Fillable Printable Project Charter Sample

Project Charter Sample

HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE:

Introduction

The template reflects the recommended content for a Project Charter document, as described

in the PMI Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide, Third Edition). This

template provides suggestions designed to prompt the Project Manager and help in the

creation of the Project Charter document. The information for the Project Charter is located

on pages 81-86, of “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” (PMBOK®

Guide), Third Editio n.

Deleting the [....] text

When the template is complete, the Project Charter document can be printed and appr oved.

Prior to printing, you should delete all [....] prompt text (in italics and blue text).

Saving the Project Charter document under its own name

Save the Project Charter document by selecting the “SAVE-AS” command; this will avoid

overwriting this template. Remember to specify your own Project Directory.

Once your Project Charter document is completed check the document against the

following Quality Criteria:

• Is the level of authority of the Project Sponsor commensurate with the

anticipated size, risk and cost of the project?

• Is there sufficient detail to allow the appointment of an appropriate Project

Manager?

• Have the project budgets received preliminary review and approval from the

executive management team?

• Are all the known stakeholders identified?

• Does the Project Charter describe the “project success criteria”?

NOTE: Remember to delete this page of instructions from your final document.

PROJECT CHARTER

Date: October 27, 2008

Version: <Insert Current Version#>

Project Charter Date: October 27, 2008

Page 2

Project Charter Document History

Document Revisions

Author Release

Date

Reason for Changes Version # Approval

<author name> <rel. date> initial draft Draft 0.1* <name>

NOTES:

•

Signed approval forms are filed in the Management section of the project files.

•

Drafts should be version numbered “Draft 0.1”, “Draft 0.2”, etc. Accepted Releases should be version

numbered “1.X”, “2.X”, etc.

•

This document requires the following approvals:

• <List those with approval authority>

•

Version # Release

Date

Summary of Changes (since previous version)

Draft 0.1* <rel. date>

Distribution History

This document has been distributed to:

Name Title Company Distribution

Date

Distributed

Version #

<recipient’s name> <recipient’s

title>

<Company Name> <date sent> <version #

sent>

NOTES:

• This document is only valid on the day it was printed.

• The document source is located at <document address>, on the project server.

Project Charter Date: October 27, 2008

Page 3

Table of Content s

PROJECT MANDATE DOCUMENT HISTORY............................................................................................................ 2

DOCUMENT REVISIONS........................................................................................................................................................ 2

DISTRIBUTION HISTORY ...................................................................................................................................................... 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 3

1. PURPOSE..................................................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

2. AUTHORITY RESPONSIBLE.................................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

3. BACKGROUND.......................................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

4. PROJECT OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................................... 5

5. SCOPE.......................................................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

6. CONSTRAINTS .......................................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

7. INTERFACES.............................................................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

8. QUALITY EXPECTATIONS .................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

9. BUSINESS CASE SUMMARY & OUTLINE .......................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

10. ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 8

11. PROPOSED EXECUTIVE AND PROJECT MANAGER.................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

12. CUSTOMERS AND USERS................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

13. OTHER INFORMATION ....................................................................................................................................... 8

Project Charter Date: October 27, 2008

Page 4

1. Executive Summary

[The information in the Project Charter authorizes a project.]

[The Executive Summary provides a brief overview of the project and provide enough of a description to complete the

following sections. The Project Charter documents the business needs, project justification, current understanding of the

customer’s requirements, and the product, service, or result that is intended to satisfy those requirements. If information

to complete the following sections is not available, state that it is unavailable, then state the person accountable and

schedule for completion.]

< compose a brief summary as describe above.>

2. General Project Information

[Project Title – The pr oper name used to identify this project; Project ID – The working name or acronym that will be

used for the project; Sponsoring Organization – The organization sponsoring this project; Sponsor Representative – The

name of the person representing the Sponsoring Organization; Prepared by – The person(s) preparing this document;

Version – Version of this document.]

Project Title:

Project ID:

Sponsoring

Organization:

Sponsor

Representative:

Prepared by:

Version:

3. Project Stakeholders

List all applicable project stakeholders.

Position Title/Name/Organization Phone E-mail

Sponsor

Representative

Program Manager

Project Manager

Customer / User

Representative(s)

Project Charter Date: October 27, 2008

Page 5

4. Project Purpose

[Explain the reason(s) for doing this project.]

4.1. Business Issue

[The Business Issue or Opportunity pertaining to the business is typically an area of “change” needing to be resolved.

State in specific terms the issue or opportunity this project will address. Often, the Business Issue is a critical business

initiative in the Sponsoring Organization’s Strategic Plan.]

4.2. Business Objectives

[Define the specific Business Objectives of the p roject that correlate to the strategic in itiatives or issues identified in the

Sponsoring Organization’s Strategic Plan. Every Business Objective must relate to at least one strategic initiative or

issue and every initiative or issue cited must relate to at least one project business objective.]

Strategic Plan Element Project Business Objectives

[Explain what the project is trying to achieve by stating its objectives which should be measurable and defined in terms of

the projects major deliverables, effort, cost, tolerances and business benefits expected. State the objectives following the

SMART formula (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reasonable, and Timely).]

5. Project Overview

5.1. Project Description

[Describe the project focus, approach, customer(s), and the boundary limits of the project.]

5.2. Scope

[The Project Scope addresses the who, what, where, when, and why of a project. ]

Project Charter Date: October 27, 2008

Page 6

5.3. Assumptions

[Assumptions are statements taken for granted or accepted as true without proof. Assumptions are made in the absence

of fact. List and describe the assumptions made in the decision to charter this project.]

5.4. Constraints

[Constraints are boundary conditions that the project must stay within. List and describe the constraints applicable to

this project. Describe the known constraints of the project, e.g. there may be constraints on the amount of resources

available to the project or the location of the project team.]

6. Project Requirements & Deliverables

[The Project Requirements & Deliverables define what the project must accomplish, including the customer/ user

requirements and products / services to be provided by the project and the Work Product delivered.]

7. Project Management Milestones & Deliverables

[Provide a list of Project Management Milestones and Deliverables. This list of deliverables is not the same as the

products and services provided by the project, but is specific to the management of the project. An example of a Project

Management Milestone is the Project Plan Completed.]

Milestone / Deliverable Estimated

Date

Responsible Individual

8. Project Budget & Costs

[Identify the initial funding required by the project and/or committed to this project by the Project Sponsor. Additional

funding may be requested and committed, upon completion of the detailed Project Plan.]

Purpose Amount Budget Source

Project Charter Date: October 27, 2008

Page 7

9. Personnel & Other Resources

[Identify the personnel and other resources required by the project and/or committed to this project by the project

sponsor. Additional resources may be committed upon completion of the detailed project plan.]

Resources Description

Project Team

Support

Facilities

Equipment

Software Tools

Other

10. Project Risks

[Risks are statements of issues or problems that have the potential to arise but have not yet occurred. List and describe

the initial risks for this project.]

11. Project Organization

11.1. Project Organization Chart

[Provide a graphic depiction of the project’s organizational structure. The project’s hierarchal diagram begins with the

project sponsor and includes all project stakeholders.]

Project Charter Date: October 27, 2008

Page 8

11.2. Roles & Responsibilities

[Describe the Roles and Responsibilities of all project stakeholders identified for this project. Include the names of all

known users, customers and any other project stakeholders which may be involved in or interested this project.]

Stakeholder Title Name Roles & Responsibilities

12. Associated Documents

[Make reference (include location and title and author of the document) to any other earlier work that may include useful

information, such as an estimate of the project size and duration, a view of the risks faced etc]

13. Other Information

[If the Project Charter is based on earlier work or an earlier project, there may be other useful information. For any

referenced information, include the document name, location, author, final version, and final version date.]

14. Approval Signatures

The Signatures of the people below document acceptance and approval of the formal Project Charter. The

Sponsor Representative must have the authority to commit the organization’s resources to the project. The

Project Manager is empowered by this charter to proceed with the project as outlined in the charter.

Position/Title Signature/Printed Name/Title Date

Sponsor Representative

Program Manager

Project Manager