The Project Charter serves to commence the project by outlining the scope, time, cost, and quality factors involved in completing a project. If the Charter is not created, how can anyone objectively determine whether or not a project successfully completed it's intended goals?
Another purpose for a charter is to clarify stakeholders in the project and to present a unified attack plan in completing the project successfully.
Thanks Nathan and great point about the need to evaluate a project based on the goals. Do you think that Charter really captures or is intended to have the details to ensure the success of a project?
My colleagues have already provided the main uses of the project charter via this discussion forum, including:
• Authorize the project
• Serve as the primary sales document for the project
• Act as a focus point throughout the project
In my opinion the charter is:
The document that provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities and includes:
• The business need addressed by the project
• The product that will be produced by the project
• The authorization to apply organizational resources to the project
Greetings Arta,
Nice point about your peers already summarizing information about the project charter. You mentioned it serving as the primary "sales" document. I'm wondering from your perspective what role does "sales" play when it comes to project management?
Thank you for your feedback Dr. Goodman,
I am using the word 'sales' in the following context:
Given the fact that the project charter is 1-2 pages and presents a high level summary, includes the project scope, as well as the project objectives you can use this document to introduce/sell to other people (not in the project team) the project and at times maybe get support from other managers. The projects are very intertwined that you will need support from more people than just the project team.
Arta,
You're very welcome and I appreciate the clarification. Great point about the need to sell other people in order to get support. I'd say in general the ability to "sell" is critical to your success in organizations and is often not recognized.
Dr. Eric Goodman
The project charter authorizes the prject and provides the project manager the authority to apply resources to project activities. Everyone involved in the project needs to develop a common understanding of what the project entail -the charter does this. It also determines what is included and excluded, how it aligns with the organization, major risks, rough schedule, rough estimat of resources needs, and success measures.
Hi Karen,
Great points about the role the project charter plays in helping towards a common understanding of what the project entails. You mention the rough schedule and resource needs as a part of this charter and I'm wondering in your experience what happens if these estimates aren't accurate?
With today's economy the estimates could be underestimated - I would work closely with the stakeholder informing the estimates have been inflated by 10%.
Just a quick insight, I teach project management theory, and have been involved as a team member of a project.
Karen,
Wonderful and it is not surprising that the estimates are inflated (there is something to be said about slack). Glad to hear you teach project management and have been on project teams as that certainly provides you with nice insights!
Best wishes on future projects!
Dr. Eric Goodman
It is a document that lays the foundation of the project. It spells out the natur and scope of work nad managment's expectation for results. It defines what needs to be accomplished and how the project is going to proceed. It is similar to a request for proposal and must reflect your business objectives.
It is a large contributor because a well designed and well written charter will hopefully help shareholders or stakeholders buy into your project eagerly.
Christine,
Excellent points and you are right about the importance of this document for creating buy in. Given your comment about being thrown under the bus, I'm wondering if you've had project charters in the past?
Dr. Eric Goodman
I view the Project Charter as a document that all stakeholders - in-house and out, involved company leaders, the project sponsor and the project manager use to agree to the project goals and quality-level as well as all best estimates of time and costs.
A well-constructed Charter will serve as a blueprint for the project, a reference for decision-making during the project and a history of the original agreement and support for the project.
Lynda,
Excellent summary of the project charter and I appreciate your incorporation of time, cost and quality. I am wondering about your mention of all stakeholders - in house and out...who would be the "out" of house stakeholders and how is their input incorporated?
Dr. Eric Goodman
The project charter serves as a blueprint, if you will, for a project, annotating goals, scope and specific duties of each person involved. It also identifies budgetary challenges/constraints as well as provides a timeline for the plan. As such, this is a critical first-step even though modifications to plan are, in many cases, involved.
Agnes,
Nice summation of the project charter!
Dr. Eric Goodman
As stated in our lesson. A project charter is a concise written document containing
important information such as project mission, scope, buget, risk, and time frame.
Desharn,
Thanks for the concise definition of the project charter.
Dr. Eric Goodman
Since I'm new at this.. it reminds me a lot of doing good instructional design where a course is mapped out according to analysis, design, development and implementation phases.. These are all followed by iterative evaluation and a summative evaluation.
Kassy,
Great point and in what way does the ADDIE model differ from the notion of a project charter?
Dr. Eric Goodman
