A regulatory requirement changes during the project. How should we react?
External requirement changeHave the responsible legal or compliance function confirm applicability and timing. Then assess delivery options and obtain the necessary scope, funding, and readiness decisions.
What to do now
- Verify the requirement with qualified owners
- Identify affected outputs and obligations
- Assess implementation options and deadlines
- Approve and track the required changes
When to escalate
Escalate when
The confirmed obligation cannot be met within current commitments.
Who decides
The authorized change decision maker
Example
A compliance owner validates a new retention requirement before the team changes storage and deletion behavior.
Mistake to avoid
Relying on an informal summary of a rule as the final legal interpretation.
Prevent a repeat
Compare delivered changes with authorized decisions and keep the current baseline distinguishable from earlier versions.
Suggested ApprovedFlow setup
- Documents
- Approvals
- Tasks
Keep the change request, impact assessment and recorded decision together; update affected tasks only after the appropriate authorization. See the platform
Related cases
- How do we distinguish a clarification from a scope change?Requirement interpretation boundary
- A sponsor approves scope but not the extra budget. What should we do?Unfunded change approval
- A requirement changed after testing began. How do we handle it?Late requirement change
- How can we manage scope when users discover needs during delivery?Evolving requirements