What is the purpose of the configuration management process?

The configuration management process is primarily aimed at establishing and maintaining the integrity of a project's outputs. This process ensures that the products or systems developed throughout the project lifecycle maintain their integrity by managing changes systematically without compromising the quality or functionality. Through configuration management, all changes to system components are documented, and the status of those components is tracked, allowing for precise control over the system's configuration as it evolves.

An effective configuration management process involves identifying, controlling, auding, and verifying the status of various components and changes, ensuring that only the right versions of system components are used in production or delivery. This contributes to minimizing errors and inconsistencies, thereby guaranteeing that the final product aligns with stakeholder requirements and specifications.

While improving project communication, managing team performance, and allocating budgets are all important aspects of project management, they do not capture the core intent of configuration management, which is focused on preserving the integrity and correctness of the developed product as it undergoes changes.