What is the focus of configuration management (CM)?

The focus of configuration management (CM) is centered on establishing and maintaining consistency of a product's performance, functional and physical attributes with its requirements, design, and operational information. This involves a systematic approach to managing changes in a product’s lifecycle, ensuring that all aspects of the product align with its specifications and intended use. CM helps to uphold the integrity of a system over time, allowing engineers and managers to track modifications, maintain records, and ensure compliance with relevant standards.

By managing configuration effectively, organizations can also identify and resolve issues that may arise due to changes, thereby minimizing risks associated with deviations from the expected performance or design characteristics. This makes CM a critical discipline in engineering fields, especially within complex projects where changes can have significant implications across the entire product lifecycle.

In contrast, the other options address processes that, while important in their own right, do not capture the comprehensive and overarching goals of CM in maintaining product consistency and alignment with requirements across design and operation. For instance, the mention of ACAT programs and milestones reflects specific programmatic readiness and development phases, rather than the ongoing consistency that CM seeks to uphold.