Project Charter Template Guide
What is a Project Charter?
A Project Charter is a document which outlines the purpose of the project, the way the project will
be structured and how it will be successfully implemented. It describes the project:



Vision, objectives, scope and deliverables (i.e. what we have to achieve)
Stakeholders, roles and responsibilities (i.e. who will take part in it)
Resource, financial and quality plans (i.e. how it will be undertaken).
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When do I use a Project Charter?
The Project Charter is usually presented by Senior Management within the business to an identified
Business Sponsor. It is completed after the Business Case and Feasibility Study have been approved
but before the Project Team is formally appointed.
Furthermore:


The Project Charter defines the boundaries for the project. It describes in detail the scope of the
project, within which all deliverables must be produced. Activities should be undertaken outside
the defined scope of the project only if a valid ‘change request form’ has been approved by the
Project Sponsor
The next stage following approval of the Project Charter is the formal appointment of the Project
Manager and project team.
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How to use this template
This document provides a guide on the topics usually included in a Project Charter. Sections may be
added, removed or redefined at your leisure to meet your particular business circumstance.
Example tables, diagrams and charts have been added (where suitable) to provide further guidance
on how to complete each relevant section.
TEMPLATE GUIDE ........................................................................................................... 1
PROJECT OVERVIEW ................................................................................................. 3
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
PROBLEM STATEMENT ........................................................................................................................... 3
PROJECT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................... 3
ORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT ..................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................. 3
PROJECT SCOPE .................................................................................................................................. 3
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS...................................................................................................................... 3
ASSUMPTIONS .................................................................................................................................... 4
CONSTRAINTS .................................................................................................................................... 4
BUSINESS CASE ....................................................................................................... 4
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
BENEFITS ......................................................................................................................................... 4
COSTS ............................................................................................................................................ 5
FEASIBILITY ....................................................................................................................................... 5
SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................ 5
PROJECT MILESTONES & AUTHORITY ............................................................................... 6
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
PROJECT OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY ................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
FUNDING AUTHORITY ............................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
MAJOR PROJECT MILESTONES ................................................................................................................... 6
PROJECT ORGANIZATION .................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
PROJECT STRUCTURE ................................................................................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES ......................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
PROJECT FACILITIES & RESOURCES.................................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
5
POINTS OF CONTACT ......................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
6
GLOSSARY .................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
7
APPENDICES .................................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
8
REVISION HISTORY ................................................................................................... 6
1
1.1
Kelly Project Solutions (KPS) Overview
Problem Statement
The recent economic downturn has brought into focus the need for organizations to:
1. Enhanced project selection/intake
2. Improved Project Execution/Delivery
3. Improved Risk Management
With the stimulus plan injecting billions of dollars into the economy and countless reports of
inadequate talent pool to match, potential clients are having a difficult time matching resources and
project initiatives with their strategy.
1.2
Company Description
KPS will be a firm that is focused on project management execution vs. developing Project
Management training solutions, PPM software development, or developing proprietary
methodologies.
1.3
Company Goals & Objectives
The core goals of KPS include:
Securing our 1st client by Aug-‘11
Secure 2nd and 3rd client by end of calendar year 2011
Hire PM consultant and shift to managing company and growing firm in Dec-‘11/Jan-‘12
1.4
Company Scope/Services
Describe the project scope. The scope defines project limits and identifies the products and/or
services delivered by the project. The scope establishes the boundaries of the project and should
describe products and/or services that are outside of the project scope.
Services Included
Project Management Resources – PMs interviewing & screening PMs, not 15 min’s phone
screens from general recruiters
PMO Development – Analysis of ‘as-is’, recommendation for PMO, develop plan,
implement, and organizational awareness/support/training
Hosted PMO – Develop a PMO and host templates, on-going project documentation, PPM
tool/s
Project Consulting – Initiation and Requirements Gathering, Project Plan
Review/Validation of incumbent, project rescue
Services Excluded
PMP/PMI Training – We will not be training PMs to become PMPs
Software Development – We will not create new PPM software tools.
Proprietary Methodologies – i.e. TenStep or Method 1-2-3
1.5
Critical Success Factors
Describe the factors or characteristics that are deemed critical to the success of a project, such that,
in their absence the project will fail.
1.6
Assumptions
Describe any project assumptions related to business, technology, resources, scope, expectations, or
schedules
1.7
Constraints
Describe any project constraints being imposed in areas such as schedule, budget, resources,
products to be reused, technology to be employed, products to be acquired, and interfaces to other
products. List the project constraints based on the current knowledge today.
2
Business Case
This section provides a full listing of all solution options, their benefits, costs, feasibility, risks and
issues. Options suggested may include doing nothing, doing something that will achieve a similar
result or doing something that will achieve a better result than current performance. Try to minimize
the number of options available by conducting a detailed Feasibility Study beforehand. For each
solution option identified, the following information is required:
2.1
Benefits
Describe the tangible and intangible benefits to the company upon implementation of the solution.
One of the obvious benefits described will be that the business problem / opportunity outlined
above will be addressed.
Complete the following table:
Category
Financial
Benefit
New revenue generated
Reduction in costs
Increased profit margin
Value©
$x
$x
$x
Operational Improved operational efficiency
Reduction in product time to market
Enhanced quality of product / service
x%
x hrs
x%
Market
Increased market awareness
Greater market share
Additional competitive advantage
x%
x%
Describe
Customer
Improved customer satisfaction
Increased customer retention
Greater customer loyalty
x%
x%
Describe
Staff
Increased staff satisfaction
Improved organizational culture
Longer staff retention
x%
Describe
x%
2.2
Costs
Describe the tangible and intangible costs to the company upon implementation of the solution. The
costs of the actual project should be included (e.g. equipment procured) as well as any negative
impact to the business resulting from the delivery of the project (e.g. operational down-time).
Complete the following table:
Category
People
Cost
Salaries of project staff
Contractors / outsourced parties
Training courses
Value
$x
$x
$x
Budgeted
YES
NO
YES
Physical©
Building premises for project team
Equipment and materials
Tools (computers, phones…)
$x
$x
$x
NO
NO
NO
Marketing
Advertising / branding
Promotional materials
PR and communications
$x
$x
$x
YES
NO
NO
Organizational
Operational down-time
Short-term loss in productivity
Cultural change
$x
$x
Describe
NO
NO
NO
2.3
Feasibility
Describe the feasibility of the solution. To adequately complete this section, a Feasibility Study may
need to be initiated to quantify the likelihood of achieving the desired project result. To assess the
overall feasibility of this option, break the solution down into components and rate the feasibility of
each component in the following table:
Component
New Technology
New People ©
New Processes
New Assets
2.4
Rating
(1-10)
5
8
3
9
Method Used to Determine Feasibility
A technology Prototype was created to assess the solution
A survey was completed to identify skill-set availability
Processes within similar organizations were reviewed
Physical assets were inspected
SWOT Analysis
Strengths – Experience, Geography, Innovation, Qualifications, Price, Value, Quality, etc
Weaknesses – Deadline, Systems, Capital, Reliability of Data, etc
Opportunity – Competitor Vulnerability, Industry Shift, Niche Market, etc
Threats – Legislative, Market Demand, Loss of Key Staff, etc
S
W
O
3
T
KPS Start-Up Milestones
3.1
Major Project Milestones
Milestone/Deliverable
Target Date
Must Have?
Y/N
Y/N
Y/N
Y/N
4
Project Organization
Insert project org chart, project ‘war rooms’, roles and responsibilities of key team members
5
Points of Contact
Name – Position – Department – Phone Number - Email
6
Glossary
Insert common acronyms and terms
7
Appendices
Insert any schemas, diagrams, tech specs, etc
8
Revision History
Version
Date
Name
Description