What is a Project Charter? How to structure your document ? How to convince your management/sponsors ?

1. The Project Charter in a
Nutshell
© PATRICE GRAILLET, PMP 1

2. What is a Project Charter?
The project charter is one of the key project documents because it is the first
official project document which formally begins the project. It will be
used it throughout the life of the project.
In the PMBOK Guide, the PMI defines a project charter as a “document issued by
the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the
existence of a project, and provides the project manager with the
authority to apply organizational resources to project activities”.
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3. Project Charter Structure
The project charter is a high-level initiation document, not more than two
pages. It is not a requirements document or a detailed project plan.
The project charter covers major aspects of the project such as:
1. The Project Background
2. High Level Project Scope (in and out)
3. Top Project Milestones
4. List of Stakeholders
5. Resources and Cost overview
6. Risks
7. Sign off process
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4. 1. The Project Background
This section requires you to highlight how and why the project came into being:
•Why is the project being done? On what business case can we justify doing this
project?
• How does the project link into the organization’s strategic plan? What’s the
vision, the idea and/or the business opportunity?
• What do you wish to solve/accomplish? What’s the benefit that will
accrue? What deliverables can you promise? What will be the end result of the
project?
• What are the project goals and the success criteria’s/metrics(hard/soft) ?
ID Goals Success Criteria/Metrics
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5. 2. High Level Project Scope (in and out)
What are the elements in scope and out of scope?
The scope determines what deliverables will be completed during the
project (IN scope). But this also includes identifying the deliverables that
won’t be included in the project (OUT of scope).
ID High Level Requirement Description
1 x
2
ID High Level Deliverables Scope
1 x IN
2 OUT
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6. 3. Top Project Milestones
The top milestones list shows the most important achievement in a
project. It is a task with zero duration.
Milestones examples:
• Foundations of new IT platform completed
• Test cases ready for testing
• Product xy received
• Floors finished
• Roof completed
Key Milestone Due Date
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7. 4. List of Stakeholders
In this section, you need to list the stakeholders including sponsors, project
members, services providers and customers.
Split it into 2 grids, one for the project team and another one for the
stakeholders.
Describe the individual, group, or organization who may be affected by the
project.
Name Title/Role E-mail Organization
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8. 5. Resources and Cost overview
What type of both human and material resources you need to reach
your project goals? How many or which resources will be provided?
Cost Vendor Name/Cost Center Rate When Qty Amount
IT x
External Resource
A
External Resource
A
Total Costs
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9. 6. Risks
What are the potential threats and opportunities for the project?
What are the most significant things that may hinder or advance the cause of
the project? Ask the stakeholders about risks.
Risk Category Risk Probability Impact Risk Response Owner
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10. 7. Sign off process
The charter requires a signature from the project’s sponsor. The signature is
necessary in order to give authority and make the project official.
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