Effective change management ensures the continued integrity, stability and security of the district’s computing environment and facilitates the effective coordination, planning and communication of changes for all educational partners. To initiate and submit a change request, please read below to learn more about the process and access the change request form. Overview Technology Services employs a comprehensive, standardized process for all changes that impact the production environment. This protocol ensures that changes are thoroughly reviewed prior to implementation, and that they are made efficiently and with a minimal amount of disruption to operations: Initiation Phase A Change Request is required to initiate the change management process. Detailed information about the nature, scope and requirements are provided in the Change Request. Planning Phase The change request is assessed to determine its priority, the required Level of Effort (LOE) and develop a change plan and backout plan. Educational partners review the request to determine approval status. Implementation Phase Implementer(s) will execute and test the change in a sandbox environment prior to implementation in the production environment. Completion Educational partners are notified of completion and the request is closed. Learn More To initiate an IT change request, please go to the support cards and select "Submit a Change Request." For additional information about Technology Services change management workflow, please contact the Help Desk. Please Note: The change request process can take 3-5 business days to approve, test, and implement any requested changes.

When managing and maintaining services, it's essential to distinguish between different types of requests, each serving a unique purpose and requiring a specific approach. Three common categories that help define the nature of these requests are Ticket Incidents, Change Requests, and Project Requests. While they all involve modifications or actions to improve systems or services, they differ significantly in terms of urgency, scope, and the level of planning required. This ensures that resources are appropriately allocated, issues are addressed in a timely manner, and the correct procedures are followed for effective resolution. Below is a breakdown of each type of request, highlighting their key characteristics. Please Note: We understand that there will be situations that may not seem as straightforward. In such cases, special scenarios will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and assigned the appropriate request type accordingly. This approach ensures that each situation is handled with the necessary attention and that resources are allocated effectively. Ticket Incident vs. Change Request vs. Project Request 1. Ticket Incident : A Ticket Incident is when something goes wrong with a service, like a system crash, an app not working, internet problems, or broken equipment. It needs to be quickly fixed to get things back to normal. These incidents are recorded in a ticketing system like FreshService, and are fixed based on how serious and urgent they are. Key Characteristics: Unplanned, requires immediate attention. Goal is to restore service to normal operations. Short-term resolution (often via troubleshooting or workarounds). Examples: Escape crashes for one person, someone cannot log in, printer is malfunctioning. 2. Change Request : A Change Request is a formal request to update a system, process, or service. Unlike urgent fixes, these changes are planned, reviewed, approved, and tested before implementation. Some require approval from a Change Approval Board (CAB). Examples include software upgrades, adding new features, or creating a new job classification. Key Characteristics: Planned modifications to systems, applications, or processes. Requires review, approval, and sometimes testing such as User Acceptance Testing (UAT) before implementation. May be part of a larger initiative but not necessarily a full project. Takes less than four weeks to be fully completed. Examples: Escape System Upgrades, implementing an addon in Escape, requesting a new job class to be implemented. 3. Project Request : A Project Request is a formal way to start a big task that involves many people, resources, and a schedule. Projects take more than four weeks, have clear goals, and require careful planning and progress tracking. Examples include setting up new software, launching a service, or upgrading equipment. Key Characteristics: Larger, more complex effort with specific goals, scope, and timelines. Initiative takes longer than four weeks to implement. Requires project management oversight and resource allocation. Involves educational partners and may consist of several change requests. Examples: Implementing a new payroll system, launching a new employee portal, migrating to a new ticketing system. Summary of Differences:

Priority and urgency are key factors in managing change requests effectively. They help teams determine what to address first and ensure the most critical changes are handled appropriately. Here's how priority and urgency apply to change requests: Definitions Priority: Reflects the importance of the change request in relation to organizational goals and impact. It answers, "How significant is this change to our operations?" Urgency: Represents how quickly the change needs to be implemented. It answers, "When does this change need to happen to avoid negative consequences?" Examples of Priority and Urgency High Priority but Low Urgency Example: A security update addressing potential vulnerabilities. While critical to implement, it may not require immediate action if there are temporary safeguards in place. High Urgency but Low Priority Example: Correcting the spelling of a text field label in a school database. The change needs to be made quickly to avoid errors on the printout, but it has minimal organizational impact beyond the immediate situation. Both High/Critical Priority and High/Critical Urgency Example: Fixing a payroll system error that could delay employee payments. This impacts organizational operations and must be resolved immediately. Low Priority and Low Urgency Example: Updating website documentation to reflect minor process changes. It's useful but doesn't require immediate action. Priority Levels for Change Requests P1 (Critical/Urgent): Changes that need immediate attention to prevent severe disruption (e.g., critical system failure or compliance breach). P2 (High): Significant changes that should be completed promptly but do not threaten operations in the short term. P3 (Medium): Changes that are necessary but can be scheduled without immediate time pressure. P4 (Low): Changes with minimal impact, often scheduled for future implementation or included as part of larger updates. *Change Approval Board not required. Benefits of Setting Clear Priorities Prevents resource overload by focusing on essential tasks first. Ensures urgent needs are met without neglecting long-term goals. Facilitates transparent decision-making, enabling all stakeholders to understand the rationale behind addressing specific changes. By consistently evaluating the priority and urgency of change requests, teams can allocate resources effectively, minimize disruptions, and ensure critical needs are addressed in a timely manner.

Approving a change request is a critical step in ensuring that changes to processes, systems, or projects are implemented smoothly and effectively. This process involves reviewing and validating the proposed change to assess its impact, feasibility, and alignment with business objectives. By carefully evaluating the change request, stakeholders can make informed decisions that minimize risk and maximize value. In this article, we will guide you through the steps of approving a change request, outlining best practices and key considerations to ensure a successful approval process. Whether you're a project manager, team leader, or change control board member, understanding how to approve change requests is essential to maintaining control and driving continuous improvement within your organization. Accessing an approval through email: 1. When a change is ready for your approval, you will receive an email such as the one below. It will ask for you to review the change, and request you to either approve or reject the change. 2. You can select either of the two highlight parts above to access the change. You may be prompted to log in to view the change. 3. After signing in, you will be presented with the screen below. After reviewing the details of the change request, please select either Approve or Reject. You will be prompted to leave a comment. Write an explanation for your approval or rejection in the comments box. Accessing the approval request through the Fresh Service Portal Navigate to the SCUSD FreshService Homepage If you have not logged into FreshService, click on the “Login” button in the upper right corner and enter your credentials Once logged in, you will see the homepage. Click on the option to "Approve Requests" Next, you will be presented with a list of all Pending Approvals. Choose the request you would like to review. Carefully review all the information listed in the request ticket before proceeding with any approval or rejection. Once you have reviewed the details, select whether you wish to approve or reject the change request. You will be required to add a note. Please leave the reason for choosing to approve or reject the request. After you choose to approve or reject the request, the group will be notified of your decision and a confirmation email with be sent to you.

What is a Change Request? Ticket Incident vs. Change Request vs. Project Request When managing and maintaining services, it's essential to distinguish between different types of requests, each serving a unique purpose and requiring a specific approach. Three common categories that help define the nature of these requests are Ticket Incidents, Change Requests, and Project Requests. While they all involve modifications or actions to improve systems or services, they differ significantly in terms of urgency, scope, and the level of planning required. This ensures that resources are appropriately allocated, issues are addressed in a timely manner, and the correct procedures are followed for effective resolution. Below is a breakdown of each type of request, highlighting their key characteristics. Please Note: We understand that there will be situations that may not seem as straightforward. In such cases, special scenarios will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and assigned the appropriate request type accordingly. This approach ensures that each situation is handled with the necessary attention and that resources are allocated effectively. Ticket Incident vs. Change Request vs. Project Request 1. Ticket Incident: A Ticket Incident is when something goes wrong with a service, like a system crash, an app not working, internet problems, or broken equipment. It needs to be quickly fixed to get things back to normal. These incidents are recorded in a ticketing system like FreshService, and are fixed based on how serious and urgent they are. Key Characteristics: Unplanned, requires immediate attention. Goal is to restore service to normal operations. Short-term resolution (often via troubleshooting or workarounds). Examples: Escape crashes for one person, someone cannot log in, printer is malfunctioning. 2. Change Request: A Change Request is a formal request to update a system, process, or service. Unlike urgent fixes, these changes are planned, reviewed, approved, and tested before implementation. Some require approval from a Change Approval Board (CAB). Examples include software upgrades, adding new features, or creating a new job classification. Key Characteristics: Planned modifications to systems, applications, or processes. Requires review, approval, and sometimes testing such as User Acceptance Testing (UAT) before implementation. May be part of a larger initiative but not necessarily a full project. Takes less than four weeks to be fully completed. Examples: Escape System Upgrades, implementing an addon in Escape, requesting a new job class to be implemented. 3. Project Request : A Project Request is a formal way to start a big task that involves many people, resources, and a schedule. Projects take more than four weeks, have clear goals, and require careful planning and progress tracking. Examples include setting up new software, launching a service, or upgrading equipment. Key Characteristics: Larger, more complex effort with specific goals, scope, and timelines. Initiative takes longer than four weeks to implement. Requires project management oversight and resource allocation. Involves educational partners and may consist of several change requests. Examples: Implementing a new payroll system, launching a new employee portal, migrating to a new ticketing system. Summary of Differences: Understanding Priority and Urgency Priority and urgency are key factors in managing change requests effectively. They help teams determine what to address first and ensure the most critical changes are handled appropriately. Here's how priority and urgency apply to change requests: Definitions Priority: Reflects the importance of the change request in relation to organizational goals and impact. It answers, "How significant is this change to our operations?" Urgency: Represents how quickly the change needs to be implemented. It answers, "When does this change need to happen to avoid negative consequences?" Examples of Priority and Urgency High Priority but Low Urgency Example: A security update addressing potential vulnerabilities. While critical to implement, it may not require immediate action if there are temporary safeguards in place. High Urgency but Low Priority Example: Correcting the spelling of a text field label in a school database. The change needs to be made quickly to avoid errors on the printout, but it has minimal organizational impact beyond the immediate situation. Both High/Critical Priority and High/Critical Urgency Example: Fixing a payroll system error that could delay employee payments. This impacts organizational operations and must be resolved immediately. Low Priority and Low Urgency Example: Updating website documentation to reflect minor process changes. It's useful but doesn't require immediate action. Priority Levels for Change Requests P1 (Critical/Urgent): Changes that need immediate attention to prevent severe disruption (e.g., critical system failure or compliance breach). P2 (High): Significant changes that should be completed promptly but do not threaten operations in the short term. P3 (Medium): Changes that are necessary but can be scheduled without immediate time pressure. P4 (Low): Changes with minimal impact, often scheduled for future implementation or included as part of larger updates. Benefits of Setting Clear Priorities Prevents resource overload by focusing on essential tasks first. Ensures urgent needs are met without neglecting long-term goals. Facilitates transparent decision-making, enabling all stakeholders to understand the rationale behind addressing specific changes. By consistently evaluating the priority and urgency of change requests, teams can allocate resources effectively, minimize disruptions, and ensure critical needs are addressed in a timely manner. How to Submit a Change Request? Now you have an understanding of what is classified as a Change Request. Let’s get started with submitting a change request. Please Note: Change Request submissions are only available to active SCUSD staff members. Log in is required! Please follow these steps to submit a Change Request: Go to SCUSD.FreshService.Com At the top right, login with your SCUSD Email – Single Sign On. If you are not logged into your SCUSD email, you will be prompted to log in via Microsoft. After logged in, click on the Submit a Change Request card. On the service catalog, you will have the option to view the Change Request types. Application Enhancement Data Change System Modification Click on All Service Items or the Change Request Type to select the system you are submitting a change. Please Note: If you need information on the Change Type, open any card to read the description. Example: Escape Enhancement Application enhancement is a change in a product or an upgrade that raise the capacity of software or hardware beyond its unique specifications. Application enhancements can include: Adding new functionality: Adding new features to an existing application Improving existing functionality: Improving an existing feature Fixing issues: Fixing bugs, glitches, errors, and anomalies Improving analytics: Providing better analytics, storage, and processing speed capabilities Fill out all required fields and optional fields relevant to the change request Change Request Title Requesting Department(s) Reason for Change Request Description of the Proposed Change Priority & Urgency – Please review Understanding Priority and Urgency. Proposed Start/End Software/Hardware Affected Department(s) Affected Submit Change Request by clicking Place Request Attach files relevant to the change request Select service items to be requested along with the change request What to Expect After Change Request Submission Now that you have submitted your Change Request, all communication will be managed through the Technology Services support system. Please refrain from emailing the implementer’s staff email directly. Technology Services will enforce communication through the support ticket to prevent the loss of critical information required for the change. All Change Requests can be tracked via the Outlook confirmation ticket or through the staff portal. Once a change request is submitted, the request will initiate the change management process. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the Change Management Process Map based on the provided image: 1. Initiation Phase (Initiator) Submit Change Request The process begins when a user submits a change request. 2. Evaluation Phase (Change Manager) Determine if the request is an enhancement/modification/data change If NO → The request is either Rejected or Sent to Support. If YES → Proceed to the next step. 3. Change Request Creation (Implementer) Create Change Request – Fill out Implementer fields The requestor or assigned implementer fills in required details. Change Manager is Notified 4. Approval Phase (Change Approval Board) Approval Required? If NO → Proceed directly to development. If YES → Go through an approval process. Approved? If NO → The request is stopped. If YES → Proceed to development. 5. Development Phase (Implementer) Develop the change Work is performed to implement the requested modification. 6. Testing Phase (QA) QA Testing Required? If NO → Proceed directly to updating production. If YES → The change is tested in a test system. Test Passed? If YES → Proceed to Production Testing. If NO → Additional work is identified, and requirements are gathered. 7. Production Implementation (Implementer) Update Change to Production If testing is successful or not required, the change is moved to production. Production Test – Verify change in Production 8. Confirmation Phase Requirements Confirmed? If NO → Further updates may be required. If YES → The process is complete. 9. End of Process Once confirmed, the change request process concludes. Accessing an Approval through Email Approving a change request is a critical step in ensuring that changes to processes, systems, or projects are implemented smoothly and effectively. This process involves reviewing and validating the proposed change to assess its impact, feasibility, and alignment with business objectives. By carefully evaluating the change request, stakeholders can make informed decisions that minimize risk and maximize value. In this article, we will guide you through the steps of approving a change request, outlining best practices and key considerations to ensure a successful approval process. Whether you're a project manager, team leader, or change control board member, understanding how to approve change requests is essential to maintaining control and driving continuous improvement within your organization. Please Note: Not all Change Request will require department change approval. Please refer to the priority section. “Low” priority will bypass department change approvals. When a change is ready for your approval, you will receive an email such as the one below. It will ask for you to review the change, and request you to either approve or reject the change. 2. You can select either of the two highlight parts above to access the change. You may be prompted to log in to view the change. 3. After signing in, you will be presented with the screen below. After reviewing the details of the change request, please select either Approve or Reject. You will be prompted to leave a comment. Write an explanation for your approval or rejection in the comments box. Accessing the Approval Request through the Fresh Service Portal Navigate to the SCUSD FreshService Homepage If you have not logged into FreshService, click on the “Login” button in the upper right corner and enter your credentials Once logged in, you will see the homepage. Click on the option to "Approve Requests." Next, you will be presented with a list of all Pending Approvals. Choose the request you would like to review. Carefully review all the information listed in the request ticket before proceeding with any approval or rejection. Once you have reviewed the details, select whether you wish to approve or reject the change request. You will be required to add a note. Please leave the reason for choosing to approve or reject the request. After you choose to approve or reject the request, the group will be notified of your decision and a confirmation email with be sent to you.