate issues they cannot resolve to the project manager, using the reporting and resolution procedure.
6. Managing a stage boundary (SB) – The project manager reviews all open issues, ensures resolution plans are in place, and updates the issue management approach if required.
7. Closing a project (CP) – All outstanding issues are resolved or handed over to the appropriate operational teams, and lessons relating to issue and change management are documented.

Contents

An issue management approach document will normally include:

• Scope: What types of issues are in scope (e.g., requests for change, off-specifications, problems/concerns) and any exclusions.
• Project baseline elements: The management products that make up the project baseline (e.g., project plan, business case, product descriptions).
• Issue reporting and resolution procedure: How issues will be raised, logged, analysed, and resolved; any variations from corporate standards and their justifications.
• Change control procedure: How changes to the baseline will be requested, evaluated, authorised, implemented, and verified.
• Change budget: The approved change budget, including any allocations at stage or work package level.
• Timing: When and how often formal issue management reviews will take place.
• Responsibilities: Roles associated with issue and change management, including change authority and delegated responsibilities.
• Supporting tools or systems: Systems used for issue tracking, change control, and version control.
• Standards: Priority and severity grading systems; format and composition of the issue register and change control records.
• References: Links to related documents such as organisational change control policy or baseline configuration documents.

Tips

The following tips help you have a more effective approach to managing issues:

• Define clear categories – Ensure issues are classified correctly as requests for change, off-specifications, or problems/concerns.
• Use the change budget effectively – Reserve it for changes that deliver the most value or are essential to project success.
• Maintain transparency – Keep the issue register up to date and accessible to relevant stakeholders.
• Clarify authority levels – Ensure all team members know who can approve different types of changes.
• Integrate with risk management – Many issues originate from realised risks; link them to the relevant risk register entries.
• Close the loop – Verify that implemented changes have achieved the desired effect before formally closing the issue.

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Written by Frank Turley.

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