Configuration control is the formal, documented process used to manage, evaluate, approve, and record changes to the defined configuration baseline of a system, product, or project throughout its lifecycle.
In practice, configuration control typically includes:
- Establishing a baseline description of hardware, software, documents, and interfaces
- Submitting proposed changes through standardized change requests or change notices
- Reviewing technical, safety, quality, schedule, and compliance impacts of each proposed change
- Authorizing or rejecting changes through a designated authority, such as a Configuration Control Board (CCB)
- Updating configuration documentation, identifiers, and records to reflect approved changes
- Ensuring that implementation, verification, and release of changes match the approved configuration state
Configuration control is a core function of configuration management and is used to keep the as-designed, as-built, as-tested, and as-operated configurations consistent, traceable, and auditable.