Project Management — Initiation Phase: (1 of 2) — Project Charter

Learn how to develop a Project Charter, a document that describes what the project is and how to approach it. It lists the stakeholders, the final deliverables and their acceptance criteria. It’s a key document in project management, and the team will refer to it throughout the life cycle of the project.

What is Project Charter?

In project management, a project charter (also called project definition, or project statement) is:

• A statement of the scope, objectives, and participants in a project.
• Provide a preliminary delineation of roles and responsibilities, outlines the project objectives, identifies the main stakeholders, and defines the authority of the project manager.
• Serve as a reference of authority for the future of the project. The terms of reference are usually part of the project charter.

Contents of a Project Charter :

• Contain the essence of the project.
• Provide a shared understanding of the project.
• Act as a contract between the project sponsor, key stakeholders and the project team.

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