What change Management processes we should use to ensure that change is introduced properly?

Change management deals with how changes to the system are managed so they don't degrade system performance and availability.

In effective change management, all changes should be identified and planned for prior to implementation. Back-out procedures should be established in case changes create problems. Then, after changes are applied, they should be thoroughly tested and evaluated.

Step 1: Define change management process and practices
As you would with other systems management disciplines, you must first craft a plan for handling changes. This plan should cover…..
A. Procedures for handling changes—how changes are requested, how they are processed and scheduled for implementation, how they are applied, and what the criteria are for backing out changes that cause problems
B. Roles and responsibilities of the IT support staff—who receives the change request, who tracks all change requests, who schedules change implementations, and what each entity is supposed to do
C. Measurements for change management—what will be tracked to monitor the efficiency of the change management discipline
D. Tools to be used
E. Type of changes to be handled and how to assign priorities—priority assignment methodology and escalation guidelines
F. Back-out procedures—Actions to take if applied changes do not perform as expected or cause problems to other components of the system
Step 2: Receive change requests
Receive all requests for changes, ideally through a single change coordinator. Change requests can be submitted on a change request form that includes the date and time of the request.
Step 3: Plan for implementation of changes
Examine all change requests to determine:
A. Change request prioritization
B. Resource requirements for implementing the change
C. Impact to the system
D. Back-out procedures
E. Schedule of implementation
Step 4: Implement and monitor the changes; back out changes if necessary
At this stage, apply the change and monitor the results. If the desired outcome is not achieved, or if other systems or applications are negatively affected, back out the changes.
Step 5: Evaluate and report on changes implemented
Provide feedback on all changes to the change coordinator, whether they were successful or not. The change coordinator is responsible for examining trends in the application of changes, to see if:
A. Change implementation planning was sufficient.
B. Changes to certain resources are more prone to problems.
When a change has been successfully made, it is crucial that the corresponding system information store be updated to reflect them.
Step 6: Modify change management plan if necessary
You may need to modify the entire change management process to make it more effective. Consider reexamining your change management disciplines if:
A. Changes are not being applied on time.
B. Not enough changes are being processed.
C. Too many changes are being backed out.
D. Changes are affecting the system availability.
E. Not all changes are being covered.