Which aspect does configuration management focus on?

Configuration management primarily focuses on the control of changes to the functional characteristics of a system. This process is essential for ensuring that the system's integrity and stability are maintained throughout its lifecycle. Configuration management involves identifying and documenting configurations, managing changes to those configurations, and ensuring that modifications are made systematically to reduce the risk of errors or inconsistencies.

The significance of this practice lies in its ability to provide a clear framework for tracking changes, which helps teams understand how a system evolves over time and maintains its intended performance. This is critical in agile environments, where frequent iterations and changes are a norm, as it ensures that every change is made thoughtfully and that the impact of those changes is well understood.

Other aspects mentioned, such as performance evaluation, development of system architecture, and training staff, are important in the software life cycle but do not directly relate to the primary focus of configuration management. Performance evaluation assesses how well a system operates under various conditions, system architecture development concerns the structural design of a system, and staff training on new protocols ensures team members are equipped to work with the latest tools or practices. While these activities are interconnected with overall project management, they do not capture the essence of what configuration management is fundamentally about.