This Change Request example shows how Alex Morgan, PMP, processed CR-002 during Project Phoenix — a $72,250 website launch managed using the PMBOK Guide 8th Edition. CR-002 was raised when sponsor Riley Park requested an additional hero image revision after the initial design mockup did not reflect MCG's updated brand guidelines. This example demonstrates exactly how a change request is documented, analyzed, and formally approved through a Change Control Board.

What Is a Change Request?

A Change Request is a formal proposal to modify any aspect of a project — its scope, schedule, cost, quality standards, or project documents. In PMBOK 8, change requests are a critical output of the Integrated Change Control process within the Governance Performance Domain. They ensure that every modification to the approved baseline goes through structured analysis before implementation, preventing scope creep and protecting project performance. A well-documented change request includes a clear description of the change, a full impact analysis across all affected baselines, and a formal disposition from the Change Control Board (CCB).

What's Inside This Change Request Example

This Change Request example for Project Phoenix includes:

• CR-002 identification: title "Hero Image Revision — Additional Round," submitted by Riley Park (Sponsor) on April 10, 2025
• Change description: the initial hero image delivered by BrightFrame used the previous brand color palette; a full revision round was required to align with MCG's updated brand guidelines published February 2025
• Impact analysis: cost impact +$400 (BrightFrame revision fee), schedule impact +1 working day, no scope change to other deliverables
• Affected stakeholders: BrightFrame (design vendor — Priya Patel as Design Lead), and downstream impact on Sprint 2 backlog sequencing
• Risk assessment: low risk — revision is contained within the existing design phase and does not affect the critical path
• CCB disposition: Approved by Riley Park (COO/Sponsor) on April 12, 2025; change absorbed within contingency reserve

How Alex Morgan Used This Change Request

When Riley Park raised the hero image concern during the Sprint 1 review on April 9, Alex Morgan's first action was to open a formal change request rather than simply asking BrightFrame to redo the work. This discipline protected the project on two fronts: it gave BrightFrame written authorization to spend additional time (preventing a dispute at invoice time), and it created an auditable record that the +$400 cost was sponsor-approved. The change was added to the Sprint 2 backlog and completed by April 14, keeping the Design Approval milestone on schedule. By the end of Project Phoenix, 4 change requests had been processed — 3 approved and 1 deferred to Phase 2 — all handled through this same structured process.

Download and Customize

This Change Request example is available as a free download. Use it as a reference to build your own Change Request, or start with the blank template and fill it in for your project.

• Download the Change Request Template — PMBOK 8 (blank, ready to use)
• Read the article: Change Request in PMBOK 8 — Guide and Best Practices

Change Request Example: Key Takeaways

The most important lesson from this Change Request example is that the value of the document is not in the paperwork — it is in the discipline of stopping to analyze impact before acting. Alex Morgan's team processed all four change requests in under 48 hours each, which meant the process never became a bureaucratic bottleneck. The key was having a pre-agreed CCB process: changes under $500 with no critical path impact could be approved by the PM alone; anything larger required Riley Park's sign-off. That tiered approach kept the project moving while maintaining governance integrity throughout the 13-week timeline.

Want to go deeper? The PMBOK Guide 8th Edition is the definitive reference for modern project management. Get your copy and use it alongside these examples to build a solid, practical understanding of every performance domain.