Project Charter
A foundational document that formally authorizes a project and defines its scope.
Also known as: Project Initiation Document, PID, Project Brief
Category: Techniques
Tags: project-management, planning, documentation, governance, scope, initiation
Explanation
A project charter is a formal document that authorizes a project's existence and provides the project manager with authority to apply organizational resources. It serves as the foundational reference document throughout the project lifecycle.
Key components of a project charter:
1. **Project Purpose and Justification**
- Why are we doing this?
- Business need or opportunity
- Strategic alignment
2. **Objectives and Success Criteria**
- What will be delivered?
- How will success be measured?
- Specific, measurable goals
3. **Scope Overview**
- High-level deliverables
- What's included and excluded
- Key boundaries and constraints
4. **Stakeholders**
- Project sponsor
- Key stakeholders
- Project manager
- Core team members
5. **Timeline and Milestones**
- Target start and end dates
- Key milestone dates
- Dependencies on other initiatives
6. **Budget and Resources**
- High-level budget estimate
- Resource requirements
- Funding source
7. **Risks and Assumptions**
- Known risks
- Key assumptions
- Constraints
8. **Authority and Approvals**
- Project manager's authority level
- Decision-making rights
- Sponsor signature
Why project charters matter:
- Creates shared understanding of project scope
- Formally authorizes resource allocation
- Establishes project manager's authority
- Serves as reference when scope creep occurs
- Provides basis for saying no to out-of-scope requests
The charter should be concise (typically 1-3 pages) - it's not a detailed project plan. It's created during project initiation and approved by the sponsor before detailed planning begins.
In agile contexts, the charter might be lighter weight but the core purpose remains: alignment on what we're doing, why, and who's responsible.
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