Change Management in Capital Projects: How to Navigate Shifts Without Losing Control

Mastering Project Controls – Part 5

Introduction: Projects Change—How You Respond Matters

Even the best-planned capital projects face change. Market conditions shift. Stakeholder needs evolve. Field conditions surprise.

But not all change is bad. The real problem isn’t change—it’s unmanaged change.

Change management is what separates resilient projects from reactive ones. It transforms scope adjustments, design updates, or field-driven modifications into traceable, controlled decisions. In this blog, we’ll explore how change management works in large capital programs, what tools matter most, and how Owner’s Representatives use it to protect both project integrity and stakeholder trust.

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What Is Change Management?

Change management in project controls is the structured process of identifying, evaluating, documenting, approving, and tracking changes to a project’s scope, cost, and schedule.

It ensures that:

• No change happens without a documented decision trail

• All impacts are analyzed across time, cost, and delivery

• The team stays aligned on what’s changing—and why

Change management ≠ change orders.

It’s the governance process that precedes and informs them.

Where Change Management Fits

Phase	Change Management Focus
Programming	Early clarity on what can/cannot change
Design	Track evolving decisions and maintain version control
Preconstruction	Ensure bid scope and contracts match current baseline
Construction	Track field changes, RFIs, submittal-driven deviations
Closeout	Finalize change logs and ensure proper documentation for turnover

Risks of Poor Change Management

1. Untracked Cost Increases – Changes accumulate outside the budget log

2. Schedule Drift – Time impacts aren’t assessed before implementing changes

3. Scope Confusion – Multiple teams operate on outdated versions or expectations

4. Contract Disputes – No clear record of who approved what

5. Stakeholder Mistrust – Surprises at the board level when final costs or features shift

The Owner’s Representative Role

Change management lives at the intersection of authority and accountability. The OR makes sure that:

• All proposed changes are formally logged

• Each change is evaluated for triple constraint impact (scope–schedule–cost)

• Change thresholds are enforced based on contract terms or governance models

• Change reviews are built into standing meetings

• Real-time dashboards show approved, pending, and denied changes

• Owner intent is protected—changes must serve the business case

Tools We Use for Change Management

Tool	Purpose
Procore or E-builder	Change event and commitment tracking
Smartsheet	Custom change log dashboards with approvals
Power BI	Live change impact reporting by category
Bluebeam	Redline review for change visualization
Albers Templates	Governance logs, impact assessment forms, decision records

Change Management Workflow (Simple Model)

1. Initiation – RFI, stakeholder input, field condition, or design revision

2. Documentation – Logged in centralized system (Procore, Excel, etc.)

3. Impact Assessment – Scope, cost, and time evaluation

4. Review & Approval – PM, OR, and owner decision gates

5. Integration – Schedule + budget updated if approved

6. Communication – Team informed, drawing logs and SOV updated

7. Archive – Final record stored in closeout documents and dashboards

Real-World Example: Change Without Chaos — Managing Major Scope Adjustments on a 1,200-Acre Manufacturing Campus

Project Context

A global OEM selected Albers Management to serve as Owner’s Representative for a new 1,200-acre advanced manufacturing campus, including body shop, paint, stamping, final assembly, battery module production, and logistics facilities. Midway through Phase 1 execution, the client’s product strategy shifted to accelerate EV production volumes and incorporate in-house battery recycling.

The Change Trigger

Three months into construction, the clients board approved a major strategic pivot:

• Add 280,000 SF battery facility

• Expand central utilities by 35%

• Revise traffic, safety, and logistics plans for new vehicle and material flow

This change affected scope, schedule, utilities, regulatory approvals, and contractual commitments.

Our Response: Albers Change Management in Action

1. Recognize & Evaluate

Albers conducted a rapid triage of proposed changes:

• Interviewed the battery and sustainability divisions

• Compared against baseline scope, phasing, and delivery risks

• Flagged dependencies on power capacity, permits, fire protection

2. Perform Impact Analysis
We launched a formal Change Impact Workshop with design, permitting, construction, and procurement stakeholders. Within 48 hours, we:

• Modeled three schedule options in P6

• Ran Monte Carlo risk simulations

• Outlined long-lead procurement implications and permitting risks

3. Facilitate Stakeholder Review & Decision
We presented a 3-option change recommendation package:

• Option A: Full integration (adds 7 months, $87M)

• Option B: Separate phased facility (adds 3 months, $63M)

• Option C: Defer to Phase 2 (no delay, +$47M redesign cost later)

Result: Leadership chose Option B. Albers facilitated expedited planning approvals while avoiding restart of the main building permit.

4. Implement Without Chaos
We:

• Re-baselined the master schedule and budget

• Updated logistics and fire protection packages

• Aligned the new facility with future-ready phasing

5. Monitor, Communicate & Optimize
We created a dedicated “Change Dashboard” in Power BI:

• Real-time metrics on change-related RFIs, submittals, and spend

• Weekly executive updates with snapshot impacts

• Embedded change tracking into invoice approval flow

Outcome

• Change was fully integrated with only 3 weeks of float drawdown

• No restart of existing construction packages

• Utility contractor pivoted without remobilization

• Client maintained EV product launch timeline and met ESG targets

 Change wasn’t avoided. It was controlled.

Best Practices for Change Management

Practice	Why It Works
Use a Unified Change Log	Everyone sees the same status and history
Set Thresholds for Approval	Don’t clog exec time with low-dollar changes
Assess Impact First, Not Last	Time/cost checks must be immediate
Include OR in All Change Reviews	Ensures impartial assessment and owner alignment
Visualize Impacts in Dashboards	Improves team trust and understanding
Tie Changes to Original Scope Matrix	Prevents silent scope growth

Change Management vs. Scope Control

• Scope Control defines what the project includes.

• Change Management governs how (and if) it gets updated.

Without both, teams lose clarity—and owners lose trust.

Conclusion: Control Change Before It Controls You

Change is inevitable. But when managed poorly, it turns into confusion, delay, and budget erosion.

Change management is how you stay in charge—even when the project shifts.

It gives owners the power to adapt without losing direction—and helps delivery teams make decisions without losing accountability.

At Albers Management, we don’t just track changes—we build systems to make them smarter.

Want a deeper, behind-the-scenes perspective?
Read the personal blog version by David Gray:
What Are Project Controls? – DavidGrayProjects.com

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About the Author

David Gray is a principal at Albers Management and a national expert in capital program delivery. With experience managing over $20B in complex infrastructure and healthcare projects, he leads with strategy, structure, and service.

Outside of Albers, David shares long-form insights and behind-the-scenes lessons at DavidGrayProjects.com, where he writes about project strategy, leadership, and the future of infrastructure.

Visit DavidGrayProjects.com →