I have always been interested in Project Management, I suppose because anything that can get me from point A to point B in an organized fashion must have merit! :)

Having facilitated many project management workshops for the manufacturing and service industries, I have found that the same managerial processes apply to both – and, of course, the career college sector offers products and services.

Most managers know some of the processes, tools and terminology of project management such as the project life cycle, the project scope, the statement of work and the communications plan, etc. One component that has always fascinated me is the project charter, simply because though it is often overlooked, it can have the most significant impact on the success of any initiative.

The project charter accomplishes three important things. First, it provides the name and purpose of the project. Second, it lists the name of the person in charge – the project manager. Third, and probably the most important, it states who has access to what in terms of resources (including funds)!

Bottom line, the project charter is a powerful tool because it is signed by the project’s sponsor and sets initial accountability for success.