IT change management process flowchart

IT change management process flowchart

A worked example to adapt. Rename steps, add branches and owners to match how your team actually works.

flowchart TD
  s(["Request for change submitted"])
  cls["Classify change"]
  d1{"Standard pre-approved change?"}
  risk["Assess risk, impact and rollback plan"]
  cab["Change advisory board review"]
  d2{"Approved?"}
  rej(["Reject with reasons"])
  sch["Schedule in change window"]
  impl["Implement change"]
  d3{"Successful?"}
  back["Execute rollback plan"]
  pir["Post-implementation review"]
  e(["Close change record"])
  s --> cls
  cls --> d1
  d1 -->|Yes| sch
  d1 -->|No| risk
  risk --> cab
  cab --> d2
  d2 -->|No| rej
  d2 -->|Yes| sch
  sch --> impl
  impl --> d3
  d3 -->|Yes| pir
  d3 -->|No| back
  back --> pir
  pir --> e

About this it change management process flowchart

Change management exists so that risky changes get a second look and routine ones don't wait for a meeting. The key decision is classification: pre-approved standard changes skip the advisory board, while normal changes get a risk assessment and approval.

The example follows ITIL-style terminology. Emergency changes usually have their own expedited path; add it if your process has one.

Step by step

1. Request. Submit what is changing, why, when and the rollback plan.
2. Classify. Standard, pre-approved changes go straight to scheduling.
3. Assess and approve. Normal changes get a risk and impact assessment and a review by the change advisory board (CAB).
4. Implement. Changes run in the scheduled window; failures trigger the rollback plan.
5. Review. A post-implementation review records the outcome and lessons.

How to make it in flow-chart.io

1. Start from the example. Edit the text in the generator box above so it names your own change types and approvers, then press Generate. The free preview needs no sign-up.
2. Add the branches. Add the decision points that matter for you, for example emergency change? or customer-facing downtime. Each decision becomes a diamond with labeled outcomes.
3. Assign owners. Save the diagram to the editor (free account) and rename steps to show who does what: requester, change manager, CAB and implementer.
4. Share or export. Share a read-only view link: people with the link can view the diagram but not edit it. Downloads as PNG, SVG or PDF are part of Flow Pro (see pricing).

Tips

• Require a rollback plan before approval, not after failure.
• Keep a list of standard changes so the fast path is clear.
• Link failed changes to incidents for learning.

Frequently asked questions

What is a CAB?

A change advisory board: the group that reviews normal and high-risk changes before they are scheduled.

What is a standard change?

A low-risk, repeatable change with a documented procedure that is pre-approved, so it doesn't need CAB review each time.

Can I generate a lighter version for a small team?

Yes. Replace the CAB with a peer approval step in the generator box.

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