content_image/461045.jpg content_image/461058.jpg
<img src='content_image/461045.jpg'>

## 3.5.1. Project Mode and Maintenance Mode for an IT Product 

The purpose of IT work is to implement Services, upgrade Services, run Services and to support Services. A Service is often based on one IT Product or more. 

When such Products or Product upgrades are delivered via a Project, the target version of the Product(s) is said to be in project mode . 

When Product upgrades are delivered as part of regular Change Management, the target version of the IT Product(s) is said to be in maintenance mode  and is sometimes referred to as Change Release  (CR) . 

Different versions of the same Product can be in different modes simultaneously, for example, Release 1.5 can be in maintenance mode while Release 2.0 is at the same time in project mode. 

The following picture illustrates a typical IT Product progression: 

<img src='content_image/461058.jpg'>

A sensible way of looking at it is thinking that an IT Product is built (oftentimes incrementally) through one or more projects until it reaches a level of maturity, after which there is ongoing maintenance and occasional projects, depending on needs, ageing of technology, replacement of functionality etc., until the Product is decommissioned. 

## 3.5.2. Change Management 

Change Management is used 

• to ensure that potential changes to EC HA’s IT, Services, and Products are well understood, assessed and agreed or rejected by the relevant authority, 

