Risk-based software validation and change control

A computer system for applying change control when upgrading a software application, the computer system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to perform at least the following:
• identify differences in features and functionality between a first version of a software application and a second version of the software application;
• identify a level of integration by determining whether the identified differences affect software modules or features that are integrated in the software application beyond a threshold amount;
• determine how the first version of the software application is recommended for use;
• based on the identified level of integration and based on the determination of how the first version of the software application is recommended for use, determining that a particular portion of the second version of the software application should undergo client specific validation;
• and
• Recommending the particular portion of the second version of software application for client specific validation.

A computer program product comprising one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause a computer system to perform a method for applying change control when upgrading a software application, the computer-executable instructions configured the processor to:

• calculate a risk score for one or more features in a software application, the risk score indicating a relative level of risk for installing and using the software application;
• determine how a specified client uses one or more features of the software application as compared to the determined recommended use;
• and
• based on the calculated risk score and the determined client uses of the one or more features, provide a recommendation for the specified client indicating which portions of the software application are to undergo client-specific validation.