Who is responsible for configuration management?
In a word, everyone is responsible for configuration management. From a sales manager (on commercial projects) on down to the individual programmer, configuration management needs to be a part of every day discipline. As described previously, the programmer’s fundamental concern with configuration management is one of implementation; making sure that proper procedures are followed and artifacts are revisioned often to prevent data loss and create a change trail. Architects and project management are responsible for defining the strategies to be employed by a group; in particular the way in which the implementers collaborate to achieve a stable release. Sales management or client facing people are responsible for defining and communicating what features are needed that drive that strategy, including needed release dates.
