1. DSG Governance Group
Recommendations

2. On-Line Change Pack Recommendation
Change pack information to be shared by 2pm on a Monday.
Why?
More often than not issued after 4.30pm on a Friday
Xoserve often working late to get change pack issued
Difficult to sort issues that may arise after hours
Process to include longer (or accelerated) consultation period
Why
May be some instances where a change needs longer than the standard 10 days (or accelerated)
Would be submitted as part of the change request or agreed at ChMC where longer/accelerated period is needed

3. Initial Review Process
Remove the initial review process for change
Why?
Stats showed limited responses to initial review stage
Majority (1 exception) supported the change to progress in capture
Removes 1 month from the process that is currently lost with initial review stage
Recommend that the process can be initiated when required but ordinarily changes will progress straight into capture/DSG

4. Recommend an Accelerated Change Proposal process
Why?
Current DSC Change Management process does not cater for urgency in the delivery of a Change Proposal
There is an existing UNC & IGT UNC Urgent Modification (MOD) process that has previously been used as a way to get an Urgent change discussed and approved where the UNC itself has not been impacted
The approved Urgent MOD process can be found here

5. Proposed Definition of ‘Accelerated Change Proposal’
An Accelerated Change Proposal is:
A Change Proposal that meets the agreed Accelerated Change proposal criteria as approved by DSC Change Management committee and is a technical systems change to SAP ISU or Gemini;
Where customers are willing to forego the 6 months notice period for change implementation if necessary;
approved to progress as an Accelerated Change proposal by DSC Change Management Committee.
Can be raised by Xoserve or any DSC Customer
An Accelerated Change Proposal is not:
A Priority Service Change defined as below in DSC Change Management procedures (as these already take priority over non- priority Service changes):
(i) a Modification Service Change;
or (ii) a Service Change in respect of a Service which allows or facilitates compliance by a Customer or Customers with Law or with any document designated for the purposes of Section 173 of the Energy Act 2004 (including any such Law or document or change thereto which has been announced but not yet made);
Any Change proposal that does not fulfil Accelerated Criteria as approved within the Accelerated Change Proposal process.

6. Accelerated Change Proposal Criteria
The Change Proposal template will need to be updated to add:
Accelerated change indicator
Criteria for using Accelerated Change Proposal process
Text field for Change proposer to provide clear indication why Accelerated status is being requested.
Suggested Accelerated Criteria:
1. There is a real likelihood of significant commercial impact upon DSC Customers if a proposed change is not accelerated;
2. Safety and security of the network is likely to be impacted if a proposed change is not accelerated; and
3. The change is linked to an imminent date related event.
4. There is only one mechanism for delivery of the change
Change requirements and benefit/impact need to be clear and complete
Clear ‘Need by’ date will need to be articulated by proposer and a governance timetable with pre-agreed dates produced as part of the change description

7. Accelerated Change Proposal Approval
Accelerated status will need to be approved by ChMC:
Extra ChMC to approve Accelerated status – Yes/No/Consultation vote via WebEX
5 Day Accelerated status consultation review if required
Extra ChMC to approve Accelerated status if sent for review – Yes/No vote via WebEx
Proposer or proposers representative must present change at ChMC to request agreement of Accelerated status
Early engagement with Xoserve is vital to allow for initial very high level assessment on impacts to changes in capture or in-flight if Accelerated status is approved
Don’t need to wait for Urgent MOD approval to raise an Accelerated Change Proposal

8. Impacts to in-flight changes
Xoserve would need to assess and communicate:
What would need to be dropped to be able to impact assess the accelerated change
What would need to be ‘bumped’ in respect of change development and implementation to deliver the accelerated change
The risks on these impacts to enable effective decision making on accelerated change priority
Decision- making remains with the DSC Change Management committee

9. Draft Accelerated Approval process
Extra CHMC scheduled by Joint Office for vote - 10 min WebEx (yes/no vote)?
Accelerated Change Proposal decision made
Initial consultation - if required
5 day consultation period – using an on-line Change pack. ChMC encouraged to review responses throughout period so not to delay decision
Extra CHMC scheduled by Joint Office for vote min WebEx (yes/no/consult vote)?
ALL ChMC to vote on use of Accelerated process – make an informed decision as Xoserve already completed initial impact assessment on what needs to be dropped or bumped to deliver change
Accelerated Change Proposal comes into Xoserve
Xoserve assesses accelerated request against criteria, assures the CP for completeness and content and, if deemed to fit accelerated process, contacts Joint Office for Extra ChMC

10. Accelerated Change Proposal Governance & Delivery
Once Accelerated status approved for system changes:
Delivery options to be included in Solution Option assessment – e.g. next Major/Minor Release (as a separate track), ad hoc release.
The Accelerated change can switch tracks to normal Governance route and vice versa with approval from ChMC at any point in delivery of the change
Extra DSG to be held within 2-3 working days of Solution Options being available for review to recommend Solution Option and delivery timescales to next ChMC
BER for delivery to be taken to next ChMC alongside solution option and delivery timescale for final approval, if needed, before implementation
Design change pack issued following detailed design with best endeavours to meet the 6 months notice period. Suggested minimum timescales are:
3 months notice where impacts to Customer systems
1 months notice where no impact to customer systems
Note: any reporting requirements may need to be de-scoped from an accelerated delivery to be implemented at a later date.

11. Draft Accelerated Change proposal process
Xoserve priorities Accelerated change over those already in flight
Extra ChMC Vote on Accelerated Criteria
Requirements ratified with CP’s proposer
Accelerated Change Proposal (CP) raised with criteria completed and clear requirements
Requirements ratified
Accelerated status Approved
One or more capture sessions to evolve solution options
CP sent to Xoserve for initial processing and Xoserve Reference number (XRN). Joint Office notified and Extra CHMC scheduled via WebEx
Sent for 5 day consultation
Accelerated status Approved
Extra Consultation Change pack issued on Accelerated Status – 5 days
Capture session
Solution Options
Accelerated status Rejected
Review Responses
Accelerated status Rejected
XRN returned to ChMC to follow standard process
The proposed Solution options go into Solution Option Assessment which will provide costs and delivery timescales

12. Draft Accelerated Change proposal process
Solution options reviewed and evaluated at extra DSG meeting
Design consultation
10 working days
6 month notice period at best endeavours
BER, Solution Option and delivery timescales presented at ChMC for Approval
Detailed Design
Build, and Test
Initiation and
Design
Awareness session, if required
Urgency Rejected
Change approved
XRN returned to standard Change process
implementation
Change Rejected
Project Start up
Closedown report approved at ChMC
XRN Closed
CP handed to Xoserve project team for delivery

13. Business Plan Deliverables
Provide business plan initiative updates via a separate process (that are directly customer impacted)
Why?
In the past have used the Change Proposal process to communicate but has caused confusion
Funding already agreed for business plan initiatives

14. Example of update – Business Plan Deliverables
Initiative title
Description
Impacted Parties
Important dates