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Change Request

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Streamline your change management process with structured requests.

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Free · Opens the source repo

What Change Request does

The Change Request skill is designed to help teams systematically manage changes within their systems or processes. By following a structured framework, users can create comprehensive change requests that include impact analysis, risk assessments, and rollback plans. This skill is particularly useful for organizations that need to propose changes that require approval, document risks before deployment, or communicate effectively with stakeholders during rollouts.

Using the assess-plan-execute-sustain framework, users can ensure that all aspects of a change are considered. The skill guides users through assessing the change's significance, planning communication and training, executing the change with support, and sustaining the new processes by measuring effectiveness and addressing ongoing issues. This structured approach helps minimize resistance and increases the likelihood of successful adoption.

The output is a well-organized markdown document that includes sections for business justification, impact analysis, risk assessment, implementation plans, communication plans, and rollback plans. This comprehensive documentation not only aids in the approval process but also serves as a reference for future changes. By providing a clear path for communication and a thorough understanding of the change, the Change Request skill helps teams navigate the complexities of change management with confidence.

When to use it

Use this skill when proposing a change that requires formal approval and documentation for stakeholder communication.

When not to use it

This skill may not be suitable for informal changes or when rapid deployment is necessary without extensive documentation.

What you can build with it

Proposing a System Upgrade

When planning a significant system upgrade, use this skill to document the change request, including impact and risk assessments.

Preparing for CAB Review

Before submitting a change for review by the Change Advisory Board, create a detailed change request to ensure all necessary information is included.

Communicating Changes to Stakeholders

Use the communication plan generated by this skill to effectively inform stakeholders about upcoming changes and their implications.

How to install Change Request

View source

1. Install with the skills CLI

npx skills add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins/change-request --agent claude-code

2. Or install it manually

Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.

Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs

Inside SKILL.md

Written by anthropics

/change-request

If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.

Create a structured change request with impact analysis, risk assessment, and rollback plan.

Usage

/change-request $ARGUMENTS

Change Management Framework

Apply the assess-plan-execute-sustain framework when building the request:

1. Assess

  • What is changing?
  • Who is affected?
  • How significant is the change? (Low / Medium / High)
  • What resistance should we expect?

2. Plan

  • Communication plan (who, what, when, how)
  • Training plan (what skills are needed, how to deliver)
  • Support plan (help desk, champions, FAQs)
  • Timeline with milestones

3. Execute

  • Announce and explain the "why"
  • Train and support
  • Monitor adoption
  • Address resistance

4. Sustain

  • Measure adoption and effectiveness
  • Reinforce new behaviors
  • Address lingering issues
  • Document lessons learned

Communication Principles

  • Explain the why before the what
  • Communicate early and often
  • Use multiple channels
  • Acknowledge what's being lost, not just what's being gained
  • Provide a clear path for questions and concerns

Output

## Change Request: [Title]
**Requester:** [Name] | **Date:** [Date] | **Priority:** [Critical/High/Medium/Low]
**Status:** Draft | Pending Approval | Approved | In Progress | Complete

### Description
[What is changing and why]

### Business Justification
[Why this change is needed — cost savings, compliance, efficiency, risk reduction]

### Impact Analysis
| Area | Impact | Details |
|------|--------|---------|
| Users | [High/Med/Low/None] | [Who is affected and how] |
| Systems | [High/Med/Low/None] | [What systems are affected] |
| Processes | [High/Med/Low/None] | [What workflows change] |
| Cost | [High/Med/Low/None] | [Budget impact] |

### Risk Assessment
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|-----------|--------|------------|
| [Risk] | [H/M/L] | [H/M/L] | [How to mitigate] |

### Implementation Plan
| Step | Owner | Timeline | Dependencies |
|------|-------|----------|--------------|
| [Step] | [Person] | [Date] | [What it depends on] |

### Communication Plan
| Audience | Message | Channel | Timing |
|----------|---------|---------|--------|
| [Who] | [What to tell them] | [How] | [When] |

### Rollback Plan
[Step-by-step plan to reverse the change if needed]
- Trigger: [When to roll back]
- Steps: [How to roll back]
- Verification: [How to confirm rollback worked]

### Approvals Required
| Approver | Role | Status |
|----------|------|--------|
| [Name] | [Role] | Pending |

If Connectors Available

If ~~ITSM is connected:

  • Create the change request ticket automatically
  • Pull change advisory board schedule and approval workflows

If ~~project tracker is connected:

  • Link to related implementation tasks and dependencies
  • Track change progress against milestones

If ~~chat is connected:

  • Draft stakeholder notifications for the communication plan
  • Post change updates to the relevant team channels

Tips

  1. Be specific about impact — "Everyone" is not an impact assessment. "200 users in the billing team" is.
  2. Always have a rollback plan — Even if you're confident, plan for failure.
  3. Communicate early — Surprises create resistance. Previews create buy-in.

Frequently asked questions about Change Request

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