Best Project Charter Templates For Project Managers
Every project is defined by its core objectives, and a project charter is that crucial document that allows you to outline these objectives. It also highlights the project’s vision, scope, and expected deliverables and can also contain the roadmap for the project, outlining exactly how the goals will be met by the team working on said project.
Given that the project charter is critical for a project’s success Think IT Project Management offers several well-designed and easy-to-use project charter templates. The templates will allow you to standardize your project planning and charter creation activities.
These project charter templates are a must for better project management from the get-go!
Understanding and agreeing to project scope is key to a project’s success. A key tool for a project manager in securing project scope is the project charter.
The project charter document will be established in either the Initiation Phase or the early Planning Phase of the project lifecycle. The charter will identify the objectives of the project and its key deliverables. A good project charter will also provide the reason for the project and a brief explanation of the background that lead to the initiation of the project itself.
The importance of clearly identify what is in-scope and out-of-scope cannot be overstated enough. Clear objectives will minimize project re-work that can impact time, resources and cost to name a few. Moreover, using the project charter to secure an agreement of scope will be an iterative process. It will not be surprising to have multiple revisions of the charter as you review the document with the project sponsor and key stakeholders.
Charters should be clear and concise and void of any ambiguity. Clearly state what you know and what you do not know. Leverage the use of risks and assumptions to explain what you do not know for certain.
The Project Charter should include:
- INTRODUCTION
- PURPOSE OF PROJECT CHARTER DOCUMENT
- PURPOSE OF PROJECT
- BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT
- PROJECT APPROACH
- PHASING PLAN
- GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- SCOPE
- COSTS
- RISKS
- IMPACTED BUSINESS AREAS
- ASSUMPTIONS
- PROJECT ASSUMPTIONS
- PROJECT CONSTRAINTS
- CRITICAL DEPENDENCIES
- APPROVALS
Lastly, remember to review and secure the sign-off of the project charter with your project sponsor and key stakeholders.
Checkout our free Project Charter templates for subscribers: