A project charter is the key document during the initial stages of a project. But sometimes the project team jumps ahead into the project without taking the time to craft a useful project charter that helps guide the project through the rough waters. While many organisations and project management methodologies outline what is needed for a charter, it is important to make sure that the final document will be useful to the project team. Making sure that the following items are taken into consideration and included in the charter will help the charter do something other than sit in a binder on a shelf once the project starts.
State the Purpose
The charter should contain the purpose of the project front and centre. This statement or outline will help inform everything that is done on the project and guide the team in making sure that the original purpose of the project does not get buried while requirements are defined and scope is creeping. This purpose is also vital in using the charter as an on-boarding tool for people who join the project team after the initiation phase of the project lifecycle.
State the Purpose
The charter should contain the purpose of the project front and centre. This statement or outline will help inform everything that is done on the project and guide the team in making sure that the original purpose of the project does not get buried while requirements are defined and scope is creeping. This purpose is also vital in using the charter as an on-boarding tool for people who join the project team after the initiation phase of the project lifecycle.
