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1. DPH
Process Action Team (PAT)
Project Charter Action
Team Template
Document produced by Grace Duffy, John Moran & Michael Rudis
1

2. DPH
Process Action Team (PAT)
Introduction:
This document has a template “Working Copy” of a Project Action Team Charter that you may use to help
guide you through the process of creating your own. These templates and guidelines have been provided
courtesy of Delaware (US) Public Health.
After a few iterations of this charter, the executive sponsor, team leader, and facilitator will have a written
document that describes in detail what the team is to accomplish. This becomes the official work contract
for the team leader and the facilitator to begin the teaming process.
For further details about creating Project Action Team Charters, please see the full article “Creating an
Effective Team Charter” on the Process Excellence Network:
http://www.processexcellencenetwork.com/article.cfm?externalID=5610
CONTENTS:
Document Pages
Working Copy of the DPH Process Improvement Team (PAT) Charter 3-4
Official Copy of the DPH Process Improvement Team (PAT) Charter 5-7
DPH Process Improvement Team (PAT) Charter Guidelines 8-15

3. DPH
Process Action Team (PAT)
PAT Name:
Subject:
Process Improvement Opportunity
Charter Start Date: Charter End Date:
Executive Sponsor:
Team Leader:
Facilitator:
Team Member Section Area of Expertise
Process Improvement Aim
Process Improvement Objectives (SMART)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

4. DPH
Process Action Team (PAT)
Success Metrics (Measures)
1.
2.
3.
Key Milestones
1.
2.
3.
Available Resources ______________Required Resources______
____________________________________
____________________________________
Considerations (Assumptions, Constraints, Obstacles, & Risks)
Boundaries
Key Stakeholders Area of Concern
Communication Plan

5. DPH
Process Action Team (PAT)
PAT Name:
Subject:
Process Improvement Opportunity:
Charter Start Date: Charter End Date:
Executive Sponsor:
Team Leader:
Facilitator:
Team Member Section Area of Expertise
Process Improvement Aim:
Process Improvement Objectives (SMART):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Success Metrics (Measures):
1.
2.
3.
5

6. DPH
Process Action Team (PAT)
Key Milestones:
1.
2.
3.
Available Resources: Required Resources:
Considerations (Assumptions, Constraints, Obstacles, Risks):
Boundaries:
Key Stakeholders Area of Concern
Communication Plan:

7. DPH
Process Action Team (PAT)
Signature Page
Division Director’s Printed Name Division Director’s Signature
Executive Sponsor’s Printed Name Executive Sponsor’s Signature
Team Leader’s Printed Name Team Leader’s Signature
Facilitator’s Printed Name Facilitator’s Signature
Team Member’s Printed Name Team Member’s Signature
Team Member’s Printed Name Team Member’s Signature
Team Member’s Printed Name Team Member’s Signature
Team Member’s Printed Name Team Member’s Signature
Team Member’s Printed Name Team Member’s Signature
Team Member’s Printed Name Team Member’s Signature
Team Member’s Printed Name Team Member’s Signature
Team Member’s Printed Name Team Member’s Signature

8. DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter Guidelines
WHY IS IT
SECTION WHAT IS DOES? EXAMPLE TIP
IMPORTANT?
Identifies the team. Enables the team to WIC (Women, Infants, Keep it simple, unique,
distinguish the effort from and Children) Waiting and easily stated.
others. Room Time Reduction
PAT Name Team.
Identifies the area of Clarifies the intent of the WIC Intake Department Make it clear and
focus. project. waiting time succinct.
Subject
States why this effort was Orients team and others WIC applicants are This is the most important
initiated and what will be to the true need for the complaining that it takes part of the Charter. It is
affected by the outcome. effort. The source and too much time to process the foundation for PAT
analysis of the data that their in-person application formation. It's important
identified the problem or and there is a lack of to ensure that it is well
opportunity should be privacy while giving thought through and
Process Improvement included and used as a information to the clerk. agreed upon by the
Opportunity baseline. Executive Sponsor, Team
Leader, and Facilitator.
8

9. DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter Guidelines
WHY IS IT
SECTION WHAT IS DOES? EXAMPLE TIP
IMPORTANT?
Signifies the day the Keeps the team focused Charter Start Date: Make sure these dates
charter goes into effect on “beginning with the September 17, 2011 are reasonable and
and the date the team end in mind. This is not Charter End Date: agreed upon by the
adjourns. necessarily the date the December 20, 2011 Executive Sponsor, Team
Team Leader reports Leader, and Facilitator.
results to the Executive
Charter Dates
Sponsor.
Identifies the senior This Leadership Team Mary James, Local It’s a good idea for all
leader that supports member has overall Health Department members of the PAT to
and/or initiated this effort. authority and Administrator meet the Executive
Designated by the responsibility for Sponsor prior to the
leadership team to hold organizing the team that initiation of the Charter.
overall responsibility for will address the Process
the strategy and its Improvement
execution. Opportunity. They have
overall operational
Executive Sponsor accountability. The
Executive Sponsor will be
expected to break down
barriers and “go to bat”
for the team.

10. DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter Guidelines
WHY IS IT
SECTION WHAT IS DOES? EXAMPLE TIP
IMPORTANT?
Identifies one individual Establishes who will Josephine Smith, WIC Select a Team Leader
who will guide the team conduct team meetings, Manager that has a broad
to achieve successful provide focus and understanding of the
outcomes and who will direction, and will ensure process improvement
communicate to senior productive use of team opportunity.
leaders. member’s time. This
Team Leader
person is not necessarily
the same individual who
will be “in charge” of the
process, but should be a
person who will “lose
sleep” over the outcome.
Moves a team forward Quality facilitators use Joe Bagodonuts, To eliminate the
through a series of observation, intervention, Facilitator Extraordinaire possibility of personal
scheduled meetings feedback, coaching, and bias and the risk of
aimed at attaining the team member personality getting involved with
goal established by the differences to conduct decision making and
team and team leader. effective meetings. solutions, it’s important to
Facilitator Quality facilitators are not select a facilitator that
subject matter experts, knows as little about the
but rather focus on how process as possible.
effectively the team is
working.

11. DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter Guidelines
WHY IS IT
SECTION WHAT IS DOES? EXAMPLE TIP
IMPORTANT?
Defines who will be on Assure that all the people Team Member: Wilma You may have people
the team and why necessary to effect Bates – WIC Intake that you do not need on
change will be involved. supervisor. the core team. However,
they are key stakeholders
and must be consulted
with, and made aware of,
changes. These
Team Member/Section/
individuals should be
Area of Expertise
identified in the Charter.
Refer to the high level
process utilized to define
the scope to verify that
the team has
representation from each
major process step.
It describes what the Clarifies where the team AIM: To reduce the Most successful
team intends to do, is going and enables waiting time by 50%. improvement efforts have
providing the team with a them to know when they a succinct aim with a
focus and a way to get there. A well stated measurable stretch goal.
Process Improvement
measure progress. The aim affords a team the The measure should be
Aim
aim should be derived opportunity to improve monitored over time and
from a known problem many aspects of the tracked in the form of a
(data) and need for system or process related statistical process control
corrective action. to the aim. chart.

12. DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter Guidelines
WHY IS IT
SECTION WHAT IS DOES? EXAMPLE TIP
IMPORTANT?
Listing out the specific It enables the team to Eliminating Waste Group similar objectives
and measurable reach consensus on what  Eliminate unnecessary and give them a
Process Improvement objectives for the effort will be addressed during waiting time descriptive title; for
Objectives (SMART = will help define the the course of the effort.  Reduce duplicative example, Eliminating
Specific, Measureable, opportunities to improve. data entry Waste. Grouping
Achievable, Realistic, objectives into change
Time Dependent) concepts facilitates
creative thinking with
improvement teams.
Defines how you Metrics help the team Overall applicant cycle Be specific. Agree to
measure the success of and sponsor to time to get service and definitions & data
the improvement effort or understand when and if complete an application sources. It is ideal to
the project as a whole. an implemented will be reduced by 50%. have a balanced set of
improvement is meeting measures: Identify one
Success Metrics the desired goal. overarching measure that
(Measures) Use sampling. can be a gauge for the
entire effort, measure it
over time and use a
control chart. This should
relate to the Process
Improvement Aim.
Marks significant Holds the team Current State Schedule milestone
expectations and/or accountable. Maps Assessment due March reviews on senior
deliverables the team can progress. 15th. management calendars
Key Milestones expect. Recommendations to be well in advance to make
presented to senior sure time is available
leadership in 6 weeks. when the team is ready to
present.
WHY IS IT
SECTION WHAT IS DOES? EXAMPLE TIP
IMPORTANT?

13. DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter Guidelines
Articulate who and what Provides both the team Facilitator: Joe Validate availability of
is available to support the and senior leadership Bagodonuts. Training resources as part of the
team. This might include with an opportunity to workshops. definition stage of the
a facilitator, trainers, or negotiate what the team Up to $5,000 for process improvement
Available Resources funds. needs to be successful. miscellaneous office project. The team
expenses. sponsor or process
owner is usually the
function that controls
resource availability.
Recognizes any Resources are scarce in Support from Location Physical layout changes
additional resource the most organizations. It is Facilities department to may take time to design,
team believes is best to be realistic in the re-work client waiting schedule and implement.
necessary to achieve the use of resources and areas or create client Have the team think
objectives of the process identify requirements at booths. ahead to anticipate
Required Resources
improvement project. the onset of activities. If bottlenecks that may
resources are occur during the
unavailable, then options improvement project.
can be pursued for
alternative strategies.

14. DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter Guidelines
WHY IS IT
SECTION WHAT IS DOES? EXAMPLE TIP
IMPORTANT?
Describes both positive Clarifies expectations; Assumption: The WIC Communicate with all
and negative factors that requires people to reflect intake area can be areas of the organization
must be discussed and on the effort in a more rearranged to make for affected by the process
understood prior to the thoughtful way; can private booths improvements
work beginning. redefine the work; may Constraints: Information anticipated. Record any
Assumptions: statements facilitate the removal of Technology solutions will barriers or obstacles
of requirements that must known obstructions in not be entertained at this identified during these
Considerations
be accepted; advance; gives credibility time (system upgrade conversations. Some
(Assumptions,
Constraints: an element to teams (that they have planned in 2 years). items may be simple to
Constraints, Obstacles,
that might restrict or considered possible Obstacles: Departmental address, others may
Risks)
regulate project actions issues). practices related to need significant effort.
or outcomes; scheduling applicants The sooner these are
Obstacles: factor that differ widely. identified, the better.
might impede progress; Risks: Changes may not
Risks: a course of action conform to legal
that might pose a hazard requirements
or cause loss.
Specifies the boundaries Sets the stage; provides “The time the person Map out a 7-9 step high-
of the process you are focus; identifies limits. arrives in the WIC level process flow for the
involved in. They may be Department to the time scope you’ve defined.
stated in time frames they have successfully This will help you
Boundaries and/or process steps. filled out the application understand what you
and leave.” need to be successful,
including validating team
membership.

15. DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter Guidelines
WHY IS IT
SECTION WHAT IS DOES? EXAMPLE TIP
IMPORTANT?
Identifies individuals It recognizes their John Smith - Information Stakeholders may be
and/or departments that importance and increases Systems affected directly by the
may be impacted by the the team’s awareness. anticipated changes or be
outcome. These politically essential to the
Key Stakeholders/ Area individuals should be acceptance of the
of Concern sought out as a resource recommendations.
and communicated with Stakeholders can ease
on a regular basis. the progress of the
project or greatly delay
progress.
Clarifies your activities for
Identifies everyone who The entire team will give Over-communicate rather
keeping necessary and is expecting to receive a report out to the than under-communicate.
useful functions or communication on this stakeholders 6 weeks Communication should
leadership aware of team effort. The from the start of the match the style of the
project progress. communication plan has project (~ Nov15). The audience. If a senior
two purposes; 1) Team Leader will update leader likes to see charts
Identifying how the team the Executive Sponsor and graphs, format the
Communication Plan will work internally to weekly (agenda item at status report accordingly.
achieve smooth the regular staff meeting). If the Quality Council
interaction, 2) Establish wishes to have the whole
requirements for keeping team present a
stakeholders and other milestone, then practice
external decision makers with all members
informed of project contributing to the
activity. communication.
Serves as a contract Creates buy-in, everyone It's a good idea to have
agreement between the has an opportunity to all parties sign the
Signature Page Executive Sponsor, Team meet all the players Charter at the same time
Leader, Facilitator, and involved in the process and place.
Team Members improvement opportunity.

16. DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter
Guidelines
About the Authors:
Mike Rudis is Training Administrator for the Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of
Performance Management - responsible for implementing an effective performance
management system that will improve the quality of our programs to better serve the
people of Delaware, michael.rudis@state.de.us.
Grace L. Duffy, CMQ/OE, CQA, CQIA, CLSSMBB provides services in organizational and
process improvement, leadership, quality, customer service and teamwork.-
grace683@embarqmail.com.
John W. Moran, MBA, Ph.D., CMC, CMQ/OE, CQIA is Senior Quality Advisor to the
Public Health Foundation and a Senior Fellow at the University of Minnesota School of
Public Health in the Division of Health Policy and Management - jmoran@phf.org.
16