PROJECT CHARTER TEMPLATE
PROJECT CHARTER TEMPLATE (CONTAINS SCOPE SECTION): PROJECT NAME:
Executive Summary
• Where did this project come from?
• Why is it being done?
• What impact will the project create (internally, externally)?
• What strategic plan does it contribute to?
• What does the customer receive/not receive by project end?
• What key assumptions are driving this project?
• What risks could challenge project success?
Goals
• What business/organization goal(s) does this project support?
• What business need is being satisfied by this project?
Objectives
• What, specifically, needs to be done to meet project/customer requirements/expectations/goal?
• What is the target of the project?
Note: Ensure each objective contributes to the goal. Check to satisfy the "SMART" criteria
Scope:
• What does the work of the project to meet goal include/not include?
Work Includes Work does not Include
Phases ⁄ Deliverables:
• What are the major components of work to meet the goals/objectives/scope?
• What are the customer, process, and project deliverables within each phase?
Phase Description of Phase Deliverables
Internal External
Assumptions:
• What unknowns are being made known in this project?
• What uncertainties are considered true, real, or certain for planning purposes?
• What trial balloons are being floated to verify information?
Assumption Rationale Probability of Assumption being True Impact to Project if Assumption is not True
Risks:
• What events could jeopardize this project's success?
Risk Supporting Detail (Analysis to be continued in Risk Management Plan/ Register)
Constraints:
• What is restricting this project?
• What standards, regulations, technologies, resource availability impact this project?
Constraint Supporting Detail
Initial Project Sizing
Budget:
• What are the estimated costs to complete this project (document variability, range, precision at this point)
• What is the financial justification for this project?
(i.e. Benefit Cost Analysis, Return on Investment, NPV . . .)
• What financial gains are there to doing/not doing this project?
High Level Schedule:
• When are the phases/deliverables planned to begin/end?
Phase/Deliverable Time
Milestones:
• What major points are important to communicate/measure against?
• When should/will they occur?
Resource Requirements:
• What specialized resources are necessary to complete this project?
Team Member Role Responsibility
Sponsor
Project Manager
Management Approaches:
• How will status be taken?
• How will project be communicated?
• How will change be managed?
• How will issues be escalated?
• How will the risk be managed?
Communication Type Stakeholders Frequency Agenda/ Content Responsible Distribution Media
Note: These may be separate plans within the context of the integrated project plan
Sign-offs/Reviews:
• At what points will management/customer/team/peer reviews be conducted? For what purpose?
• Who signs off on the project reviews?
Reviews
Sponsor
Customer
Project Manager
Acceptance Criteria:
• What measurements will be used to determine customer acceptance?
• What performance criteria define project success (i.e. time, cost, resource, quality prioritization)?
• What check points are in place to ensure the right product is being delivered in the right way?
Acceptance Criteria Detail Priority Requestor
Impacted ⁄ Interdependent Projects
• What projects connect to this project via inputs/outputs?
• What products are impacted by this project/how?
• What other projects are addressing related issues?
Project Interdependence Relationship