PROJECT CHARTER - [ADD PROJECT NAME HERE]

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Document Version No: 0.0

Document Version Date: xx/xx/xxxx

Version History

Ver. No. Ver. Date Revised By Description

Note: Green italicized text provides additional instructions and context for the author(s). The author(s) should
remove this text when the document is ready for presentation.

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PROJECT CHARTER - [ADD PROJECT NAME HERE]

Team Number & Name Here

Date Here

Version 1.0

LOGO HERE

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 PROJECT CHARTER - [ADD PROJECT NAME HERE]

PROJECT OVERVIEW....................................................................................................................................................4
PROJECT GOALS/OBJECTIVES......................................................................................................................................5
MAJOR PROJECT DELIVERABLES & ASSOCIATED BENEFITS.........................................................................................6
PROJECT EXCLUSIONS.................................................................................................................................................7
HIGH LEVEL PROJECT DESCRIPTION / METHODOLOGY...............................................................................................8
PROJECT ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES..........................................................................................................................8
PROJECT CONTROLS & AUTHORITY LEVELS.................................................................................................................9
PROJECT ASSUMPTIONS...........................................................................................................................................10
PREAPPROVED FINANCIAL RESOURCES....................................................................................................................10
SUMMARY MILESTONE SCHEDULE...........................................................................................................................11
PROJECT RISKS..........................................................................................................................................................11
PROJECT CLOSING.....................................................................................................................................................12
KEY STAKEHOLDER LIST.............................................................................................................................................13
SIGNED/PROJECT SPONSOR(S) OR CHARTER APPROVING AUTHORITY.....................................................................13

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 PROJECT CHARTER - [ADD PROJECT NAME HERE]

PROJECT OVERVIEW
What will be Accomplished:
This section includes a brief, very high-level narrative summarizing WHAT the project aims to deliver. In a few
words, write a summary high-level description of the unique outcome of the project (service, product, or result).

Purpose & Background:

This section includes a brief, very high-level narrative summarizing the reason for undertaking the project (WHY).
At the business level, describe the opportunities and problems of the current situation to explain why the project is
important. Address the business value of the work to be done. (Reference the business case for the project). Show
alignment with the organization’s strategy and objectives. High level information here should help ensure context
for the details in the following sections.

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PROJECT GOALS/OBJECTIVES
Project Goals/Objectives must have a clear link to and contribute to the success of business level goals. Describe
the anticipated ‘business level value’ desired as the outcome of the project execution. As applicable, describe how
the project can: contribute to controlling expenses, increasing revenue, improving workforce capacity,
strengthening customer relationships, leveraging technology, etc. Project Goals/Objectives should include
measurable criteria (specific and quantifiable) that specify what the project is aiming to achieve for the business
and can therefore help define project success.

Business Objective Project Objectives &Success Criteria

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MAJOR PROJECT DELIVERABLES & ASSOCIATED BENEFITS

Identify the major (High-level) deliverables to be produced by the project. For each major deliverable, describe
scope in just a few lines. Consider constraints, assumptions, etc. that will help clarify/explain scope:
Consider the following categories of deliverables (all may not necessarily be applicable):
 Final products, services or unique outcomes planning to enable
 Study/ Needs Assessment / Opportunity Identification
 Software/Hardware Selection and Procurement
 Stakeholder Communication, Training & Management
 Establishment of Maintenance & Support Systems
 Decommissioning of old Systems / Processes
Describe the benefits each of the project’s major deliverables should produce. These statements can relate to
strategic goals, business goals, or core processes. They can indicate who will benefit and how the benefits may be
experienced.

Major product, services or unique outcome Benefits / Benefit Description

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PROJECT EXCLUSIONS
Describe explicitly what is not within the scope of the project. When identifying project boundaries consider the
following: Types of artifacts, functionality, organizations, and life project cycles/ phases. To help prevent scope
creep, be sure to confirm project scope (what is included & what is excluded) aligns with sponsor / key stakeholder
expectations.

Out of scope:
 Artifact/Functionality/Organization/Process Out of scope
 Artifact/Functionality/Organization/Process Out of scope
 Artifact/Functionality/Organization/Process Out of scope


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HIGH LEVEL PROJECT DESCRIPTION / METHODOLOGY

This section describes how the project will be structured and the techniques used. The sponsor or any key
stakeholder should be able to read this short, high-level paragraph and understand how the project will be
executed from start to finish. Identify the team structure and identify the lifecycle used (i.e. generic, R&D,
construction, agile, extreme).

PROJECT ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

To help ensure the project is adequately supported throughout its life cycle, it is very important to identify the key
resources assigned to the project and assigned to the implementation of the project deliverables.

Project Role Responsibilities Name

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PROJECT CONTROLS & AUTHORITY LEVELS

Describe the Authority Levels assigned to project leaders for managing and controlling project constraints (Scope,
Time, Budget, etc.). This table most likely will include the Project Manager, Project Sponsor, Executive Sponsor,
Executive Steering Committee.

Project Title Responsibilities / Authority Levels

Project Manager
Project Sponsor
Executive Steering Committee

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PROJECT ASSUMPTIONS
Assumptions affect how the project is managed. To identify and estimate the activities and their timing for the
project, certain assumptions will have to be made. Project assumptions are circumstances that are considered true
- without conclusive evidence they are true. Often, assumed circumstances are outside the control of the project
team. Assumptions may turn out to be false and therefore all project assumptions are potential risks.

General:
 List assumption
 List assumption
 List assumption


PREAPPROVED FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Summary (rough order of magnitude) budget includes the cost for labor, supplies and equipment.

Resource Estimated Costs

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SUMMARY MILESTONE SCHEDULE

Overall Timeline:
A milestone is defined as a point in time when a set of conditions have been met. For example: Project Plan
Approved; Feasibility study complete; Construction complete; Training manuals complete; Research complete.
Milestones have a specific estimated date (not a start & end date) A summary milestone schedule ALWAYS
includes a project start date and project finish date.

Key Milestone Milestone Due Date Stakeholder Judge Acceptance Criteria

Project Start
Project Plan Approved

Project Complete

PROJECT RISKS
This is arguably one of the most important sections of the charter. All projects face risk during their life cycle.
While it may not be possible to eliminate risks, they can be anticipated and managed to reduce probability of
occurrence &/or their impact. . At project initiation, the sponsor identifies HIGH LEVEL risks that could result in
the project failing entirely or not meeting project objectives. An essential part to this process is the creation of a
Sponsor Risk Tolerance Matrix (see example below) which can help the Project Manager to define the appropriate
risk response strategies. Risk response strategies should be guided by the sponsor’s risk tolerance.

Sponsor Guidance for Risk Tolerance

Project Constraint No Tolerance Some Tolerance High Tolerance
Scope
Schedule
Cost
Quality

Project Risk Summary (Risk response guided by the sponsor’s tolerance level)
Project Risk Probability Impact Priority Management Strategy / Actions
H/M/L H/M/L H/M/L

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Project Risk Probability Impact Priority Management Strategy / Actions

PROJECT CLOSING
Project Approval Requirements/Exit Criteria:

This section is related to signing off on the project and certifying that it is complete or cancelled. Ask yourself “if I
were the sponsor, what would I want to see from the project manager assuring me that the project was complete?”
Most likely, you would want to see some documentation. That documentation could include artifacts related to the
project objectives, such as signed documents from the customer that the project’s product, service or unique
outcome was formally accepted. Try to be specific when writing this paragraph so that you do not have a
‘lingering’ project closing.
For example:
Success will be achieved when a fully tested/verified (product, service or unique outcome) is fully
deployed/implemented within approved schedule and budget. (Name key stakeholder) will determine success.
Following are the conditions to be met in order to close the project:
1) Condition A
2) Condition B
3) Condition C
4) Etc.

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KEY STAKEHOLDER LIST

A key stakeholder list is a list of stakeholders deemed by the sponsor to have high influence on project success.
Stakeholders are any individuals, groups, or organizations, who may affect and/or be affected by the project
and/or the project results. Stakeholders can be either internal or external to the organization performing the
project. (Be sure to include customers / end users)

Name/Group Title Role(s) on Project Contact Information

SIGNED/PROJECT SPONSOR(S) OR CHARTER APPROVING AUTHORITY

This section is a matrix that should be signed by the Project Manager, all sponsors (if there are multiple sponsors)
and executive management. This section is not signed by the customer or the end-user.

This project charter is an agreement between the project’s sponsor and those who will manage the project’s
delivery. The act of signing this document formally authorizes the initiation of the project and gives the project
manager authority to apply organizational resources to conduct project activities.

Signed Project Role Date

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