Handling change requests after having successfully rolled out a software product completes the product life-cycle. Thus designing an efficient change request management process is nowadays an important topic that has to address several parameters like software characteristics, multiple actors, different change request stages and but also other developments
like highly distributed workplaces or actors working in different time zones. Taking these circumstances into account, this thesis suggests a framework to manage change requests through workflows to address the mentioned requirements and shows how it can be applied in business.
To give a theoretical foundation, change request management and workflow management are regarded showing their characteristics and their state-of-the-art. The close relation and the differences of these two terms is discussed as well. Using these findings a framework is suggested that handles change request management through workflows. The framework development follows a bottom-up approach: Starting from defining contents of changerequests and the change request life-cycle, the thesis continues with defining relations, actors and a release strategy. To find a suitable tool the market-relevant workflow-products are evaluated by pre-defined criteria in terms of their potential as change request management supporting software.
To see the applicableness of the provided framework, it is implemented in a practical example. The Robert Bosch (SEA) Pte Ltd in Singapore has
rolled out the internal softwareWorkON and now its product manager deals with change requests from customers from America, Europe and Asia and sets up own change requests for providers. Expert interviews and the evaluation of closed change requests show how change request management has been conducted so far, where gaps occur and how the developed framework resolves the gaps using one of the analysed products.
The outcome of this thesis is a framework for conducting change request management through workflows including its advantages and limitations. In addition to this theoretical approach the market analysis names potential products to implement the concept and the second part gives an example how the concept can be implemented in business.
Please note, no kickoff presentation due to thesis abroad.
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| Name | Type | Size | Last Modification | Last Editor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRM_final.xlsm | 434 KB | 13.01.2014 | ||
| Heuschild_final.pdf | 2,15 MB | 13.01.2014 | ||
| Heuschild_initial.pdf | 1,00 MB | 28.11.2014 | ||
| Heuschild_initial.pptx | 1,87 MB | 26.03.2015 |