project charter assignment example

How to Write a Project Charter: Template & Examples

Getting a new project off the ground involves a lot of documentation—from project requirements and scope documents to risk assessments and project plans .

As a project manager, you’re used to sifting through project paperwork. But it’s not always easy for your team and stakeholders to make sense of it all when they’ve got limited time to spend on the details.

That’s where a project charter comes in. 

A project charter acts as a reference guide for successful project delivery so you can get everyone up to speed and on board with the project more quickly.

Let’s take a closer look at what a project charter is, why it’s important, and how to create one for your projects.

What is a project charter, and why is it important?

A project charter is a document that details your project’s goals, benefits, constraints, risks, stakeholders, and even budgets. It may also be referred to as a project brief or project definition document.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines a project charter as “a document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project, and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.”

The purpose of a project charter is to set clear project expectations so you can lead even the largest teams and complex projects to an on-time and under-budget delivery. A project charter also brings benefits like aligning stakeholders and teams to the project’s objectives and clarifying important details that could impact the project.

Project charter vs. project plan: What’s the difference?

Having multiple documents related to your project might sound overwhelming—and it can be! But, every key document plays an important role in project success.

So when should you use a project charter versus a project plan? The simple answer is you should always use both to manage your projects. But let’s take a quick look at the difference between a project charter and a project plan. 

Think of your project charter as the document that explains the what and why of your project, while your project plan outlines the how, when , and who . 

Remember, the purpose of the project charter is to detail your project in its entirety—but at a high level . We’re not talking about tasks and milestones here.

A project charter spells out the details needed to understand a project and its objectives, usually in Word, Excel, Google Docs, or PDF format. It’s delivered early in the project cycle to ensure everyone’s on the same page about goals and deliverables. 

A project plan, on the other hand, is a line-by-line action plan for leading a project to completion once all the details have been approved. It’s typically formatted as a gantt chart with task deadlines and milestones mapped out on a timeline so you can track progress along the way.

Lay a clear path to success with a visual plan that’s easy to understand, and keep everyone in sync with flexible workflows and team collaboration.

How to write a project charter

Ready to develop a project charter framework for your organization? 

To create a project charter for your next project, your first step should be to discuss the project with your team and stakeholders. This will enable you to gather the information needed to execute the project, while also setting expectations around what it will take to get the job done. 

Be sure this initial discussion covers the following project details:

• Constraints (including deadlines and budgets)

Stakeholders

• Any other details that will help you truly define your project

Gaining this level of insight and understanding from your team and stakeholders early on will go a long way in helping you maintain alignment throughout the project.

Just like everything else in project management, there’s no single way to write a project charter. The most important thing to remember when creating your charter is to make it easy to read and accessible to anyone involved in your project.

Remember, the charter should be a high-level review of the project, not a turn-by-turn accounting of what will happen. Feel free to use short descriptions—or even bullet points—to help you keep it brief.

Project charter elements & examples

A lot of information goes into a project charter, and it’s up to you to determine which components make sense for the teams and organizations you work with. Here’s a list of key elements you may want to include when writing your project charter. 

Business case

This is a goals-related statement that explains the purpose of your project and why you’re taking it on. The business case not only helps guide project decisions, but also ensures everyone involved in the project is aligned on its purpose. That way you can all hold each other accountable to sticking to that goal.

We wrote this business case statement example for a website redesign project:

The Gantt Museum website (ganttmuseum.org) must be redesigned to help us meet our new, aggressive ticket sales goals and to provide a new online shop experience for visitors who cannot visit in person.

While the business case may state your overarching goals, you might find you need to get more specific about practical goals for your project. 

Writing SMART goals for your project’s initiatives can make it easier to stay on task. This example gives you an idea of how you could work these into your project charter goals:

• Provide an updated look and feel to align with new branding.
• Showcase relevant visitor information in an easy-to-access way.
• Include an online ticketing system to allow visitors to buy tickets around the clock from any location. This new system must contribute an additional 20% in ticketing revenue for the Museum.
• Leverage an off-the-shelf e-commerce platform to be managed by the Museum shop personnel. This new system must contribute an additional 35% in shop revenue for the Museum.

This section may be optional for you, depending on where you work and the type of project you’re running. But if you deal with project budgets or clients, be crystal-clear about the project’s cost and how it’s broken down. Keeping this information transparent will help guide conversations if and when your budget approaches its max.

In the project charter example below, we’ve broken the budget down by project phase: ‍

$500,000, broken down by phase:

• Research: $50,000
• Design: $200,000
• Development: $250,000

Scope and deliverables

Be sure to define the thing you’ll deliver and the scope associated with it so you can set clear expectations about what will and won’t be included—or executed on—in your project.

Here’s an example of how you might outline a project's scope and deliverables in your project charter:

We’re redesigning and building the following templates:

• Ticketing page
• Shop home page
• Shop item description page

Deliverables include:

• Wireframes for each page (to be revised up to 3 times)
• Page designs (to be revised up to 3 times)
• Coded templates

Resources needed

In this section, you’ll list any people, funds, time, materials, equipment, or additional resources you or the team will need to complete the project. Here’s a sample of resources a website design project might require:

• Branding work is being done by our partner agency. All files will be required before design kickoff.
• All photography for the site will be FPO in design. New photography may be required.
• Museum will purchase licenses for fonts.
• Museum will need to purchase CMS licenses for staff.
• Museum will need to hire a CMS trainer and content entry staff.

Don’t worry about fitting a whole plan into your project charter. But it’s a good idea to list out key project milestones with dates and reference your plan in TeamGantt by sharing a view-only link to your gantt chart .

For example, you might structure your project charter milestone schedule like this:

This project is estimated to take 9 months with the following milestone schedule: 

• October 31, 2021 - Kickoff
• December 15, 2021 - Research Complete
• February 28, 2022 - Design Complete
• April 15, 2022 - Development & CMS Training Complete
• May 21, 2022 - Content Entry Complete
• June 30, 2022 - QA Testing Complete, Launch

Risks and issues

Every project carries risk, whether it’s the threat of a critical stakeholder leaving the project, a much-needed asset missing a deadline, or even a hurricane taking out your internet and bringing work to a halt. 

Documenting things that could go wrong in your project charter—like we’ve done in the example below—makes everyone aware of risks from the outset:

• The stakeholder team has never been part of a website redesign.
• Most of the content will need to be rewritten, and the effort is unknown.
• The funding for the e-commerce platform has not yet been approved.

Dependencies

Sometimes one piece of a project can’t start until a previous step is complete. And when a partner’s responsible for that step, you have no control. If that’s the case for your project, you’ve got a rolling list of risks on your hands. 

Make note of any major dependencies in your project charter so you can spotlight potential scheduling issues. Here’s how that might look:

• If the branding project is not approved on time, it will delay our project.
• The selection of the Content Management System (CMS) and subsequent licensing is required before development begins.

If you’re working on a project with a team of folks who are responsible for approving your project, you want to be sure they’re present and accounted for. Listing them here will help! 

While you’re at it, you might want to define their roles or at least mention who the “lead” or main approver will be.

This sample project charter keeps the stakeholder list simple:

• Project sponsor & key point of contact: Sandy Sanderson, EVP, Marketing
• Don Limon, Director of IT
• Donna Sumner, Director of Ticketing
• Bob Burg, Manager, Museum Shop
• Danielle Della, Senior Writer

Download a free project charter template

Making a project charter may feel like a daunting task, but it really doesn’t have to be. Using a template can help you jump right in and keep things brief so your project charter is quick to create and scan.

Download our free project charter template (Word) and use the examples above to write a project charter of your own. Feel free to adapt this template to your style or organization’s needs.

Remember, a well-written project charter can help you answer and document big project questions and quickly align your team and stakeholders. It’s a small document with a huge purpose, so your best approach is to develop a simple project charter that’s easy to read and useful for everyone involved.

Go from project charter to plan with TeamGantt

Once you’ve got a solid project charter in hand, it’s time to craft your plan! With TeamGantt, you can create an interactive project plan without the tedium.

You’ll have all the features you need to ensure projects finish on time and on budget, including:

• Drag and drop simplicity
• Easy team collaboration
• Gantt chart, list, calendar, and board views
• Team availability & workload management
• Planned timeline vs. actual timeline
• Dedicated mobile app

And it all comes with a simple and intuitive interface that’s easy for anyone to use.

Try TeamGantt for free today!

The Ultimate Guide to Project Charters: Templates, Examples, and Why You Need One

A project charter is a critical project management document that serves as the foundation for any project. This comprehensive guide will provide you with everything you need to know about project charters including templates, examples, reasons why every project needs one, and a deep dive into how to write an effective charter.

A project charter is a short document that outlines the purpose, objectives, scope, timeline, budget, roles and responsibilities for a project. It formally authorizes the project and provides a high-level view of the goals and deliverables. A well-written charter helps set clear expectations and keeps the project focused throughout its life cycle.

In this ultimate guide, you’ll learn what to include in your project charter, tips for writing an effective charter, templates to use, and real-world examples. With the right charter, you can set your project up for success from the very beginning.

What is a Project Charter and Why Do You Need One?

A project charter is a formal document that details the scope, objectives, and people involved in a project. It authorizes the project manager to use organizational resources to complete the project. A charter serves as a contract between the project sponsor and the project team.

The project charter is developed in the starting phase of the project management process and once complete indicates the official start of the project. It is a project planning document that sells the project to stakeholders by providing a high-level view of what the project is and how it aligns with business objectives.

Every project needs a charter because it clearly outlines the goals, deliverables, milestones, roles, responsibilities and authority required to successfully manage the project. A well-defined charter helps get a project started on the right foot and keeps it on track through delivery of the objectives.

Key Benefits of Creating a Project Charter

There are many benefits to developing a detailed project charter:

Defines the project purpose and goals - The charter captures the high-level information about why the project is important and what it aims to accomplish. It documents the business needs, objectives, and measures of success.

Outlines project requirements and scope - It describes the boundaries of the project, key deliverables, and what will and will not be included. It helps define the scope of work.

Provides project justification - It explains the needs and reasons for undertaking the project. This justification helps gain buy-in and approval.

Documents project approval - Having sponsor sign-off authorizes the project manager to proceed with planning. It represents an agreement between the sponsor and team.

Assigns project roles and responsibilities - The charter identifies the sponsor, project manager, team members, stakeholders and defines their roles and responsibilities.

Sets the project budget and timeline - It identifies budget estimates and resources needed as well as outlining the timeline and key milestones for completion.

Defines risks and assumptions - Potential issues, constraints, uncertainties and planning assumptions are called out upfront.

Acts as a reference document - This document can be referred back to throughout the project to guide decisions and settle disputes. It keeps the project focused through execution and closure.

In summary, the project charter sets the stage for project planning and execution by providing critical information upfront including deliverables, milestones, roles, responsibilities, risks and measures of success. Investing time to write a complete charter gives your project the best chance of achieving its goals.

How to Write an Effective Project Charter: Tips and Recommendations

Writing a robust project charter may take time up front but saves effort down the road by setting clear expectations. Follow these tips for creating a high-quality charter:

Use a template - Start with a pre-built project charter template rather than creating one from scratch. Templates include all the standard sections.

Describe the goals and objectives - Be specific about what the project aims to achieve and how accomplishments will be measured. Get agreement from the sponsor.

Define the scope clearly - Document what is included and excluded from the project. List major deliverables and work products. This helps avoid scope creep later on.

Identify milestones and schedule - Include major phases, timeline, start and end dates. This will guide project execution.

Specify resource requirements - Outline the staffing, equipment, and costs needed to complete the work. Define budget and how variances will be handled.

Assign roles and responsibilities - Identify project sponsor, steering committee, stakeholders, team members and clearly define their individual roles.

Document risks and assumptions - Call out potential issues, uncertainties, constraints and planning assumptions upfront so they can be managed proactively.

Keep it short but thorough - The charter should be 1-2 pages maximum. Include enough detail without getting bogged down.

Get formal approval and sign-off - Have the sponsor and key stakeholders review and sign-off on the charter before kickoff.

Use as a baseline document - Refer back to the charter regularly to keep the project on track and aligned to the original intent.

Following a process and leveraging a template makes creating a project charter straightforward. Getting buy-in on scope and risk is crucial upfront to prevent issues later on.

Project Charter Templates You Can Use

Rather than drafting a charter from scratch, start with pre-built templates. Here are some excellent (and free!) project charter templates to choose from:

Free Project Charter Template from ProjectManagement.com

This comprehensive, 9-page template covers everything you need in a charter document. Sections include project purpose, requirements, scope, milestones, costs, risks, and more. Easy to customize using Word.

Project Charter Template from PM Solutions

A nicely designed Word template that includes an example charter. Has sections for vision, objectives, scope, risks, roles, and approval signatures.

Simple Project Charter Template

From the Method123 project management website, this basic 1-page template is great if you want a streamlined charter. It still covers goals, deliverables, resources, and risks.

Free Project Charter PowerPoint Template

Rather than Word, try this PPT template. It has sample slides with sections to tailor for your project charter presentation.

Project Management Institute (PMI) Charter Template

A 2-page charter template provided by the Project Management Institute. Follows leading PM practices.

The best advice is to choose an existing template that fits your project size, complexity and organization. Customize it with specifics for your initiative to create a robust charter quickly.

Real-World Project Charter Examples

Seeing actual charters can provide ideas for your own projects. Here are a few examples across different industries:

IT/Software Project Charter Example

This sample charter is for an IT project to implement a new system. It includes sections covering business needs, scope, costs, resources, milestones, risks, requirements and measures of success.

Construction Project Charter Example

For construction projects, the charter covers bid requirements, site plans, materials, equipment, deliverables, inspections, costs, schedule, risks, and stakeholder approvals.

Business Project Charter Example

This sample outlines a new product launch including goals, timeline, budget, risks, requirements, assumptions and measures of success.

Design Project Charter Example

For creative teams, the charter focuses on objectives, deliverables, reviews, approvals, requirements, risks, resources and budget required.

Simple Project Charter Example

A 1-page charter covering scope, timeline, risks, roles, and sign-off. Useful for small, low-complexity projects.

Reviewing examples from your industry helps generate ideas on structuring your own project charter. Look for templates and samples to use as a starting point.

10 Essential Sections to Include in Your Project Charter

The best project charters include these key elements:

1. Project Purpose/Justification

Business needs and problems the project aims to solve

Reasons for undertaking the project

Benefits and rewards for completing the project

2. Goals and Objectives

The desired outcomes of the project

Success criteria and how accomplishments will be measured

Specific metrics that define success

3. Project Scope

What is included in and excluded from the project

Major deliverables, work products, and requirements

Project boundaries and limitations

4. Milestones and Schedule

Key phases and timeline for completion

Project start and end dates

High level roadmap and stages

5. Cost Estimate and Budget

Project budget, projected costs, and approved funding

Expense approval requirements

Guidelines for handling budget overages

6. Roles and Responsibilities

Project sponsor, steering committee, manager, team members

Authority of project manager

Assignment of areas to team members

7. Risks and Assumptions

Potential issues, uncertainties, constraints

Planning assumptions that may impact the work

Ways risks will be managed

8. Approval and Sign-off

Formal sign-off by project sponsor

Signatures from stakeholders

Approval to commence project work

9. Change Management Plan

Process for handling changes to scope or charter

Role of change control board

Thresholds for approval

10. Communications Plan

How project status will be shared and reported

Frequency of team meetings and stakeholder updates

Using a template ensures you cover these key elements. Adjust and customize the sections to fit your specific project situation and organization.

Helpful Tips for Writing Your Project Charter

Keep these tips in mind as you draft your project charter:

Involve the project sponsor early - Work with the sponsor to define the goals, scope, risks, and metrics. Get their input on the charter draft.

Conduct a kickoff meeting - Hold a meeting with sponsors, stakeholders to review the charter together.

Keep it short but thorough - Focus on high-level information. Leave deep details for the project plan.

Define specific, measurable goals - Include quantifiable targets and success criteria to track progress.

Document assumptions and risks - Identify potential issues, constraints, dependencies that could impact the work.

Specify required resources - Include needs for staffing, equipment, materials and supplies.

Assign responsibilities clearly - Note who is accountable and responsible for each area to prevent confusion.

Leave room for updates - Revisit and update the charter as the project matures and progresses.

Secure formal sign-off - Obtain sponsor authorization and stakeholder buy-in before starting.

Investing time up front to create a detailed charter sets your project up for success. Use the charter as a guidepost for decision-making throughout the project life cycle.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

To summarize, the charter is an essential document that formally authorizes the project and directs the work from initiation through closure. Here are some key takeaways:

The charter documents goals, scope, timeline, budget, risks, roles and success metrics

It serves as the contract between the sponsor and project team

Using a template saves time and ensures best practices

Conduct a thorough kickoff meeting to review the charter

Revisit and update the charter as the project progresses

Secure sign-off from sponsors and key stakeholders

The best way to get started is to download a template, customize it for your needs, and meet with your sponsor and stakeholders to review and finalize the charter. This upfront foundation helps ensure your project finishes smoothly and successfully while meeting business objectives.

With an authorized project charter in place, you can confidently move forward into the planning phase and rest of the project management process.

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A project charter, also known as a program charter or project plan, is an official document that defines the project’s goals, scope, and stakeholders, while providing a clear outline to align understanding and set expectations for all parties involved. The project charter officially starts a project and empowers project managers to proceed. Read on to learn more about what a project charter is, how it’s used, and how to create one.

What Is a Project Charter?

Project charters are compiled after a project proposal has been created and presented to stakeholders. Once that approval has been granted, the project charter acts as the official sign-off to begin work. The document must be signed by a senior leader who controls funding, as the charter provides explicit permission to begin project work and utilize organizational resources—from team members to financing, to technology, and software.

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Why Are Project Charters Important?

Project charters are an essential part of the project documentation process, as they provide the proof of approval to begin project work and utilize business resources. The project charter acts as a record of stakeholder approval while documenting essential information about the project itself. Here are just a few of the other important purposes a project charter serves:

Informs the Team

More than just serving a formal need for project documentation, the information contained within the project charter—such as an estimated timeline, key deliverables and objectives, project scope, and more—is essential to team members who are being briefed on the project for the first time. 

Highlights Project Value

The project charter highlights the value of the project itself by tying back the project objectives to overall organizational needs and goals. At a glance, stakeholders, both internal and external, can understand the significance of the project and what outcomes it will achieve. 

Creates a Link to Portfolio Management

Portfolio management measures the success of all of the business’s projects against overall objectives and goals across all departments and areas of business. The project charter establishes a clear link between the project itself and the goals and purpose it will serve in the organization, making it easier to identify successes and areas of improvement in an organization’s portfolio management plans.

Prevents Scope Creep

According to the “Pulse of the Profession” study by the Project Management Institute, 50% of all projects experience scope creep. Over time, scope creep contributes to budget overruns, project delays, and ultimately, poor project outcomes. Project charters help combat scope creep before it happens by clearly defining the project scope and communicating project goals clearly to all project stakeholders. 

Establishes a Timeline

When working on a project, it is essential to adhere to the project timeline, but oftentimes, the project schedule is not relayed to internal or external stakeholders until the actual work begins. In this case, the project charter establishes expectations for the project timeline and sets the groundwork to assign individual project tasks. 

Defines the Criteria for Project Success

To measure the success of a project, you first need clearly defined expectations and a metric to measure the project against. The project charter outlines how stakeholders will determine the success or failure of a project, making it easy for the team to understand the expectations ahead.

Read more: 5 Phases of Project Management

What Information Does the Project Charter Contain?

When drafting the project charter, include information that makes it clear what the project aims to accomplish and how you plan on accomplishing it. While the charter may look slightly different for various projects and teams, anyone reading the document should have a thorough understanding of the project and the plan for achieving project goals by the end of the charter.

Read more: What is Project Management?

How Does a Project Charter Differentiate From a Project Proposal or Plan?

Project Charter: A project charter acts as the official sign-off for project work to begin, covering the essential information about what the project will cover and what it will take to accomplish the project successfully. 

Project Proposal: The project proposal is the document that initially proposes the project to stakeholders and decision-makers, outlining the project from a high-level view. This document is used to pitch the project itself. 

Project Brief: Even shorter than the project charter, the project brief is a general overview that describes the bare amount of key information about the project that someone would need to know. While it may seem extremely similar to the project charter, it is a much more brief and high-level description.

Read more: Project Proposal Templates and Examples

Essential Components of a Project Charter

At a minimum, the project charter should include the essential information about the project and what it will require to be successful:

Business Case

The business case highlights how the project serves the organization through its goals, deliverables, and outcomes. It should tie project objectives back to positive outcomes for the organization, especially concerning business-wide goals and initiatives.

Stakeholders

In project management, the term stakeholder can refer to a few groups of people, primarily including internal decision-makers, the team members working directly on the project, and external stakeholders like investors, customers, or third-party contractors. In simple terms, you can consider stakeholders as anyone with a tie to the project who will need to be updated on the project at some point throughout the project lifecycle, regardless of their role. 

Resources Required

Resources in the project are tools that keep project work moving smoothly, from people to technology to software and even charts and project tools. Additionally, resources consider the financial investment needed to complete a project, whether that’s paying external contractors, upgrading to a new project management software solution, investing in learning opportunities, etc. 

The scope section of the project outlines what ground the project will cover. In essence, this segment should clearly outline what the project work will look like and achieve to prevent scope creep and unclear expectations. 

Deliverables

The deliverables portion outlines exactly what stakeholders can expect from the project in terms of tangible outcomes, whether it’s delivering a new product, a measurable outcome, or even things as small as documents and reports. 

Outlining the objectives for the project defines the goals that the project aims to achieve, holding the team accountable to specific metrics so that progress can be tracked throughout the project lifecycle. 

The timeline portion outlines the key milestones for the project, such as dates when deliverables will be completed, and the larger markers such as when the project should begin and end. 

Potential Risks and Dependencies

The risks and dependencies portion of the project charter should project any potential risks or issues that may arise during the project and any task dependencies that need to be addressed before project work can begin. This also includes any potential dependencies that may occur during the project, for example, if multiple departments are working together on the project, a delay in turning over a deliverable from one team to another can create delays and roadblocks.

Read more: Project Management Terms and Concepts

FREE Downloadable Visual Project Charter Template

Tips for writing a strong project charter.

• Explore visuals

Project charters contain a wealth of information, which can be overwhelming to digest at one time. Consider using visual aspects in your project charter in order to break up information and make it easier to understand. For example, when displaying the project timeline, adding a visualization by way of a timeline or Gantt chart view can help readers better understand the information. 

• Don’t forget the project title

While many overlook it, naming your project is an important part of the project charter, as it establishes project details for the first time and creates referenceable information to fall back on throughout the project lifecycle.

• Leverage the resources around you

When drafting the project charter, leveraging the existing resources around you can help you better understand the context of the project and draft a stronger charter overall. For example, reviewing past project charter documents from within your organization can help provide valuable information about drafting your charter for a new project. 

• Lead with the “why”

Understanding the “why” behind your project can not only make it easier to draft the charter but can also help you write more clearly about the project itself. The “why” is a crucial aspect, and without it, drafting the essential information about the project will be a challenge. 

• Step back and reflect

Before wrapping up the project charter, take a step back and come back to the charter later on with fresh eyes. Drafting and editing the project charter is a significant undertaking, and taking the time to carefully edit the document and review it with a new perspective is essential. 

Tools for Preparing a Project Charter

Before you begin drafting the project charter, gather a few tools that can help make the process easier:

• Information about similar projects that have been completed

Taking stock of the projects that your organization has completed in the past can make completing the project charter much easier. Understanding how similar projects were structured and managed gives you a baseline understanding of how to construct a charter for a new undertaking. 

• Planning tools 

Project charters involve a lot of moving parts, and leveraging planning tools can help you organize project details much more easily. Gantt charts, for example, make it easy to map task dependencies while visualizing a larger project timeline against individual tasks and responsibilities. In addition, these types of tools make it easier to present information visually, making it more likely to be received clearly. 

• Project management software

Project management software is one of the best tools for planning and executing projects. Various features, from task assignments to data reporting, multiple project views, and more make project management software a useful tool that can easily be implemented.

Read more: 10 Best Project Management Software for 2023

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{{ title }}, who should draft the project charter.

In most cases, the project charter is written by the project manager and sponsored by a high-level executive who initiates and supports the project.

Can the project charter be edited throughout the project lifecycle?

The project charter cannot be edited unless the scope and goals of the project change without terminating the initial project itself. Because the project charter is the kickoff guide to the project, it needs to remain unchanged or else risk altering the project and its scope unintentionally.

What’s the best way to present the project charter to my team?

The best way to introduce a project charter to the team is to host a kickoff meeting. The kickoff meeting allows you to introduce the project in an approachable way where everyone can ask questions as you review key details. While sharing the charter itself gives team members a tangible document to refer to, meeting with them directly gives everyone space to ask questions and connect on a personal level before project work begins.

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Project Charter: A Guide with Examples and Template

Fahad Usmani, PMP

April 9, 2024

In project management, the project charter is a key document that management creates to officially start the project. This document is the basis of the project and is referred to throughout the project lifecycle.

The project charter is a part of the initial business documents; other documents are the business case and benefits management plan.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) insists the project must have a charter. 

In today’s post, I will explain the project charter and provide you with an example and template that you can use for your project.

What is a Project Charter?

According to the PMBOK Guide, “A project charter is a document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.”

A project charter establishes the project, names the project manager, and gives them the authority and funding required to execute it. It induces high-level project details.

The project charter is signed by someone external to the project who has access to funds and resources to complete the project. This person can be senior management, the PMO, etc.

Although the project manager does not create or sign the project charter, they can help the project sponsor or management develop the project charter.

In project management, the charter also applies to program and portfolio management with the same purpose – authorization.

Before starting the project, the sponsor conducts a feasibility study , a cost-benefit analysis, and a review of the benefits management plan. If the project fits their long-term goal, they will proceed.

The project charter defines the project and guides stakeholders. Changes to the project charter are rare; only the sponsor or top management can do so.

A project is often known as a “Project Initiation Document (PID)” or a “Project Definition Document.”

Project Charter Template

A project charter template is shown below.

A project charter has the following elements:

• Core Team Members: This lists the key team members, including the project manager.
• Project Summary: This gives an overview of the project (e.g., start date, estimated completion date, and project benefits).
• Milestones: A project milestone is a significant point or event (e.g., a kick-off meeting , site mobilization, phase end, final report submission, deliverable completion, etc.). Milestones are listed alongside their due date.
• Opportunity: This is a problem-solution statement. What is the purpose of the project? What benefits will this project bring to the project sponsor ?
• Goal: Goals are high-level vision statements that provide context for what the project will accomplish.
• Objective: While goals are visions, objectives are missions. These are measurable targets that the project aims to achieve. Objectives must be SMART (i.e., Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound).
• Scope: This is the high-level scope of the project .
• Business Case: This justifies the project’s existence. It is usually developed after a feasibility study or cost-benefit analysis has been conducted.
• Constraints: These are limitations on the project objective (e.g., time, budget, scope, quality, etc.). As the project evolves, the constraints may change—especially for highly uncertain projects that use Agile approaches.
• Assumptions: These are conditions that are assumed to be true. They are recorded in the assumption log.
• Deliverables: Project deliverables are specific outcomes the project expects to achieve.
• Stakeholders: These are individuals, entities, or groups of individuals who are interested in the project or its output. A project charter contains the names of the key stakeholders (e.g., project sponsor, project manager, etc.).

Other components of the project charter are the project’s title and description, pre-assigned resources (i.e., people or resources who are assigned to the project before it formally begins), high-level project and product requirements, acceptance criteria, key risks, etc.

Finally, every project has a business justification, assigned budget, and duration, including start and end dates.

Download the Project Charter Template in Word

Download the Project Charter Template in PDF

Let’s discuss the process used to create the project charter. 

How to Write a Project Charter

A project charter development process is shown in the below image.

Input Required to Develop the Project Charter

The following is a basic description of the input elements:

Contracts or Agreements: You will need these documents if the project is the result of a contract or agreement.

Business Case: This outlines the project’s financial justification and cost-benefit analysis. The benefit-management plan describes how the client will benefit from the project’s deliverables.

Other input includes organizational policies, such as human resources policies (which can aid in the selection of project team members), health and safety policies (which can serve as a warning against approving projects that could seriously jeopardize the lives and health of project team members), security and confidentiality policies, and quality policies (which could include the cost of quality ). 

Tools and Techniques for Developing the Project Charter

Expert Judgment: This includes talking to specialists about the project charter. These are people or organizations with expertise in various aspects of project management. Their feedback will help create a solid project charter.

Focus Groups/Brainstorming Meetings: These will help gather ideas or data (e.g., project cost, duration, risks, milestones, stakeholder list, etc.). Brainstorming meetings can help the charter team produce ideas. Brainstorming is a relaxed, informal approach to problem-solving that uses lateral thinking. Although some ideas may sound strange, they should still be noted. A focus group takes a structured approach, and it usually involves subject-matter experts moderated by a facilitator. 

The facilitator must elicit information by asking proper questions, checking responses, and developing new questions based on these responses. Meetings will provide a forum for discussion, planning, and other activities. To be productive, meetings must adhere to fundamental guidelines (e.g., timeliness, agenda, decorum, etc.). You may adopt a more facilitative strategy rather than a directive one. A successful meeting plan must unify all efforts to gather expert perspectives.

Interpersonal Skills: These skills will help drive the above activities. They cover communication, conflict resolution , team building , emotional intelligence, etc. All projects have one thing in common: their workforce. As such, they must lead with relational power rather than force. Additionally, they must innovate, influence, act morally, look to the future, question “what” and “why,” develop ideas, and concentrate on a unified vision, inspiration, and motivation.

Project Charter: The project charter is a key output of this process. After the project charter is approved, the project manager can start the activities.

Assumption Log: Assumptions and constraints that are used to develop the project charter are recorded in the assumption log. The assumption log is updated throughout the project as assumptions change or become invalid.

Tips for Writing a Project Charter

The following tips can help you develop a project charter:

• Keep it Short and Clear: The project charter will provide high-level information, so keep it short and precise. Keep the number of sections to a minimum, organize the information well for easy referencing, and label each section.
• Make it a Collaborative Effort: Involve experts and key stakeholders in developing the project charter. It will make the project charter more robust.
• Use a Template: Every organization has a project-charter template. This is standard and acceptable. Using it will save time and get quick stakeholder buy-in.

Project Charter Example

Let’s see an example of a project charter.

Project Charter Benefits

The following are the benefits of a project charter:

• It gives the project manager the authority to complete the project.
• It explains the project’s existence.
• It shows management’s support for the project.
• It defines the outcome.
• It aligns the project with the organization’s objectives.
• It gives team members a transparent reporting system.
• It helps avoid scope creep and gold plating .
• It helps avoid project disputes.

A project charter builds a solid foundation for the project. It provides a common understanding of the objectives.

Project Charter Vs Business Case

A business case provides reasons to proceed with the project. This document helps the project sponsor decide whether to proceed with the project. 

This document provides the project’s benefits, risks, constraints, cost-benefit analysis, etc.

Project Charter Vs Memorandum of Agreement

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is an agreement between the two parties. When a contractor gets a contract from a client, they both sign an MOA. This is a commercial and legally binding document; changes may only be made with the consent of both parties. An MOA is often a one—or two-page document.

On the other hand, a project charter is only signed by one side. Here, the project manager is chosen and given the responsibility to complete the project. The signing authority may change this document as necessary; it is not legally binding.

Project Charter Vs Project Plan

A project charter is a brief document. It is the project’s initial document, authorizes the project, and gives project managers the power to finish it.

After the project charter is signed, project plans are created. The scope management plan, quality management plan, risk management plan , procurement management plan, and stakeholder engagement plan are just a few of the many subsidiary plans that comprise a project plan.

A project plan may be hundreds or thousands of pages long. It offers all the information necessary to complete the project work.

Project Charter Vs Project Brief

A project brief is created after the project charter is signed, the project is started, and project management plans are developed.

A “project brief” provides a shorter version of the plans, so stakeholders can review it and grasp the planning process.

Project Charter FAQs

Now, let’s discuss some FAQs about the project charter.

#1. Who Signs the Project Charter?

PMP aspirants often get confused and think the project manager signs the charter. 

Note that the project charter appoints a project manager. A person cannot appoint himself.

The sponsor, or someone from top management, signs the project charter. They are external stakeholders and have the authority to provide resources and support.

#2. Can a Project Have Multiple Project Charters?

One project charter is the norm for projects. Large, multi-phased projects, however, may have project charters for every stage. It is preferable to break a project into phases when the scope is too large to manage—for instance, a project to build a refinery.

#3. Who Keeps the Project Charter?

The project charter is an official controlled document. The project administrator or coordinator can keep a copy, which could also be stored for reference at the project management office .

The project charter gives project managers the authority, support, and funds required to complete the project. A project intends to solve a problem, but if launched incorrectly, it may fail and waste resources. A strong project charter will help the team successfully complete the project.

From the perspective of the PMP test, this subject is crucial. Therefore, fully comprehend it.

I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.

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Well done, thanks.

very Helpful documets

Any way I could have access to these charter templates?

The project charter is a very important document so why doesn’t every project have one? How can we ensure this on our projects?

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How to write a project charter

A good project charter can decide whether the project even gets started. It gives authorization for the project to become active, so the project manager needs it before they can access resources. Here’s everything you need to know to make the perfect project charter.

Project charter definition

A project charter sets out the scope, objectives, and people involved in the project. This formal document uses all that information to authorize the project. So the charter lets the project manager use organizational and outsourced resources to complete the project.

Can a project charter be changed?

Like any project document, the charter can be amended and updated. Sometimes, it’s even necessary to meet the project objective and Statement of Work.

The project initiator, sponsor, or Change Control Board has to approve changes. Before the project manager proposes changes to the charter, they need to consider the effect on these:

How to make a project charter

Use these headers to build your charter so it covers all the essential elements:

Introduction – explains the project’s purpose. Includes the project name, a brief description, and the formal authorization.

Project business case, goals and scope – sets out the scope of the project and any unique characteristics.

Success criteria – the critical factors that determine the project’s success. This is a list of deliverables expected on project completion.

Deliverables – more detailed primary project requirements or key deliverables.

Budget – the cost estimate for the project, including information about who can approve expenses, both from the allocated budget. Includes any additional spending the project may require.

Schedule/milestones – a comprehensive schedule with project milestones, or stages, for measuring its progress and success.

Constraints and assumptions – detail the known and unknown parameters of the project.

Summary of risks – summarize any potential or real major threats to the success of the project.

Team and organization – list the people and stakeholders who will work on the project (the project team). Outline their roles and who is appointed the project manager. An organization chart is a good way to show the project team framework.

Approvals – finally, set aside a section for the project’s sponsor/client and stakeholders to record their approval (or disapproval) of the project charter document.

How to present a project charter

It’s important to present the project charter properly to guarantee project approval. Just attaching a PDF or slideshow to an email isn’t really sufficient, but you can do this after a formal presentation.

Create a slideshow and present your project charter to the sponsor, client, or stakeholders in a meeting. Give them time to ask questions. It’s a good idea to include team leads and some team members in the presentation. Here are some presentation tips:

• Be prepared to adjust your presentation style according to your audience, and tailor it to fit.
• Pass out 1-2 page printout summaries of the presentation
• Analyse your audience – who are the primary and technical decision makers? What are their preferences? How do they feel about the project?
• Expect people to ask questions and talk during the presentation, and be prepared to answer questions prior to the conclusion.
• Make eye contact with your audience and adopt an open body language style, but avoid extravagant body and hand movements.
• Avoid reading your presentation from notes in your hand.

Project charter example

• IT Project Planning

By Dmytro Nizhebetskyi

January 17, 2024, project charter example and a full guide (+template).

In this article, you’ll find project charter examples for a real-life project. Then, we’ll discuss how to use it in the real world. In addition, you can get a simple project charter template I developed and used throughout 12 years as an IT project manager.

A project charter is arguably the most critical document on a project.

However, many project managers omit it…

…and it leads to project failure.

What is a project charter?

A project charter is a document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.

But this definition is theory. In practice, a project manager creates a project charter:

A project charter acts as a soft agreement between a project manager and project owners not to change the project timeline, scope, and budget without proper consideration and impact analysis.

This is to allow you to conduct project planning on a stable vision at the start of the project. After that, you’ll use the project charter to keep to the project scope and objectives.

Let’s review how it works.

Table of Contents:

Project Charter Example from Real Project

How to create a useful project charter.

What Is Included in the Project Charter

Real-world Application of the Project Charter

Video Walkthrough of the Project Charter

You can read through the project charter example below, or I can walk you through all the details in this video.

You can download the project charter examples in PDF for your future reference.  Download the PDF

Project Title

Image Library Service Site Update (codename: project “redesign”)

Description

The last update of the  Image Library Service Site  was done three years ago. It is outdated in terms of appearance, performance, and user experience.

An investigation was conducted to develop performance requirements and a new vision of the UI.

The purpose of this project is to develop a new design and implement a brand-new site.

The new site deployment is not a part of this project. Due to its complexity, it will be done as a separate project.

Any updates or improvements to the database should not be performed unless needed.

Project Manager and Authority Level

Dmytro Nizhebetskyi is assigned as the project manager. He has the  authority to select the required project team and determine the final budget .

Business Case

All closest competitors have up-to-date, responsive, and fast websites. Customer satisfaction with our service has dropped to a level of severe attrition.

This project is called to update the Image Library Services site.

The new site should have good search and filtering capabilities.

UI should be clutter-free and focused on finding and previewing images in the library.

The site should be fast, responsive, and support key accessibility features.

We expect to regain our first position as an image content provider within a year after the new site is online.

Resources Preassigned

Patricia Smith from the design team is already assigned to the project on a full-time basis. The Project Manager will identify and request any other internal resources.

Stakeholders

Andrew Peterson represents the design team. Ray Jackson is from the customer support team. Lora James is from marketing.

They are available to support the project as needed.

Stakeholder Requirements as Known

There are requirements for the new site’s performance and a description of a general vision of its design as attachments to this document.

In no way the new website should reduce existing functionality for users.

Requirements Gathering Example (Real Software Project)

Product Description/Deliverable

Full design of the new site as a storyboard

Work breakdown structure

Human resources plan

List of project-related risks

The new version of the site that is tested on lower environments and ready for deployment

Assumptions

No new hardware is required.

No changes to the database are required.

Internal resources are capable of finishing the project.

Constraints

The new site should be ready for deployment by October 20.

The work breakdown structure  should be provided by July 10.

A list of risks should be provided by July 25.

The final design should be ready and approved no later than August 20.

Measurable Project Objectives

The objective of this project is to develop a site with the speed performance level stated in the requirements.

Attrition should be reduced to 3%.

Budget limits  and deadlines are the next priority.

Release date: Due no later than October 20, 2016.

Summary budget: $100,000

Project Approval Requirements

The head of the Design Department should approve the final UI designs.

Sponsors should approve the work breakdown structure.

PMO Manager should review and approve the list of risks.

High-Level Project Risks

We have little experience in improving and measuring customer satisfaction. It is possible that the new site will not meet end-users expectations. Therefore, our goals may not be reached.

Due to customer attrition, project delays may cause serious customer losses.

Project Sponsors Authorizing This Project:

______________________ John Snow, Vice President

Step #1:  Check who is responsible for creating the project charter. Is it mandatory?

Step #2:  Check if there is a project charter template in your organization. Ask your manager and peer colleagues. If there’s no project charter template – create one.

Step #3:  Talk to the project sponsor, client, customer, and  key stakeholders . Collect information about the business case, high-level requirements, constraints, assumptions, project success criteria, and risks.

Step #4:  Understand the project objective and how it is aligned with the business case.

Step #5:  Try to identify real expectations from the project.

Step #6:  Write a project charter draft.

Step #7:  Consult with subject matter experts, review historical data, and look for similar projects.

Step #8:  Update the draft if needed with risks and assumptions from other projects.

Step #9:  Meet with preassigned project team members and get their input.

Step #10:  Update the draft if needed.

Step #11:  Plan a meeting with project stakeholders.

Step #12:  Update the draft and finalize the project charter.

Step #13:  Get the sign-off.

For sure, the process may differ. Some steps might not be formal or mandatory.

Nevertheless, communicate with colleagues who have more recent and better expertise and authority first. Likewise, show the project charter to the project team members.

Does the project charter have to be a formal document?

No, you can avoid creating a formal document.

Collect the same information in meetings, calls, or emails. Then, follow up on the collected information, get feedback, and confirmation.

Keep this information in a shared document that you can quickly refer to.

How long should a project charter be?

A lot of project managers think that the project charter is something from the corporate and bureaucratic world, that it is a long and complicated document, and that efforts spent on it are not worth the benefits.

That’s not true.

A project charter document should be short. A person should be able to read it within a few minutes. Otherwise, no one will read it.

I would suggest no more than five pages long.

Keep the project charter as simple as possible. A branded rich text document works the best.

Any bells and whistles will only distract key stakeholders from the main goal of this exercise.

Now, let’s review what information you should include in a project charter.

What is Included in the Project Charter?

It’s a full list of common clauses of project charters.

But there are no hard rules on what to include or what to remove.

Use common sense. The document should be useful.

#1: Project Title and Short Name

First of all, you need an official name for the project. It’s the way to differentiate your project from other projects in your organization.

It’s also useful to think of a short name. An abbreviation that you will use in  project management software and different systems .

#2: Project Description

What is this IT project all about?

Here, you create a high-level project scope vision.

Also, put a simple description of the project background. It’ll help you to connect with the business case and to understand the requirements.

Use common language that all stakeholders understand.

Assigned Project Manager

That’s the only place that formally states that you are the one who makes decisions on the project.

In the real world, in the IT industry this section has little sense.

Project Manager’s Authority

Your authority has limits based on the policies of your organization and the requirements of key stakeholders.

Here, you need to clarify whether you can determine, manage, and make changes to the project scope budget, schedule and request project team members on your own ( e.g., without the approval of your boss or clients).

What is the justification for the project? Is it a financial, legal, or marketing matter? Why did stakeholders decide to do it?

Put it all here in simple words.

A business case may be a separate document that justifies undertaking a project. You can link to it.

Business case stated in project charter has an exceptional importance!

During the execution phase, any change to the project should be checked against the business case.

If the change is not aligned with it, it is automatically rejected.

Preassigned Resources

At the start of a project, you may not have a project team yet. But someone has to help you with technical matters.

So you will have some preassigned resources. Put the names and expected availability here.

These people should be clear on their involvement.

Name key stakeholders here.

It’s a list of people or groups of people who can influence your project or will be influenced by your project.

For sure, you’ll do an in-depth stakeholder analysis later. That’s just a starting point.

Known Requirements

Here, you need to include high-level project requirements as they are known as of now.

Remember that you can refer to other documents here — no need to put full text in the project charter.

You’ll collect initial requirements from the stakeholders you listed above.

Description of Products/Service/Results or Deliverables

Here, you’ll list all deliverables and a description of the end result, service, or product your software project should produce.

It may include project documentation such as work breakdown structure, risk register, budget, etc.

Likewise, it can be an intermediate result for product development.

Click here if you want to get in-depth knowledge of scope management.

Factors that, for planning purposes, are considered to be true, real, or certain without proof or demonstration.

Applicable restrictions or limitations, either internal or external to a project, will affect the performance of the project. For example, you may be limited by:

Project timeline

Specific deadline

Must-have features (aka scope)

Project budget

Available resources

Project management software

Project Objectives

It is crucial! You can fulfill or implement requirements in many different ways.

However, the project was started to  achieve a particular business goal .

While your final product, service, or result may be functional and usable, it might not be able to achieve the project objectives.

Project objectives here should be concrete and measurable. Meeting these objectives will mean you finished the project successfully.

This section should state what items of the project should be approved and by whom.

In most cases, you’ll need to get approvals at critical points in the project life cycle like:

Work Breakdown Structure

Project Schedule

Project Budget

Risk Management activities

List of required resources.

Project Risks

Risks are uncertain events or conditions  that, if they occur, have a positive or negative effect on project performance. This section contains only a high-level risk. They will be later elaborated on during risk management processes.

Signatures of Project Sponsors

All in all project sponsor should sign the project charter document.

Real-World Application of a Project Charter by IT Project Managers

As I mentioned above, you create project charters as a soft agreement to fixate on a vision of the project scope, objectives, and timelines.

Then, you conduct various project planning activities to create a realistic project plan.

As a result, you’ll end up in two major scenarios:

The project plan proves that it’s possible to achieve the project objectives stated in the project charter. In this case, you carry on.

The project plan proves that it’s not feasible to achieve the project objectives. Then, for example, you can reduce the project scope or cancel the project.

What are the Long-term Benefits of a Project Charter?

There are three major benefits that you need to remember about creating a project charter.

1. The project charter sets a mutual understanding of the project boundaries.

For example, you need to improve a software application.

Project stakeholders come up with hundreds of possible features.

As a result, you can spend a fortune and a  lot of time , but still, there will always be someplace for additional improvement.

But will the improvement be worth it? Will we get ROI? Or do we just waste resources?

By providing project justification and setting specific requirements and goals, the project charter sets boundaries. It ensures that each dollar is well spent.

2. Project charter sets the change management foundation.

The project charter document states the project objective. After it is signed off, you will be spending efforts and allocated resources to reach that goal.

Changes are inevitable , and the project charter will help you to control them.

You will be able to check and ensure that every change request is aligned with a project objective. If not, it must be rejected.

Project charter can give you valid reasons to justify canceling the project.

3. The project charter clearly defines the project’s start and end.

Quite often, IT projects creep from pre-sale or initial feasibility assessment right into drafting a project plan. You continue your work without clear goals and boundaries.

The contents of a project charter will help you to avoid poor decision-making and the waste of resources and time.

You’ll work towards the agreed project goal within defined constraints, assumptions, and expectations.

Likewise, IT projects that use agile frameworks move from one release to another.

They don’t stop to re-evaluate the initial project objectives.

As a result, project stakeholders lose track of the business case that we pursue.

What Project Charter Template Should I Use?

The answer is simple:

You should use the project charter template that you created yourself.

Do it once, from the beginning to the end. And create your own project charter template.

It will pay you back many times more.

There is no universal project charter template!

You can download the free project charter template and the project charter example I shared.

However, it’s only to help you to understand the concept!

But make a commitment and create your own project charter template. The process takes a few hours.

Conclusion: Project Charter in Project Management

Most project managers don’t have formal education. They have to google their way through a project.

But as you can see from this article, you  must  be a confident manager from day one.

You have two options now:

Option #1:  Try to figure it all out on your own and slow down your career for years.

Option #2:  Let me explain the practical project management framework in a few days.

My Practical Project Management book  covers all aspects of project management  you need in the real world. All the knowledge comes from my 12 years of practical experience.

Get the book. Read it instead of random articles. Master a practical project management approach that will boost your knowledge and skills.

All successful project managers know it’s better to  learn from someone else’s experience  (aka lessons learned). That’s because you are confident that these tips and tricks do work in the real world.

If you want to become a great project manager, get the book now .

Full Project Management Tutorial

How to write a winning project charter

Reading time: about 6 min

What is a project charter in project management?

A project charter is a document that formalizes a project and gives the project manager authority over the project. Project charters act as a contract, holding everyone accountable for their roles and responsibilities.

If you work in operations or project management, you work tirelessly to establish the most efficient ways to accomplish tasks and maintain quality. However, before you can institute a new process or make significant changes to a current process, you need to get approval from stakeholders and get everyone else on board with your vision. You need a project charter.

As you put together your project charter contents, you’ll likely have questions, particularly if your company doesn’t offer a standard form or template to fill out. Find the answers to the most common questions below, and learn how to create a project charter that wows your stakeholders.

Steps to writing a project charter

• Choose a project name
• Identify the purpose, objective (goal), and project specification
• Set a budget
• Define deliverables
• Assess scope and risks
• Create a timeframe or milestones
• List key stakeholders
• Layout team roles and responsibilities  

What is a project charter?

A project management charter states the scope and objectives of a project, as well as the people who will participate in it. You may also hear it called a project definition report or project statement. Project managers should use this document to:

• Authorize the project.
• Serve as a baseline throughout the project and provide shared understanding.
• Act as a contract, holding all participants accountable for their roles and responsibilities.

Your charter is the unquestionable source for details related to the project. It usually remains short but may link to more detailed documents.

Project charter vs. project plan

A project charter is a concise, high-level document outlining the basic goals and scope of the project. It serves as the foundation for your project plan, which goes into more detail on how to execute the objectives laid out in the charter. In other words, the project charter guides the project plan and execution. 

How to write a project charter

If your organization doesn’t have a project charter template, you are free to include the information you find most beneficial. The more thorough your project charter, the more convincing it will be and the better a reference it’ll become. Every charter should include some variation on the following categories.

Project name

Name your project, and make the title as specific as you can. A project name like “HR Initiative” or “Software Update” doesn’t describe why you would like to implement this project and isn’t easy to differentiate from other project charters. Titles like “New Company Wellness Program” or “Software Update to Improve UX for Mobile Payments” define your goal right away. 

Purpose, objective (goal), and project specification

These sections should present your business case and explain: 

• Why the project was proposed, what pain points it will alleviate, and what impact it will have on the organization
• What the project will entail
• What you plan to accomplish with this project and how it fits in with larger organizational goals
• What needs to happen so it works and how it needs to perform

If you haven’t already done so earlier in the project charter, explain how much the project will cost and where the money will come from. This section could also list any additional resources needed to execute your plan.

Deliverables

What product, service, or result will you deliver when you finish the project? Since project charters are more flexible, you could include information in this section about your measurements for success in this project. How will you determine whether you have accomplished your goal? Which metrics will you use?

Scope and risks

Get prepared by implementing a risk assessment process.

Timeframe or milestones

Show when you plan to accomplish each stage of the project. The anticipated start and end dates are the most important pieces of information in this section, but a full timeline will give more context.

Learn more on how to incorporate milestones in your project management strategy.

Learn more on how to incorporate milestones in your project management strategy. Read now

Key stakeholders

While project charters are internal documents, you’ll likely be working with and report to external stakeholders, such as clients but also other project managers or teams in your company. Completing a stakeholder analysis and listing these individuals in the project charter keeps you and your team accountable to the people affected by the project.

Team roles and responsibilities

List the people involved in this project and their roles. Many project charter examples simply list the individual’s title or team, but if that information doesn’t define their responsibilities enough, you could reference a more specific document with the breakdown of responsibilities.

Ways to develop a project charter

Now that you understand what goes into a project charter, here is some additional direction to create a project charter with little hassle and with increased power to persuade and inform stakeholders. 

Make it visual

Your stakeholders will read your document at least once, even if it merely contains a wall of text. However, images or design elements will make your defense stand out and make it easier for people to refer back to key parts of the documents later on.

Separate the different sections of your charter with boxes or accentuated headers for better readability. Then, see which parts of your document would be easier to scan or digest as a visual. For many project charters, the milestones section makes the most sense to convert.

Create a timeline or a Gantt chart in Lucidchart to show the milestones of your project. Take a look at our Gantt chart alternatives as well.

As mentioned previously, your project charter could also reference other documents. If it seems inappropriate to include your process flow or a breakdown of team responsibilities within the charter, build these diagrams separately and add a note or link.

Make it collaborative

You might need to print out your charter to present later, but while you put it together, keep this document in Google Drive or another program where multiple people can view and edit it. Then the teams who will see the largest impact from this project can put in their two cents before you present to other stakeholders.

Whatever format you choose, make sure to share your project charter with everyone who plays a significant role once you finalize and start your project.

When you add visuals using Lucidchart, you can take advantage of our integrations with Google, Atlassian, and Office 365. Download an add-on, and insert your diagrams seamlessly into your documents.

If you submit project charters frequently, consider these tips and put together your own project charter template!

Sign up for Lucidchart and start your project charter now.

About Lucidchart

Lucidchart, a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application, is a core component of Lucid Software's Visual Collaboration Suite. This intuitive, cloud-based solution empowers teams to collaborate in real-time to build flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, customer journey maps, and more. Lucidchart propels teams forward to build the future faster. Lucid is proud to serve top businesses around the world, including customers such as Google, GE, and NBC Universal, and 99% of the Fortune 500. Lucid partners with industry leaders, including Google, Atlassian, and Microsoft. Since its founding, Lucid has received numerous awards for its products, business, and workplace culture. For more information, visit lucidchart.com.

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A Project Charter guide to maximize productivity

Sometimes when you’re planning or managing projects , you can get caught up in the final result as opposed to establishing up-front processes to ensure everything is in place to work on the project. A project charter is often a forgotten part of project management, as they get lost among other assets like the project timeline, statements of work, Gantt charts , and even the project management software used.

In this article, you’ll learn what a project charter is and how a good project charter can help keep your projects on track and boost overall productivity. We’ll also share some project charter examples from monday.com so you’ll know the best way to craft your own.

Don’t miss more quality content!

What is a project charter.

A project charter is a formal document that authorizes a project from start to finish. It includes details to create an overall understanding of a project’s development and objectives while also outlining the roles and responsibilities of each involved individual.

Project charters help ensure that everyone involved has a clear idea of the project scope, objectives, and measures of success right from the get-go.

A project charter is essentially a very high-level first crack at your project plan . It’s where you capture all the essential details before you get going full throttle into detailed project planning.

Who writes the project charter?

In many business cases, you would assume the project manager should write the project charter right? Actually, it’s best if the project sponsor writes the project charter. A project sponsor is the individual who requested the project and who signed it off. In other words, the project initiator. Project sponsors are generally in senior management and may even be the CEO.

The sponsor is the best person to write the project charter document before passing it on to the project manager and the project team since they are often the ones who had the initial discussions with the client or other stakeholders about the purpose, objectives, and constraints of the project .

What are the benefits of using a project charter?

Well-organized and clearly defined projects tend to be more successful since they run less of a risk of going off-track and descending into chaos. A project charter provides a solid reference point to kick off your project — and it will help you keep a laser focus on your project’s objectives and keep things moving in the right direction. Let’s explore a few more project management benefits you can gain from using a project charter.

Here are the three top benefits of using a project charter:

1. Save time

Young companies deliver projects on time less than 40% of the time, and 21% of projects fail altogether. Given these stats, it’s clear that time management is a huge issue for the majority of younger companies. Taking time to document a project’s parameters and objectives at the start will save you time — and headaches — down the road since it helps remove a lot of ambiguity.

( Image Source )

2. Clarify your budget

When you set clear budgets, you’ll make it much easier for your team members to follow them and avoid overspending. Using even a sample project charter from a previous or similar project will help you establish your project’s overall budget and how to release funding when you need to before beginning the project. Make sure to include who has the authority to make spending-related decisions before people jump into ordering materials or doing work.

3. Reassure team members

When elements of the project go undefined, team members will constantly find themselves without direction, unsure of which tasks to do, or wasting their hard work on the wrong items. Many project charters are set up to organize direction and objectives in a visual and exciting way, giving team members a single source of truth to rely on and make rational decisions.

Another key part of any project charter is listing high-level metrics, timelines, and requirements for the project. Setting key metrics and constraints for each part of the project provides valuable guidance for team members as they begin to get to work. When people have a clear idea of what needs to be achieved when and know the overall outcome they’re working toward, they’ll work much more effectively.

What’s included in a project charter?

Your project charter should answer all the big questions that team members and stakeholders may have about the project.

A project charter should include:

• Project name: Make your project name as specific as possible. Avoid vague names like ‘application development’ or titles that could apply to a dozen different projects you’ve worked on. Pro tip: using a standard format like “Client Name – Main Deliverable – Year” will help separate  projects and make them easier to search for later — assuming you’re using a handy project management platform like monday.com.
• Purpose and goals: Think about what problems you’re trying to solve with this project and how you will measure the project’s success.
• Budget: Outline the overall budget numbers, who is responsible for managing it, and any other important details, such as when payments will be made or if there’s a huge expenditure you’ll need to account for.
• Deliverables: List which services, products, or results should be delivered to conclude the project and consider it a success.
• Scope: Define the overall scope of the project. What’s included and what is definitely not included? Any add-ons that will only be included at an extra cost should be spelled out here.
• Risks: Any risks you’ve already identified should be recorded now. This will become the starting point of your risk management plan when you get to the planning stage.
• Roles and responsibilities: Include the names of the essential players, such as the project manager, sponsor, client, and other critical stakeholders. You can also write down the roles you know you’ll need (i.e. designer, tester, etc.) even if you don’t know which people will be filling them yet.
• Timeline and milestones: There’s no detailed project schedule yet, but you may have already agreed to a final delivery date and other major milestones or deliveries. If you’re using an Agile framework  this is where you’d note down sprint length and the estimated number of sprints you’ll need.

If there are any main assumptions about the project that could impact its success, these should also be included in the charter. With all of this useful information, using a project charter example or template can be key to organizing it all in a meaningful way.

Project charter examples

Although project charters act like a written authorization for projects, changes along the way are common, so it’s important to use adaptable templates. If you’ve used a project charter before, you might be familiar with the traditional PDF or Word doc that sets out the parameters of the project. While the formatting might be slightly different, they all tend to look pretty much the same.

It’s a formal doc and can sometimes seem quite limited in scope and flexibility. If you’re not familiar with it, take a look at this traditional project charter example here:

There’s nothing wrong with the above project charter example. However, using a more visually pleasing project charter that is intuitive and user-friendly, and is easier to share could make a big difference in how — and if — your team uses it.

Take a look at this monday.com project charter example:

Each section of the charter has a different color and includes handy information like the status, action type, description, costs, and the target date. At a quick glance, you can easily see multiple components of the project and easily edit each section should you need to do so. On monday.com Work OS, your project charters have much more potential than a static document — let’s see how.

Using monday.com for project charters

While every project has its own set of unique needs, you’ll probably find it easiest to build an effective project charter using customizable pre-built templates. An advantage of monday.com is that you can choose a template from our Template Center — like the Project Planning Template — or you can build it from scratch on monday workdocs.

Whether you’re new to project charters or a project management pro, we recommend you use one of our and personalize it according to your project’s unique needs.

Our project charter templates make it easy to delegate responsibilities, outline costs, add in statuses, and approve budgets.

Best of all, it’s easy to read and share so your stakeholders will love it. While there are a few fundamental components of each project that shouldn’t change — the objectives and goals are some of those things, it’s important to allow for a degree of flexibility in your project charter. For instance, you may need to shift deadlines or change which team members are working on certain sections. There may even be a change to key stakeholders.

Building a customizable monday.com project charter makes it easy to modify components of the project in real-time as you go along. With so many unexpected challenges and different issues along the way, it can be easy for projects to go off course. When team members have to fix multiple problems, it becomes easier to forget about why you’re doing the project in the first place and what the ultimate goals are.

A monday.com project charter should give your project the structure you need to keep it on the right path.

Project charters made simple

While project charters are often overlooked by project managers, they can add structure and process-based thinking to your business’s projects. As we know, well-organized and properly implemented project management processes give your project the best chance of success.

Harnessing the right tools and processes can help you streamline the ground work and ultimately enjoy more project success.

Create your own project charter, or try out all of monday.com’s customizable project management templates — there are 200+ and counting.

Send this article to someone who’d like it.

Project Charter: Guide With Examples and Template

• 1.  Project Management Basics
• 2.  Project Management Methodologies
• 3.  Project Management Life Cycle
• 4.  Best Project Management Software
• 5.  Team Collaboration Tips
• 6.  Agile Methodology Basics
• 7.  Agile Project Management Tools & Techniques
• 8.  Project Management Frameworks
• 9.  Resources
• 10.  Glossary
• Advanced Terminology
• Methodologies
• PM Software Features
• Basic Terminology
• Professional Development
• Agile Project Management

What Is a Project Charter?

A project charter is a formal document delineating the project’s purpose, scope, stakeholders, objectives, and comprehensive plan. It’s an important document for anyone who runs projects, because it’s designed to guide all subsequent decisions and actions.

Essentially, a project charter works like a project’s roadmap. It communicates exactly what the project is about, who’s involved, and how it will be done. It’s the go-to guide for all project decisions, helping keep the project on track and aligned with its original goals.

It helps prevent scope creep and budget overruns by providing a written reference throughout the project. It also emphasizes stakeholder consideration, ensuring the project aligns with expectations and standards.

What is a project charter in project management?

In project management, a project charter is the foundation of a successful project, offering clarity and direction to the team and ensuring everyone is on the same page.

When starting a new project, it’s essential to have a clear plan in place to ensure project success. That’s where a project charter comes in.

As a primary project timeline reference document, the project charter is there to help you navigate issues that arise proactively. In a sense, it’s to the project manager what a blueprint is to an architect. It gives you an overview of the project in its entirety.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the project charter definition and what it entails. We’ll talk about the benefits it brings as well as tips for writing one. And we’ll also share a project charter example, with all the essential components.

With Wrike, you can easily create and customize project charters to suit your specific project needs, streamlining the planning process and increasing productivity for an improved return on investment. Try Wrike for free today and experience the benefits for yourself.

Jump to video transcript

Project charter vs. project plan: What’s the difference?

Easy to confuse, the project charter and project plan share similarities but serve different purposes.

The project charter is a high-level strategic overview that seeks to lay out the terms of the project, along with other key details such as relevant stakeholder information. It provides the parameters within which your team must operate in order for the project to be a success.

A project charter is typically created at the initiation stage of the project. When pitching a project, the project charter helps stakeholders understand the rationale behind the project and its potential value.

The project plan is more of a nuts-and-bolts outline that explains how you’ll go about executing the project on a tactical level. It is developed after the project charter has been approved. In the project plan, there should be a greater emphasis on specific actions, processes, and workflows that will help you complete your work efficiently and to a high standard.

What’s the purpose of a project charter?

The main reason for putting together a project charter is to establish the direction, framework, and guidelines for an upcoming project. Throughout the project life cycle, everyone on the team will be able to refer back to it for guidance, which can help to avoid costly mistakes and setbacks. 

A project charter is similar to an essay plan.

Before writing an essay, you would normally:

• Research to find data that supports your claims
• Create a skeleton structure for your argument
• Identify and address reader objections so you can answer the questions that might emerge in the reader’s mind

Contained within a project charter document, the data incorporates all relevant details that are necessary to complete the project. Using that data, you follow a similar process to an essay, where you identify potential objections, which then become challenges that need to be overcome . These objections could come from team members, sponsors, clients, or other project stakeholders.

For example, objections might include budget constraints, conflicting priorities, resource limitations, or technical problems. By identifying these potential objections early on and acknowledging them in the project charter, the team can proactively plan how to overcome challenges during the project’s execution.

Without the benefits of a project charter , you’re forced to fumble your way through the project, finding solutions for emerging problems on the fly.

Another goal of a project charter is to sell the project to stakeholders by demonstrating its worth related to business needs. This helps stakeholders understand the value proposition and potential return on investment of the project. It also serves as a communication tool, ensuring transparency and alignment among stakeholders regarding project expectations and commitments. In essence, it’s like making a pitch to get stakeholders firmly on board and excited about the project.

The project charter overview

The project charter typically documents the following parts of the project:

• Project objectives and constraints 

Key stakeholders

Risks identified, benefits of the project, general overview of the budget, success metrics, project objectives and constraints.

First, outline what your main objectives are for the project. These objectives should be SMART : specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. 

Having SMART objectives helps guide the project team. It also serves as a persuasive tool when selling the project to stakeholders, making them more likely to understand the project’s purpose and feel confident in its feasibility.

Then, identify potential constraints or obstacles that could prevent you from achieving them.

When considering constraints, think about your available budget, team member capacity and general resource management, and other factors such as stakeholder requirements.

Map out the estimated start and end dates for the project, along with any milestones you should hit along the way. You can then translate this information to a dynamic timeline model in your project management software to track project progress in real time.

Identify and list every stakeholder with a vested interest in the project and its success. Detail what their role is in relation to the project, what you might need from them, and how you can contact them.

Create a risk management plan for mitigating or avoiding risks that pose a threat to the completion of your project. First, identify what they might be, then figure out what the best course of action would be for each.

Consider and describe how the project will positively impact:

• Stakeholders

Be as specific as possible, as it’s important to keep the benefits in mind as you work through the project to prioritize effectively.

Write a high-level financial overview in which you break down your budget for the project, factoring in the funds available and any anticipated costs. This can help you avoid going over budget and also provide stakeholders with a summary of the project finances.

Define the success criteria or metrics of the project, which might include things like key performance indicators (KPIs) or other specific targets for project outcomes. Success metrics are not always included in a project charter, but they can help ensure clarity and alignment among team members and stakeholders regarding project objectives and expectations right from the start.

How to write a project charter

There are four clear steps to creating your own project charter document.

Step 1: Understand key project goals and objectives

Identify and clearly define the vision and scope of the project. This step is essential for creating a project charter, as it establishes the project’s objectives and outlines any constraints or limitations within its scope.

Step 2: Define project organization

List all of the essential roles for the project, including customers, stakeholders, and the day-to-day project team. The project charter should clearly outline the responsibilities of each team member, as this helps to ensure everyone involved in the project is aware of their respective roles and can work together effectively.

Step 3: Create an implementation plan

Outline major milestones, dependencies, and the timeline for the entire team and stakeholders. Dependencies are crucial to consider as they point out tasks or activities that must be completed before others can start, influencing the project’s overall schedule. 

The implementation plan is a critical component of the project charter, as it provides a roadmap for how the project will be executed, including key deliverables. This allows the project team to stay on track and ensure that the project schedule is met.

Step 4: List potential problem areas

This isn’t about being a downer — it’s more about being realistic. By identifying potential problem areas in advance, the team can develop contingency plans to mitigate risks and address challenges as they arise, ultimately helping to keep the project on track.

What do I do once I finish writing my project charter?

Once you’ve finished writing your project charter, you should have a clear process in place for making sure your project execution goes to plan.

Step 1: Authorize the project

Once the project charter is complete, it will need to be presented to stakeholders for approval. This step gives the team the green light to kick off work on an approved project. Stakeholder approval is a critical aspect of the change management process because it ensures they are informed about and supportive of the project. 

Step 2: Develop a scope statement

The project scope statement should clearly define what the project will accomplish and what it will not. This helps to establish a baseline for ensuring the project stays on track and that the project team and stakeholders have a clear understanding of the project’s goals and objectives. Any changes to a scope statement will impact the work breakdown structure by potentially requiring adjustments to tasks, deliverables, and project components to align with the revisions in scope.

Take your project charters to the next level

3 key tips for writing a project management charter.

As you work through the above steps, you might also benefit from some of these tips.

1. Rely on insights from your team

It’s tough to figure out all of the intricate project information on your own. Instead, pull together your project team members to pick their brains about goals, milestones, and potential problem areas. Gathering their insights will help you create a far more accurate project charter thanks to their diverse viewpoints.

2. Keep it short and straightforward

It’s tempting to get lost in the amount of information available. But keep in mind that your project charter is supposed to be a high-level overview of your project and not a breakdown that covers every detail. Each section of your charter should only require a sentence or two. Additionally, charts and bulleted lists will help you present the information in an organized and digestible way. 

3. Create a template

After you realize how helpful a project charter is, you’ll want one for all your team’s projects. Don’t waste time reinventing the wheel. Instead, create a simple template that you can copy, edit, and use for all your project charters. Not only will it eliminate lots of manual effort, but it will also make sure you don’t miss any of the key elements you need.

Your project charter template

As an alternative to crafting your own template, we’ve prepared a free project charter template that you can use right now. In this template, you can find all the key elements of a project charter and modify the components according to your scope and needs.

You can download our free project charter template below, available in a variety of formats:

• Wrike’s project charter template in PDF format
• Wrike’s project charter template in Microsoft Word format
• Wrike’s project charter template in Google Docs format (please make a copy)

And to help you even more, we’ve put together some project charter examples — which you can find below:

Project charter examples

For the first example, imagine that you and your team are putting together a webinar to generate some new leads. Here’s what a simple project charter could look like.

Company XYZ Project Charter

Project Name: “Building a Positive Company Culture” Webinar

Project Description: A one-hour webinar featuring insights from three employee engagement experts 

Business Case: Supports our company-wide goals of:

• Increasing sales by 28% this quarter
• Establishing Company XYZ as a thought leader in the employee engagement space

Project Deliverables:

• Landing page for webinar signups
• One-hour webinar
• Webinar recording for continued lead generation

Project Benefits:

• Boosted reputation
• Lead generation
• Resource we can continue to promote

Project Risks: 

• Technical difficulties
• This is our first webinar, and the team lacks this expertise

Project Budget: Not to exceed $3,000

Project Milestones: 

• Landing page launched: October 15, 2024
• Slides completed: October 26, 2024
• Live webinar: November 4, 2024

Project Team Members:

• Project Manager: Thai V.
• Designer: Greta K.
• Webinar Participant/Expert: Jason B.
• Webinar Participant/Expert: Safiya M.
• Webinar Participant/Expert: Rachel C.
• Webinar Host: Tom S.
• Social Media Coordinator: Ander B.
• Email Marketing Coordinator: Nancy R.

To visualize your project charter with all the deliverables and risks, you can make use of a Gantt chart as well.

For the second sample project charter, imagine that your company is launching a mobile app for time management. What would the project charter look like?

Company ABC Project Charter

Project Name: Launching an Innovative Mobile App for Time Management

Project Description: Developing and launching a mobile app that allows users to manage their time effectively using AI-powered features

Business Case: Supports the following company-wide goals:

• Expanding the product portfolio in the productivity tools market
• Establishing company presence as an innovator in AI-driven time management solutions
• Fully developed mobile app for iOS and Android
• App store listings and promotional content
• User guides and tutorial videos
• Post-launch customer support plan
• Increased market share in the industry
• Improved brand reputation as a technology innovator
• Revenue growth from app sales and subscriptions

Project Risks:

• Potential delays in the launch due to technical challenges
• Competition from existing apps in the market

Project Budget: $50,000

Project Milestones:

• App prototype completed: May 1, 2025
• Beta testing initiated: June 15, 2025
• App store listings and promotional content prepared: July 20, 2025
• Official app launch: August 1, 2025
• Project Manager: Raj P.
• Lead Developer: Kim L.
• UI/UX Designer: Fiona S.
• QA Tester: Martin H.
• Marketing Coordinator: Aaron M.
• Technical Writer: Lisa T.
• Customer Support Specialist: Diane W.

Create your own project charter with Wrike

Having premade templates is a huge time-saver when you’re starting a new project, particularly when it comes to the standard documents that are essential for every project. Creating a project charter template for your organization eliminates the need to start one from scratch whenever a stakeholder or project sponsor presents a new project idea.

Wrike has a diverse selection of templates for different tasks, such as creative briefs and sprint planning . Additionally, Wrike empowers users to design their own templates for repeated processes and requirements, such as project charters. By using Wrike’s customizable templates, project managers can quickly draft comprehensive project charters that align with their organization’s objectives and needs.

With Wrike, project planning and execution are simplified, enhancing efficiency and productivity. Sign up for a free trial to get started today.

Video transcript: 

“Hey, what are you working on?” “Just ordering tables and chairs for next week’s launch.” “Were those in the project charter? I thought it was going to be standing room only.” “Well, I heard the RSVPs aren’t coming in like we thought, so I figured I’d fill in the space a little better.” “Maybe, but we’ve got a budget to think about too.” This is why you always need a project charter in project management. It’s a short document that helps keep the project’s priorities and budget front and center for everyone on the team. You see, project charters describe your project in its entirety. Your project charter will include the reasons for the project, the objectives and constraints of the project, how the project will be carried out, and who the stakeholders are. You’ll also outline the benefits of the project, any risks you’ve identified, and a general overview of the budget. When you have a project charter, the whole team can refer back to it. Like say, when you’re about to make a change to how the project will be carried out before getting approval from any of the stakeholders. It’s not hard to put a project charter together. You call a little meeting, make sure the coffee’s hot, and get down to brass tacks. There are four simple steps to create your project charter. First, identify the project vision and outline the scope. Then, list all the essential roles for the project’s organization, like customers, stakeholders, and your project team. Next, write your project plan with milestones, dependencies, and a timeline. And the last and most important part: list potential risks and problem areas, like the potential for low attendance that might require you to pivot and order tables and chairs. With a robust project charter in place, your entire team will have access to the same information, and you’ll be able to avoid costly mistakes and delays.

Further reading:

10 Steps to a Kickass Project Kickoff: A Checklist for Project Managers

Project Management Basics: 6 Steps to a Foolproof Project Plan

10 Reasons the Death Star Project Failed (Infographic)

Basic Project Management

• Project Charter
• Project Management Stakeholders
• What is a Project?
• Work Breakdown Structure
• Project Objectives
• Project Baseline
• Project Management Scheduling
• Project Management Work Packages
• Project Management Scope
• Scope Creep

Advanced Project Management

• What is PERT?
• Network Diagram
• Risk Management
• Cost Estimation
• Feasibility Study
• Monte Carlo Analysis
• Project Integration
• Cost Management
• PMI Project Management
• What To Do With Certification
• Certification
• Become Certified
• PMP Certification
• Best Certification

Software Features

• Critical Success Factors
• Capacity Planning
• User Role Access Permissions
• Time Tracking
• Budget Tracking
• Request Forms
• Work Assignments
• Version Control
• Dependency Managements
• Project management Milestones
• Project Management Software
• Project Management Tools
• Project Management System
• Gantt Charts

Project Management Templates | FREE Downloads Word, Excel, PDF, Visio

• Concise, focused guide that cuts through the clutter
• Step-by-step instructions for creating a project plan in under a day
• Master essential skills like work breakdowns and task sequencing
• Real-world troubleshooting for 20 common scheduling challenges
• Rapidly get up to speed if you're new to Microsoft Project
• Includes glossary, support resources, and sample plans
• Start planning like a pro
• Get your copy today!

Sample Project Charter | real-world example FREE Download

The charter is the foundation of your project and if you get it wrong your project may not even be approved, let alone delivered

• Contents of the Project Charter Template
• DOWNLOAD Project Charter Template
• Other Project templates to download

The contents of the sample Project Charter

Project details.

• Project name and reference
• Title: project charter
• Version number

INTRODUCTION

Project overview, project scope, business objectives.

• To upgrade to CXS v12.
• To streamline the system and use the new functionality in v12 so that ACME can take on more of day-to-day administration and reporting without relying on AComPany Ltd.

HIGH LEVEL PROJECT SCOPE

DELIVERABLE SCOPE DEFINITIONS

TRAINING SCOPE

• Upgrading the usage of the XML API is outside ACOMPANY LTD and under the responsibility of the customer.
• Analysis, documentation, or configuration of security outside of the AComPany Ltd application.
• Changes to the end user pages or admin console that improve on or are additional to that provided in the current AComPany Ltd version (CXS-7).
• ACME_R001_M_Registration
• Interim resource supply (1 month of Developer time)
• ACME_Health Score SOW_071020
• Database, operating system and network configuration and/or troubleshooting. This includes, but is not limited to: ( Download the full project charter to see table of DB, OS and network configuration that is excluded from this project. )

DEFINITION OF CODE FREEZE

• Creation of custom fields on the admin console. Please note this excludes addition or deletion of products and categories and addition or deletion of items on customizable menus.
• Changes to any tables that have custom field capabilities e.g. Tickets, answers, contacts, tasks and opportunities (this excludes contact uploads).
• Any new integration/external event including API calls (this includes product uploads).
• Any code to the end user pages (excluding text changes).
• Deletion or addition of products and categories.
• Addition or deletion of items on a customizable menu.

DEPENDENCIES

ASSUMPTIONS

Project charter.

• This document will be based on discussions conducted between AComPany Ltd and ACME.
• The AComPany Ltd Team and ACME will agree to the contents of this document prior to moving forward with the project.
• Project Charter will provide reference throughout the project to ensure the work is meeting stated objective and to resolve project issues

PROJECT PLAN

• The final list of tasks to be performed for this Statement of Work will be defined in the final project plan and approved by ACME.
• The project plan will detail the timeline for implementing the required AComPany Ltd CXS features and functions.

DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING

• The Project Sponsor will ensure sufficient resource is available to carry out system and user acceptance testing.
• The Project Sponsor will sign-off or delegate the sign-off of all UAT documents e.g., test scripts.
• During the project, a ‘code freeze’ will be implemented. This means that requests for customizations or any Tickets that require a AComPany Ltd engineer will be frozen until the upgrade is completed. If business critical issues arise, they will be handled through change control .
• On site training must be delivered over the course of 1 full week (both sessions). AComPany Ltd does not support anything less than 3 days on site.
• The Customer will provide training equipment (e.g., laptops and/or desktops) for all attendees.
• The Customer’s equipment will be configured per AComPany Ltd specifications (specifications to be provided by AComPany Ltd) and will have tested internet connectivity. Customer will have an IT resource available to troubleshoot issues if necessary.
• Customer testing of their training environment will be completed prior to the training engagement and confirmed by AComPany Ltd upon arrival.
• The Customer will provide a single point of contact to assist AComPany Ltd in the coordination of these education services.
• The Customer will make all the necessary arrangements for their staff and the Call Center agents attending training. Including: booking the training hubs and call center venue, managing attendance and making travel arrangements.

CUSTOMER FURNISHED PROPERTY & SERVICES

• Telephone service for local and long-distance calls that pertain to supporting the project.
• Internet Access.
• Work facilities to perform the work related to this project.
• Access to existing systems as they apply during the implementation, testing, and rollout of the AComPany Ltd Applications.

WORKSTATION COMPLIANCE

Critical project dates, critical success factors.

• Designated client resources will be available to serve as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and provide necessary information to support project business requirements, technical information and any other material that is required for project success.
• The roll-out is constrained by a very tight time frame and therefore extensive project coordination is required.
• Management will make adoption and use of the AComPany Ltd application part of daily business processes during the Adoption phase.
• Executive Management and Sponsors will support all facets of the project and following the go-live of the application.
• Define all internal and external project-related roles, and designate one person to assume ownership of coordination, execution and measurement of campaign launches.
• Internal and external parties must be available for training on applicable portions of product.
• Data architecture for contact updates, imports and exports must be finalized for Customer Support and Marketing use.
• Define number and types of campaign components to ensure adequate time allocation for configuration and launch.
• Define campaign measurement reporting to ensure project goals and marketing efforts can be measured effectively.
• On-site training is constrained by a short time frame, so extensive project coordination is required.

RISK REGISTER

COMMUNICATION AND REPORTING PLAN

PROJECT BUDGET

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Testing plan.

TESTING METHOD

Project governance, project organization structure.

PROGRAMME BOARD

Steering group.

• T Customer – ACME
• V. Smith – ACME
• W. Sandon - ACME
• L. Salles –AComPany Ltd

PROJECT TEAM ROLES

CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Appendix 1: sample change order.

Download a sample Project Charter

Word download - project charter template (word .docx), word download - sample project charter (word .doc), pdf download - sample project charter (pdf), blank project charter template, project templates to download.

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Project charter template

Pitching a project can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. A project charter template outlines everything you need to get approval from key stakeholders—so you never worry about missing a step. Learn how to create your template in Asana.

Sign up to create your own template.

INTEGRATED FEATURES

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So you’ve come up with an exciting project idea—but how do you get started? At most companies, the first step to kicking off a new initiative is pitching it to stakeholders. Then if your pitch goes well, you can move forward with their sign-off.

Crafting a great project pitch is key to securing approval for your initiative. Luckily, a project charter template can help you (and your entire team) nail every pitch that comes your way. 

What is a project charter? 

What is a project charter template .

A project charter template is a reusable outline that lays out all the components of a successful project charter. It’s a guide your team can follow each time they need to pitch a new initiative. Instead of starting from scratch, team members can copy your template and fill in the required information. 

As a team lead, creating a project charter template can help standardize the way your team pitches new initiatives. This consistency ensures you’re giving approvers all the information they need to make a decision. It also makes it easier for stakeholders to review your charter—since your charter follows a standardized format, stakeholders will know what to expect. 

The benefits of a digital project charter template

Project approvals are rarely a black and white process. Often, they involve a conversation with stakeholders and changes to your objectives, scope, or project responsibilities . Static Excel or Word documents can’t capture this iterative process—they quickly become outdated and don’t leave space for feedback.

On the other hand, a digital project charter template lets you:  

Talk to stakeholders and collect real-time feedback via comments. 

Easily update project charter elements as needed.

Give stakeholders a single source of truth for project information.

Track which components of your charter have been approved.

View your project charter template in different ways—as a standard list, Kanban board , Gantt chart , or calendar. 

Automatically sum project costs. 

Add contextual information to tasks by attaching documents, images, or videos.  

What to include in your project charter template

The purpose of your project charter template is to outline each component of a successful project charter, so your team can easily fill in information as needed. A well-written project charter template typically includes the following elements: 

Project purpose: Why is this project important, and what business need does it fulfill? 

Project objectives: What do you want to achieve by the end of your project, and what metrics will you use to measure project success? 

Project scope and deliverables: What specific deliverables will you complete, and what will you NOT work on? 

Required resources or project needs: What do you need to complete this work? This includes people, tools, and budget. 

Project stakeholders: Who are your project team members? Who needs to approve the project charter, who’s the project sponsor, and who should be looped into key decisions? 

To create your project charter template, add sections for each element above. Within each section, add more specific tasks to guide your team through the project charter creation process. For example, in the project stakeholders section you could create tasks to “identify project team” and “create a RACI chart to outline stakeholder responsibilities.” You can also create project milestones to represent key turning points in your project plan . 

To track project budget and deliverables in one place, add columns to document the estimated cost of each deliverable—plus the estimated time requirement from your project team. This gives approvers a breakdown of all your required resources, so they can see why you’re requesting a specific budget amount.

Finally, add a column to track whether each component of your project charter has been approved. That way, you can track what’s finalized and where you need to make changes. 

Integrated features

List View . List View is a grid-style view that makes it easy to see all of your project’s information at a glance. Like a to-do list or a spreadsheet, List View displays all of your tasks at once so you can not only see task titles and due dates, but also view any relevant custom fields like Priority, Status, or more. Unlock effortless collaboration by giving your entire team visibility into who’s doing what by when.

Project Overview . Project Overview is your one-stop-shop for all important project context. Give your team a bird’s-eye view of the what, why, and how of your project work. Add a project description to set the tone for how you’ll work together in Asana. Then, share any important resources and context—like meeting details, communication channels, and project briefs—in one place.

Custom fields . Custom fields are the best way to tag, sort, and filter work. Create unique custom fields for any information you need to track—from priority and status to email or phone number. Use custom fields to sort and schedule your to-dos so you know what to work on first. Plus, share custom fields across tasks and projects to ensure consistency across your organization.

Approvals . Sometimes you don’t just need to complete a task—you need to know if a deliverable is approved or not. Approvals are a special type of task in Asana with options to “Approve,” “Request changes,” or “Reject” the task. That way, task owners get clear instructions on what actions they should take and whether their work has been approved or not. 

Google Workplace . Attach files directly to tasks in Asana with the Google Workplace file chooser, which is built into the Asana task pane. Easily attach any My Drive file with just a few clicks.

OneDrive . Attach files directly to tasks in Asana with the Microsoft OneDrive file chooser, which is built into the Asana task pane. Easily attach files from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.

Dropbox . Attach files directly to tasks in Asana with the Dropbox file chooser, which is built into the Asana task pane.

Microsoft Teams . With the Microsoft Teams + Asana integration, you can search for and share the information you need without leaving Teams. Easily connect your Teams conversations to actionable items in Asana. Plus, create, assign, and view tasks during a Teams Meeting without needing to switch to your browser.

Different types of project charter templates

We’ve outlined how to create a basic project charter template above, but you can also tailor your template to fit the specific needs of your team. 

Here are some different ways to customize your project charter template:

Agile project charter template: If you use Agile project management , you can outline Agile-specific team responsibilities like the Scrum master , product owner , and development team. When estimating project resources, you can also use story points to gauge how much time each deliverable will require.

Six Sigma project charter template: If your team uses Six Sigma , organize project deliverables into different phases of the Six Sigma project lifecycle: define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. 

Construction project charter template: For construction initiatives, it can be helpful to organize projected costs by type—for example, “labor” or “materials.” You can also identify any subcontractors or suppliers you’re working with when outlining key stakeholders and responsibilities. 

What’s the difference between a project charter template and a business case template? .css-i4fobf{-webkit-transition:-webkit-transform 200ms ease-in-out;transition:transform 200ms ease-in-out;-webkit-transform:rotateZ(0);-moz-transform:rotateZ(0);-ms-transform:rotateZ(0);transform:rotateZ(0);}

A project charter template is a useful tool if you regularly pitch projects that require a small or medium business investment. If your projects tend to require significant business investments, you may want to consider creating a business case instead. A business case is a more formal document that includes additional information and documentation, like your project’s projected return on investment and any potential project risks .

When should I use my project charter template?

Copy and use your project charter template during the project initiation phase. Creating a project charter is the first step you should take for any new project. Before you spend time actually planning out the details of your initiative, you need to secure approval first.

Why is a project charter template important?

A project charter template can help standardize the way your team pitches new initiatives—plus improve the quality of pitches by ensuring you’re covering key information. It also helps keep you and key stakeholders on the same page regarding the goals and scope of your project. Over time, this can prevent scope creep and help stakeholders work together more effectively.

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Project Charter: Example, Template, Definition, & Purpose [PMBOK]

A project charter is a formal document that authorizes the existence of a project and gives authority to the manager to use organizational resources for achieving the project objectives.

A project charter is generally prepared at the start of a project. It is signed by the project sponsor. Usually, it is an internal document but it can be issued by an external sponsor (customer) also.

I have written this article to explain every possible detail of a modern project charter. You will understand the definition, and meaning of a charter with the help of an example in this article. It will also tell you about the purpose and importance of this document in project management. You will also find a sample project charter template that can be downloaded as pdf document.

Different project management standards and methodologies define project charter differently. I have taken PMBOK Guide’s standard for project management for creating a project charter template. You can use it for your projects.

Table of Contents

Definition of Project Charter from the PMBOK Guide

A Project Charter is a document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project, and provides a project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.

PMBOK Guide

You can also refer to Max Wideman Glossary to read some other definitions of project charter.

Other Definitions

Refer to the following diagram for understanding the relationship between a client organization and a project performing organization.

Customer is the person(s) or organization(s) that will pay for the project’s product, service, or result. Customers can be internal or external to the performing organization.

A person or group who provides resources and support for the project, program, or portfolio and is accountable for enabling success.

Project Manager

The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives.

Performing Organization

An enterprise whose personnel are most directly involved in doing the work of the project or program.

You can read my other articles to understand the difference between Project Sponspor vs Customer and Project Charter vs Contract .

Purpose of Project Charter

The most important purpose of the project charter is to establish the existence of a project and to assign the project manager to deliver on project objectives. It is a very important & critical document and serves few other purposes as well.

• It recognizes the existence of the project.
• It authorizes the project manager to use the organizational resources to meet the documented objectives of the project under the given constraints.
• It defines the authority level of the project manager.
• It ensures that all major project stakeholders formally agree on the project description and are fully committed towards the project goal.
• It provides a bird’s eye view of the project by documenting project’s goal, objective, description, and purpose.
• It contains high level information that is available at the start of the project e.g. scope, schedule, budget, resource estimates, risks, and deliverables.
• It lists all the major project stakeholders and their role in the project.
• It defines high level role and responsibilities of the major project stakeholders.

How to Prepare a Project Charter?

The Project Charter should ideally be prepared by the Project Sponsor but often this responsibility is delegated to Project Manager and the team. Sometimes the Charter is collectively prepared by a group of people that includes both the Sponsor and Project Manager.

Once PC is prepared, it is signed and issued by the Sponsor.

Ideally the PC should be prepared before the Project Kickoff meeting and presented to all major stakeholders during the meeting. This brings everyone on the same page and ensures commitment towards project goal.

The author of the Project Charter generally uses information contained in the following documents to prepare the Charter:

• Client agreements including but not limited to signed contract, Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU), Ltter Of Intent (LOI), and pre-bid documents.
• Business Case
• Statement of Work

Major Elements and Components of Project Charter

Description.

• High level Scope & requirements
• High level duration & effort estimates
• High level schedule and major milestones

High level budget

• High level assumptions
• High level constraints
• High level dependencies
• High level risks
• List Of major stakeholders and their respective high level role & responsibilities
• Project Organization Chart
• Name of the Project Manager
• Name of the Project Sponsor

Project Charter Example for Attaining PMP Certification

I have used the above components to create a sample PC for a person who wants to attain PMP certification. It does not contain all the elements but it gives a fair representation of a real PC. The sample PC may look like:

To complete the PMP Certification within a period of 2 months.

PMP Certification is an industry recognized credential for project managers. PMP demonstrates the experience, skill and competency required to lead and direct projects.

High level scope

• Complete 35 contact hour project management education/training.
• Study the PMBOK Guide.
• Study a good exam prep book.
• Do some practice tests.
• Fill online application form.
• Take the certification exam.
• Pass the exam.

USD 1000 – Reference taken from How Much Does It Cost To Fo PMP?

High level schedule

2 months – Reference taken from How Much Time Is Required For PMP Prep?

This is just a small example. A real world PC would include much more details.

Over To You

Does your organization use Project charter? Do you think PC is an important document?

I would love to hear from you.

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How to write a project charter

How do you invest limited time and resources into the right projects? And how do you frame a project to focus on the right priorities? When only two-thirds of projects succeed within budget, you need a way to answer these questions and set yourself up for success. Writing a project charter is a great place to start.

Project charters are documents written at the beginning of a project, outlining the project’s goals and tying your initiative into wider business strategies. By learning how to write a project charter, you can align each member of your team to deliver ground-breaking projects .

What is a project charter?

A project charter is a short document explaining a project and its goals. Consider it an overview for stakeholders and teams involved in a project. By describing a project’s core elements and goals, your charter sets a foundation on which you can build your plan.

What is the purpose of a project charter?

Project charters help align stakeholders, managers, and teams before starting a project. Your charter helps gauge whether a project is achievable, fits with company goals, and meets resource requirements. Specifically, project charters can help with:

• Project authorization: Your charter persuades stakeholders and investors by illustrating how a project is worth your team’s time and resources.
• Guiding operations: Teams refer to charters throughout a project lifecycle. It can serve as a roadmap and remind teams about their core priorities.
• Aligning teams: Different departments rely on charters to understand their relationship to a project. Marketing, sales, design, and finance teams use charters as a shared lens to understand their role in a project.

Project charter vs. project plan: What’s the difference?

A project charter is overarching, while project plans focus more on a project's minutiae and step-by-step processes. Project plans emphasize milestones, timelines, and metrics for success. If project charters outline an initiative’s vision, project plans explain how you'll execute them. A project charter often informs a project plan.

Other similar documents include:

• Project briefs are a more concise version of the charter written after project approval. It provides the same basic context and summarizes why a project is worthwhile.
• Business cases outline the risks and benefits of investing in a project. You tend to see them when making large initiatives or introducing new products and services. Business cases typically involve more financial data than project charters.
• Statements of work note what is and isn’t included in a project and its deliverables. They can also include acceptance criteria and project assumptions.

A project charter should describe your overall objectives and how you plan to meet them. Treat the process like taking an inventory where you compile all the details about your project. Here are eight steps to get you started.

1. Outline basic project information

Begin your charter by giving readers the big picture. The charter should note basic information about the project, your teams, and the people involved. Specifically, you want to include the names of the managers and stakeholders overseeing your project. Adding a last revision date also gives context when teams see changes in the document.

2. Identify goals and objectives

Charters explain your project's goals and objectives and why they're important. You can think of goals as broad, long-term aims, and objectives as measurable, short-term steps on the way to your goal. If you can explain how objectives feed into your goals, stakeholders can better understand how your project will proceed.

3. Clarify your deliverables

Describe the product or service that will come from your project. Deliverables can range in scope, from small UI changes to launching a new product. When outlining your deliverables, explain how the user will interact with them and the factors you considered as you scoped your deliverables. If possible, include metrics highlighting your deliverable’s quality.

4. Consider project scope and risks

A project’s scope defines the rigid boundaries around your project that enable you to hone in on specific goals. Stakeholders can help your team members clarify their goals and better understand the intended deliverable.

You also want to note potential risks in a project charter. So, if a website redesign runs the risk of going over budget, include that in the charter. This way, stakeholders can weigh the potential risks against the benefits. If you decide to move forward, write up contingency plans to help mitigate these risks.

5. Assign team roles and responsibilities

Project charters list the team members who will work on the new initiative. At a minimum, the charter should outline participants' names and job titles. You should also lay out the teams responsible for each part of the project, the tasks each member will complete, and the project manager they can turn to for support.

6. Set a budget and timeline

When setting the budget, consider where you’ll draw funds for the project and the resources needed to complete it.

Similar to the budget, your project timeline includes multiple dates for milestones and reviews. While you can simply note an end date for small projects, larger ones should include milestones with check-ins along the way. Explain what you'll achieve at every project stage so stakeholders can measure your progress.

7. Align with key stakeholders

Before wrapping up the charter, ensure it aligns with stakeholder expectations. One of your top priorities is convincing stakeholders the project will return on its investment. You can do that by pointing out project assumptions and writing success criteria.

Project assumptions consist of details you believe are true in the planning phase. While they won’t all hold up, they provide a baseline on which you can build your charter. Your success criteria define the standards you’ll use to measure a project's outcome and the value it brings. Aligning assumptions and success criteria helps establish clear project parameters with stakeholders.

8. Kick off your project

Once you align on success criteria, it’s time to dive in. Schedule a project kickoff meeting with your team to review goals and responsibilities and ensure everyone is on the same page. You can also share resources and schedule project check-ins related to milestones.

To help your team stay organized at the beginning of a project, use the Figma project kickoff template .

Try this free project charter template

Want to make a charter with visual flair? Get started with FigJam's free template today.

Project charter best practices

Creating a first project charter often requires time and practice to get it right. Here are some best practices for writing your charter document to speed up the process.

Focus on the main project charter elements

When writing a project charter, ask yourself "who," "what," and "why" questions. While your project exists on paper, think through your deliverable's eventual value. You can get to the heart of why your project matters by asking:

• Who do you need to agree with on this project’s direction?
• What is the core value proposition of the project?
• Why should this project get approved?

Answering these core questions helps you anchor the project and explain its importance to stakeholders.

Make it visual

Visualizing your project can help persuade stakeholders. While you need to lay out the finer points in detail, design elements and images can illustrate those points. Include diagrams and flowcharts to help visualize milestones or break down complex workflows.

Encourage collaboration

Writing a project charter should always involve collaboration. Your stakeholders, managers, and teams all bring unique insight to the table. Combining their perspectives can help develop a shared vision of the project. Breaking down these silos early also enables smoother cooperation between teams later in the project.

Keep your charter clear, specific, and measurable

Charters need to explain a project’s value in clear terms . You can communicate a project's importance by keeping the document:

• Clear: State the project's goals, success criteria, and value to stakeholders and how they map to company goals.
• Specific: Describe the pain points your project solves or what particular benefits it offers.
• Measurable: Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the success of your project.

Kick off your project planning with FigJam

Before you can start a project, you need to align internal teams with stakeholders and set a realistic budget and timeline. By writing a project charter, you can empower your team to do their best work by setting clear, attainable goals.

To get ahead on your next project, try Figma’s project charter template . With FigJam, you and your team can collaborate on a shared online whiteboard to exchange feedback, design solutions, and track progress.

Once you've created your project charter, explore our collection of strategic planning templates to help you and your team drive your project to completion.

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8 Free Project Charter Templates for Project Managers

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

May 29, 2024

Ever wondered why some projects soar to success while others barely get off the ground?

The secret often lies at the start, with a document that might seem humble but is pivotal to success: the project charter.

Imagine setting sail without a compass; that’s a project without a project charter.

A well-crafted project charter sets the direction and aligns your project team from the get-go.

In this article, we’ll explore some project charter templates that help businesses like yours break down the complexities of project management to execute projects effectively. Let’s chart the course together!

What is a Project Charter Template?

What makes a good project charter template, 1. clickup project charter template, 2. clickup program charter template, 3. clickup alignment chart template, 4. clickup example project plan template, 5. clickup project tracker template, 6. excel project charter template by excelshe, 7. project charter template by template.net, 8. project charter powerpoint template by powerslides, chart the course to project success with clickup.

A project charter is a formal document used to define the scope, objectives, and participants of a project.

Project charter templates are pre-set templates that help project owners and managers quickly create comprehensive charters. They outline the key elements for establishing clear project goals, delineating responsibilities among the project team, and setting the project’s overall direction.

Essential for project planning, these project management templates help ensure alignment among stakeholders, including the project manager, project sponsor, and team members.

By providing a structured framework, a project charter template facilitates identifying project risks and clarifying budgets, resource scheduling , and project deliverables.

They act as a reference document throughout the project management life cycle for tracking progress, managing expectations, and fostering a shared understanding among all parties involved.

Project charter templates offer a way to create a project charter without starting from scratch, enabling teams to focus on the unique aspects of their project while adhering to proven project management practices.

A good project charter template outlines the foundation for a project’s management and execution. It includes critical elements such as:

• Comprehensive scope, timeline, and budget: The template should demarcate the boundaries of what the project will cover and what it will not. It should also plot out the project journey from start to finish, including key milestones and financial considerations
• Well-defined project objectives and key stakeholders: Beyond listing project aims, a superior template articulates how each objective aligns with broader organizational goals and identifies all parties with a stake in the project’s outcome. This helps establish a clear line of sight from individual contributions to project success
• Clarity on goals, responsibilities, and expectations: A good project charter template ensures that every project team member understands their role in the larger project ecosystem, fostering a shared responsibility for its success
• Customization: The template should be easy to customize  to meet the specific project needs while maintaining a structured format for consistency across different projects

Additionally, it must incorporate sections for project risk mitigation , project budget, timeline, and deliverables to guide the project team in planning and tracking progress.

An effective template promotes stakeholder alignment by clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and decision-making.

8 Free Project Charter Templates to Use in 2024

Keeping the above features in mind, we’ve selected the top eight charter templates designed to meet the needs of any project manager. Use them to cut the paperwork and plan and execute a successful project.

Here’s our curated selection:

The ClickUp Project Charter Template offers a structured approach to defining and managing the key components of a project, ensuring clarity and alignment among all participants.

Designed for adaptability, it allows project managers to customize the document to address the unique demands of their project. It helps them set precise goals, delineate scope, and assign responsibilities

Primary features

• Leverage this template to effectively align tasks with both project scope and business objectives, ensuring that every action contributes directly to overarching goals while eliminating any redundant efforts
• Create robust timelines and plan resources more efficiently. The dynamic scheduling feature allows for real-time adjustments, optimizing resource allocation, and ensuring project timelines are met 
• Engage with all stakeholders and build consensus . By setting clear expectations and ensuring alignment, users can pave the way for the success of their projects

Ideal use case

This template is most beneficial for project managers and teams embarking on projects that require a clear framework for execution and management. It is beneficial where communication and alignment between project stakeholders are crucial to achieving project success.

Designed for comprehensive program management, the ClickUp Program Charter Template is essential for outlining strategic project objectives and governance. It ensures that all projects within the program are aligned with overarching organizational goals.

• Consolidate program details—objectives, scope, timelines—into a streamlined, user-friendly interface. The unified program dashboard provides a comprehensive, 360-degree view for swift and informed decision-making
• Improve stakeholder interactions using this template’s structured communication framework. It includes tools and visual aids for clear dialogue and alignment, all through an advanced stakeholder communication portal
• Gain access to a sophisticated resource optimization engine. Its advanced algorithms offer an overview of resource distribution across projects, optimize their use, and predict future needs 

Program managers and organizational leaders best utilize this template in planning and executing complex programs encompassing multiple projects, particularly in construction projects, IT, and healthcare.

The ClickUp Alignment Chart Template ensures project initiatives align with strategic business goals, promoting a unified approach to achieving organizational success.

• Use the template’s dynamic visual interface to easily align project tasks with strategic goals, improving clarity and focus
• Quickly spot and address any differences between project actions and objectives, reducing the risk of misalignment
• Get essential insights that help you prioritize projects with scope for the most impact on key organizational targets

This template is particularly beneficial for strategic planners, project managers, and decision-makers aiming to align departmental projects with the organization’s strategic vision.

It’s highly effective in environments where strategic alignment drives decision-making, such as corporate, nonprofit, and technology sectors.

The ClickUp Example Project Plan Template is a meticulously crafted tool that provides a comprehensive roadmap for project planning and execution.

It equips project managers with a robust framework to outline project phases , tasks, milestones, and dependencies, facilitating a thorough understanding of the project’s trajectory. This template helps ensure that all project aspects are carefully planned and accounted for from inception to completion.

• Create a comprehensive project roadmap that includes project phases, tasks, and milestones
• Use its dependency management tools to identify and resolve potential bottlenecks before they become issues
• Easily track progress and stay focused on objectives with the template’s visual milestone-tracking feature

This template is ideal for project managers and planning teams seeking a detailed and actionable plan to guide project efforts. It is particularly effective in scenarios requiring intricate planning and coordination of tasks and resources to ensure project milestones are met on time.

The ClickUp Project Tracker Template is designed to offer teams a dynamic and interactive way to monitor project progress, track deliverables, and manage timelines effectively.

This template is a powerful tool for tracking the status of various project components so that project managers and team members can stay informed and react promptly to any changes or challenges.

• View the project’s status, tasks, and milestones instantly to make quick adjustments and decisions
• Streamline deliverable tracking and management , ensuring they meet their standards and deadlines
• Easily modify schedules to accommodate changes , keeping projects aligned with their goals

This template is ideally suited for project teams and managers who must closely monitor project progress and deliverables. It’s especially beneficial in fast-paced environments where timely information and flexibility in project management are critical for success.

The Excel Project Template by ExcelShe provides a versatile and detailed framework for defining a project’s scope, objectives, and deliverables. It is designed to capture essential project information, including project name, manager, organization, project sponsor, and key stakeholder roles. 

This template facilitates a comprehensive overview of project goals, product descriptions, in-scope and out-of-scope items, critical success factors, assumptions, constraints, and high-level milestones.

• Get an all-encompassing snapshot of the project, from objectives to execution strategies, ensuring everyone involved has a shared understanding
• Set clear boundaries to prevent scope creep, keeping the project focused and manageable
• Establish key milestones and structure timelines , marking critical achievements and guiding the work pace

This template is handy for project managers and teams needing a detailed and structured approach to project planning in Excel. It’s suitable for many projects, from small initiatives to large-scale operations, providing a clear path for project execution and governance.

The Template.net Project Charter Template is a sophisticated, professionally designed document that streamlines the process of creating detailed project charters.

Crafted with a modern, professional design, this Microsoft Word template ensures project managers can generate comprehensive project charters effortlessly. It also helps maintain brand consistency across documents while facilitating efficient project management.

• Ensure no detail is missed by covering all essential elements for comprehensive project planning and execution
• Tailor the document to specific project needs with user-friendly customization options
• Achieve consistent brand identity across project documents with a uniform design approach
• Enhance readability and project presentation with a modern, professional design suitable for various industries

This template is ideally suited for project managers and teams across various industries seeking a reliable and efficient tool to create detailed project charters. It is particularly beneficial for organizations aiming to create professional project documentation.

The Project Charter PowerPoint Template by PowerSlides is a dynamic and visually engaging toolkit for project managers to present a project’s scope, objectives, and stakeholder roles. This PowerPoint template package includes a set of eight slides enriched with infographics, charts, and tables to provide a comprehensive overview of a project in a digestible format.

• Use icons and metaphors to vividly depict the process of project exploration and management in a visual overview
• Access slides designed for showcasing project budgets, team structures, milestones, and overviews, ensuring all critical elements are comprehensively covered
• Accurately illustrate project progress and budgeting  with editable charts and tables , like table charts and circular progress bars

Ideal Use Case

This template is an excellent resource for project managers, company heads, engineers, and university professors involved in project planning, business process standardization , or teaching academic courses on project management.

It’s beneficial for detailing new production lines, business processes, or academic projects, providing a clear and engaging presentation of project essentials.

The difference between success and stagnation often hinges on the clarity and direction provided at the outset. The project management charter template is a blueprint that guides teams through the complexities of project planning. From establishing clear objectives and responsibilities to ensuring stakeholder alignment and setting realistic timelines, these templates are indispensable tools for any project manager.

ClickUp, one of the best project management tools , makes project planning stress-free with its customizable project charter templates for various project types and management styles. Whether you’re leading a minor initiative or steering a comprehensive program, ClickUp’s templates offer the structure and flexibility needed to launch your projects confidently.

Start crafting your project’s roadmap today and set the course for success with ClickUp. Explore ClickUp’s Project Charter Template and discover how they will transform your project management approach.

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Project Management Unlocking Project Success: The Importance of a Well-Defined Project Charter

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Unlocking Project Success: The Importance of a Well-Defined Project Charter

A project charter is the navigational compass of a project, much like how a time tracker help keep us on schedule. It is a foundational document in project management that sets the course and defines the parameters of a project. In this concise guide, we’ll explore the essential aspects of project charters, providing you with insights into their purpose and components. Whether you’re a seasoned project manager or just beginning your journey in project management, understanding project charters is vital for effective project planning and execution.

Project Charter Definition

Any project starts with an idea. That idea should be articulated, defined, and presented to stakeholders. But how to do this without project goals, any roles assigned, or even a project team? That’s where a project charter comes in!

What is a project charter?

In short, a project charter is a short formal document that gives the authorization to start or continue a project, states its purpose and key elements. So before you start a project, you create a draft that includes:

• a well-articulated idea
• purpose and objectives of the project
• project scope
• stakeholders
• roles and responsibilities
• project budget
• risks calculated

Typically a project charter is about 1-2 pages long and is written in a formal style by a project initiator or investor. However, it often becomes a project manager’s duty, due to their competence in the project management sphere. The project charter can also be seen as a skeleton for project development and will be used throughout the project lifecycle.

Project charter example

Project charter elements

A viable charter includes the following elements:

• Introduction. Where you state a project name, its brief outline or a project list , and its scope. Here you can also cover the project’s goals, objectives, and requirements.
• Project success . Should define success/fail criteria and how to estimate them.
• Project organization . This should include a project’s ideal team, stakeholders and customers, their roles, duties, and responsibilities.
• Resources . Should include the available budget, time, number of people involved in the project.
• Schedule/milestones and deadlines. Establish a timeline that contains a possible working schedule, approximate deadlines, planned starting and end dates of the project. Introduce major milestones for overall project reviews.
• Potential risks . Should contain the info on expected and possible problems the project may meet.
• Approval section . Should include the agreement of all the project participants, such as stakeholders, project investors, customers, and team.

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Seamlessly integrating with popular project management tools like Asana, Trello, and Jira, its user-friendly interface and customizable reports make it the ultimate time tracking solution for small and mid-size teams.

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Project charter benefits

There’s no doubt that a charter is a vital document. It defines the basics (and sometimes a little more) that a team needs to get started. Here’s why it’s so essential to each group of stakeholders:

• Helps to define the project’s importance . By estimating the needed resources, evaluating expected outcomes, and measuring possible risks, you can determine if a project is worth it. 
• Predicts possible problems . When describing in detail a project before its start date, you can foresee the issues and bottlenecks you may face at different project stages.
• Clarifies your budget. Your charter should contain an approximate estimation of sums needed to start and develop a project. This way you can justify its investments and purposes to potential sponsors and participants.
• Sets time limits and important milestones. For your team, it’s important to know the duration of the project, its main deadlines, and see its progress and success.
• Boost your team’s spirits. If your team sees how the project will be developed by its success criteria, it encourages them to start working and keep going. They will have a clear vision of project stages and their outcomes.
• Gives valuable insights to stakeholders . They become aware of the short-term and long-term project goals. They then know what results to expect and when, how time and finances are allocated, and what resources are needed to achieve desirable outcomes.

How to Write a Project Charter

A quick video.

This video gives you a quick overlook of how to create a project charter for your business.

Project charter template

There are a lot of variants of project charter examples you can download online. A quick Google search will give you tons of examples. Most of them follow the same basic structure. 

Below is a free project charter template to get you started quickly. It’s simple and allows you to adapt it to suit the needs of any project or task. 

Project charter checklist

Just writing a charter and sending it via email is not enough to successfully implement one in your business. Make sure you use the following tips, techniques, and strategies to build, present and execute your next project charter!

• Prepare an effective presentation . Project participants may not understand the benefits of your project well or unintentionally send your letter to spam. Prepare an effective presentation of your charter, engage them with a meeting and give a persuasive speech on why this project is really important. Monroe’s motivated sequence outline technique can help you.
• Improve communication . Encourage project participants to use chats to discuss the project and ask questions. Discover how to facilitate group communication , the pros and cons of synchronous and asynchronous styles and which apps work best for it!
• Find the right tools . Make a list of effective project management , time management , and timekeeping tools and use them for effective time, budget, and progress tracking. Use various integrations with your daily-used software to boost your and your team’s productivity.
• Gather a close-knit team . Any project success heavily relies on a professional and highly-motivated team. You should know how to gather and maintain team productivity and morale high to get superb results in the project. Check out some games & activities to unite your team and boost productivity.

A project charter is an essential part of any project that helps articulate its purpose, estimate resources, and set clear objectives. This data shows a project’s value and if it’s worth starting it.

All participants will have their own benefits from a project charter. It shows what constraints a project team may have, determines resource limits, and leads the parties involved in general agreements on the project. 

It can be used as an effective tool for project promotion. If you present your idea well, you can get massive support from the potential sponsors and your project team.

Mike Kulakov

IT entrepreneur, executive and a former engineer. Responsible for company growth as well as the team’s motivation. Big fan of playing tennis, snowboarding, traveling, reading books, and (of course) I live and breathe our product.

The Definitive Guide to Six Sigma Project Charters

By Kate Eby | June 14, 2022

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In Six Sigma, a project charter is the first step toward the successful completion of a project. We’ve gathered expert tips and examples to help you understand why and how to get the most out of Six Sigma project charters. 

On this page, you’ll find the fundamentals of Six Sigma project charters and learn how to prepare one effectively . Plus, download free Six Sigma project charter tools, including a customizable template and pre-filled industry examples .

What Is a Project Charter in Six Sigma?

A project charter in Six Sigma is a two-page document that outlines a process improvement project. The charter contains data-driven information explaining the need for the project. Once approved, the document becomes the Six Sigma team's primary reference.

Like traditional project charters , a Six Sigma charter is the initial document that communicates a project’s purpose. It is also a living document that the team will update and review throughout the lifecycle of the project. 

Both traditional project charters and Six Sigma project charters share these key elements:

• Agreement: Document an agreement between the project team and management.
• Alignment: Align project goals with the goals of the entire organization.
• Business Case: Present the business case for the project. 
• Outline: Provide a broad outline of the project.
• Overview: Describe the project’s objectives, necessary resources, and timeline. 
• Project Scope: Define the project scope. 
• Reference Point: Act as a reference point throughout the project. 

Unlike a traditional project charter, a Six Sigma charter requires a team certified in Six Sigma methodology to prepare and execute it. 

In addition to achieving the goals outlined above, the Six Sigma project charter will contain: 

• Six Sigma Certifications and Roles: Designate the  team members assigned to the project, and include their Six Sigma certification and project role.
• Six Sigma Methodology: Identify the Six Sigma tools and methods you plan to use to refine the business processes.
• Six Sigma Statements: Identify the process improvements the project will accomplish, and outline any potential implementation issues.

What Is a Lean Six Sigma Project Charter?

A Lean Six Sigma project charter looks the same as a Six Sigma charter. Some experts believe that there is no significant difference between the two. Others explain that Lean charters focus on preventing issues rather than making incremental improvements. 

The difference between the two is subtle. Similar to a Six Sigma charter, Lean Six Sigma methods and tools help teams eliminate waste in a process. The Lean charter reflects this approach in the goals. 

“Both charters are the same in the structure, but they are different in the goals,” explains Mahmoud Al-Odeh, Professor of Operations and Technology Management at Bemidji State University. “The Lean Six Sigma charter includes goals related to eliminating waste and non-value-adding activities. The Six Sigma project charter includes reducing variation in the process to reach a Six Sigma level, or 3.4 defects per 1 million opportunities.” 

To prepare a Lean Six Sigma project charter, start with a standard Six Sigma project charter template . Craft a Lean goal statement that targets issue prevention or preemptive waste avoidance. A Lean goal statement might say, “We will identify and remove all non-essential steps between intake and examination, such as repetitive forms and paperwork, to reduce patient wait time by 10 minutes.” 

However, George Eckes , the author of five books on Six Sigma who has over 30 years of consulting experience in Lean Six Sigma, process management , and process improvement , does not believe there is a significant difference between the two charter types. 

“To some purists, Six Sigma is aimed at reducing variation exclusively, while Lean is aimed at improvement,” he explains. “I am not a purist. Of the thousands of project teams I have coached, 100 percent of their charters reflected an improvement of effectiveness (i.e., reduction of variation around some target), while at the same time improving efficiency (e.g., reducing cycle time). Thus, there is no difference to me between a Lean Six Sigma Charter and a Six Sigma charter.”

Who Prepares a Six Sigma Project Charter?

A project champion prepares the Six Sigma project charter. This team member owns the process and coordinates a team of certified Six Sigma Green and Black Belts. They also rely on subject matter experts (SMEs) to provide relevant project information. 

With the exception of the SMEs, all team members working on the charter must have a Six Sigma certification . 

These are the different team roles, according to Eckes: 

• Project Champion: The project champion is the process owner and a liaison between management and the project team. The assigned champion’s primary responsibility is creating the charter. Eckes suggests calling the charter the preliminary charter in order to reinforce the concept that “the charter is a living document and will be modified by the champion over time with newly collected data.” 
• Black Belt or Green Belt: The project champion designates one Black Belt or Green Belt as the team leader. A Black Belt leads projects full-time, whereas a Green Belt leads projects part-time. Eckes explains that “more resources are needed for companies to have Black Belts. Most teams do not have these resources, so they use Green Belts. The Green Belts hold down regular jobs and become a Green Belt for the duration of the project.” 
• Team Members: Many of the team members who contribute to the Six Sigma charter do not train in Six Sigma methodology. These team members are SMEs and conduct most of the project work. They work closely with the team leader and project champion. 
• Master Black Belt: A Master Black Belt advises the organization on Six Sigma practices. “Most organizations have a handful of Master Black Belts who can act as ad hoc team members assisting each team member, Black Belt, or Green Belt with the more difficult Six Sigma tools,” says Eckes. 

Each organization will have a unique team structure depending on their resources. For example, some businesses might have several Green Belts and no Black Belts. In this case, the Green Belts will work with the project champion and Master Black Belt.

How to Prepare a Six Sigma Project Charter

A Six Sigma project charter takes up to six weeks to prepare, depending on the project size. The project champion organizes the team and assembles the data into a short document. Champions liaise with management and stakeholders for each activity.  

The steps to writing a Six Sigma project charter are similar to the process for other project charters. A key difference is that Six Sigma project charters will designate roles and responsibilities based on Six Sigma methodology.

As they would for any project, the champion organizes and assembles the charter during the first project phase. This is true whether they are using either of the Six Sigma methodologies : DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) or DMADV (define, measure, analyze, design, verify). 

DMAIC is the most popular method for Six Sigma projects. During the define phase, the project champion leads the following activities:

Collect Data

The project champion assigns data collection responsibilities to Green or Black Belts. This team works for a few weeks to gather any data that supports the project. The champion then inputs the gathered information into a charter template and works with the team to fine-tune the document.

Weigh Competing Priorities

The team identifies, weighs, and prioritizes all project tasks. This activity helps to maximize the team’s time and to manage scope creep . Teams use a quadrant chart, called a PICK chart (possible, implement, challenge, and kill) or a payoff matrix, to determine which actions deliver the highest payoff while using the fewest resources. 

To use a PICK chart, create a chart with four quadrants, as you see in the image above. Then discuss and place each project activity on the chart. 

These are the four quadrants of a PICK chart and what they represent:

• Possible: Low-difficulty, low-payoff items that are possible to accomplish. 
• Implement: Low-difficulty, high-payoff items that are a must for the project. 
• Challenge: High-difficulty, high-payoff items that will be a challenge but might be worth the risk. 
• Kill: High-difficulty, low-payoff items that do not make sense to take on and should be killed.

Include any items in the Implement section in your project activities. Remove any items in the Kill section. Finally, lead a team discussion on the items in the other two areas before deciding which to include in the project.

Before presenting the document to management, the project champion edits and reviews the charter and requests any further supporting data from stakeholders.

Submit for Approval

The champion submits the finalized charter to the project sponsor. The sponsor seeks consensus from all stakeholders before signing off on the project.

Schedule Formal and Informal Updates

Once management approves the project, the champion must be diligent about revisiting the charter regularly. Eckes stresses the importance of keeping the document up to date. “It is important for the project champion to constantly revisit the charter to make changes so that it remains a vibrant, living document rather than something that is done early in the project team lifecycle and gathers dust,” he says.

Eckes recommends scheduling formal and informal updates to the charter: “Once the team collects the data, about four to six weeks out, the project champion should formally revisit the charter and make modifications based on the collected data.”

What to Include in a Six Sigma Project Charter

A Six Sigma project charter includes six major elements: business case, problem or opportunity statement, goal statement, scope, timeline and milestones, and team members. Some charters combine the timeline, milestones, and team members into a single category. 

Six Sigma project charter elements use the same titles as traditional project charter elements . These are overviews of the different project charter elements with expert tips on writing each one.

Six Sigma Business Case

A Six Sigma business case describes the issue the project will address. It’s an argument for why the company should take on the project. The case includes how the project impacts the organization and what will happen if the project is not selected. 

A business case is a non-quantitative statement establishing the Six Sigma team’s purpose and direction. It details the project’s necessity and the opportunity cost of declining the project. A compelling business case is brief, usually a two-sentence statement, and articulates the project vision. 

According to Eckes, a business case should answer the following questions: 

• How does this project impact the strategic business objectives of the organization?
• Why is this project worth doing now?
• What are the consequences of not doing this project now?

Tip: Eckes cautions against using data in the business case. “Most champions try to do too much and start sharing data in the business case. The business case is non-quantitative,” he says.

Six Sigma Problem Statement

A Six Sigma problem statement articulates the central problem the project will solve. The statement quantifies an existing process issue. If the statement identifies a new improvement opportunity instead of an existing pain point, it is called an opportunity statement . 

Eckes encourages teams to create the problem statement, even if they’re missing some information. “It’s totally fine to have blanks in the problem statement since the team may not have specific data at the beginning of the project,” he says. “For example, here is a problem statement from one of our clients: Since______, Gamma Alpha has spent __________ processing loan applications with an accuracy of ________. This has resulted in _______increase in labor costs, ________negative achievement of growth objectives and ________ operating margin.”

He also discourages teams from trying to identify the source of the issue in the problem statement. “One of the most common mistakes a project team will experience when creating the problem statement is not stating the problem in neutral terms,” he says. “They will jump to include their experience of what is the cause or perceived solution. Any time you see the phrase due to, the team has jumped to root causation.”

Six Sigma Scope Statement

The scope statement defines the project boundaries for the Six Sigma team. It details what is in and out of scope. An effective scope statement is precise about what work the team will and will not do for the project. 

A poorly constructed scope statement leads to scope creep, which Eckes says is the second most common reason projects fail, after poor team dynamics. Use a scope statement template , include the deliverables, and state what is inside and outside the project team’s boundaries. 

Eckes also recommends including information the project team should know so that they can quickly recognize when they are working on something outside the boundaries of the project. Brainstorm the criteria first (i.e., geography, types of suppliers, types of customers, types of products, elements of the process), then divide the criteria into an inside scope group and an outside scope group. Be specific about what is outside the scope. For example, if geography is a criterion, the scope statement needs to specify which countries are inside and outside the scope

Six Sigma Goal Statement

A Six Sigma goal statement pinpoints the project’s target and articulates what will occur once the team solves the problem. This portion of the project charter should include quantifiable, measurable information. 

Your goal statement should focus on the anticipated result of the project, not on the approach you will take to solve the problem. Write the goal using a tool such as SMART goals . 

Eckes emphasizes the importance of making sure each charter element has a clear connection to the preceding elements. The goal statement should refer back to the problem statement and business case. “In our business case example,” says Eckes, “we stated we had a problem with loan decision accuracy and loan decision time. Therefore, our goal statement should reflect improvement in accuracy and decision time.”

Six Sigma Timeline and Milestones

A Six Sigma timeline outlines the schedule and identifies all project team members. Divide the timeline into phases and milestones. This will help you track progress once you begin the project.

Apply the DMAIC framework when estimating the timeline. For each phase, include a high-level overview of the relevant resources and people who influence the work. Determine major milestones within and at the end of each phase. 

If you are the project champion, set a reasonable timeline with realistic team expectations. Eckes reminds leaders that “their team is not only working on a project but learning new tools and techniques. Give them proper time to complete the project successfully. Project teams members have day jobs that are not going away, and they now have the responsibility of doing two things. They can expect to spend 20 to 30 percent of their time on the project, given that they have some project management experience or knowledge.”

Six Sigma Team Members

Six Sigma team members are everyone working on the project. Document each member’s role, responsibility, and contact information. Team members include Green Belts, Black Belts, sponsors, and subject matter experts. 

Pro Tip: Al-Odeh recommends developing a communication plan to pre-emptively influence effective team dynamics and project success.

Additional Project Charter Elements

Like traditional charters, the Six Sigma charter will include:    

• General Information: Note the project title, start date, and anticipated end date. Add any clarifying information the team may find useful.
• Critical Success Factors: List potential factors that might impact your project’s successful completion (i.e., financial, resource, or time constraints or time to train and develop the team). 
• Financial Benefits: Specify any financial benefits the project will have for the company, as well as the opportunity cost of not completing the project.  
• Risks, Constraints, and Assumptions: Forecast potential events or dependencies that might impact the project’s execution, timeline, budget, or quality. Assess the team’s assumptions.

Six Sigma Project Charter Format

You can format a Six Sigma project charter in several ways. The team usually collects data in the order presented on the charter. All charter formats contain the general project information, business case, milestones, stakeholders, scope statement, and problem statement. 

Al-Odeh recommends using the following format:

Tip: Use the DMAIC framework to help break your timeline into the following phases:  

• Define: Articulate the project goals, scope, and how to fix a problem.  
• Measure: Collect data to measure the current state of the process. 
• Analyze: Analyze the collected data in order to understand the root causes of the problem.
• Improve: Make changes to the process to improve productivity. During this phase, the team tests and verifies any changes to monitor their effectiveness. 
• Control: Ensure future projects implement the process changes.

Six Sigma Project Charter Industry Example Templates

We’ve assembled a comprehensive list of sample Six Sigma project charters, as well as a blank template. Each charter includes an industry-specific example of a business case, problem statement, scope, and goal statement for a Six Sigma process improvement project

Healthcare Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Healthcare Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample healthcare Six Sigma project charter describes an initiative to improve patient discharge time rates from a hospital’s cancer care unit.

Manufacturing Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Manufacturing Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample manufacturing Six Sigma project charter sample describes a project that aims to fix a defect-causing process for a general assembly line.

Pharma Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Pharma Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample pharma Six Sigma project charter demonstrates how you can use Six Sigma methods to improve procurement processes and requisition documents between distributors and companies.

Retail Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Retail Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample retail Six Sigma project charter describes a national retail store’s plan to modify on-floor sales tactics and training methods in order to improve regional sales conversions.

IT Six Sigma Project Charter Example 

Download IT Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample IT Six Sigma project charter describes an effort to improve an internal IT department’s work order ticketing system.

Aviation Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Aviation Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample aviation Six Sigma project charter outlines a plan to update and scale an airline’s voucher program.

Nonprofit Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Nonprofit Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample nonprofit Six Sigma project charter sample shows how a social impact organization uses Six Sigma to capitalize on a youth program expansion opportunity.

Higher Education Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Higher Education Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample higher education Six Sigma project charter describes an effort to streamline a small private college’s admissions funnel process in order to increase prospective student engagement and enrollment.

Restaurant Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Restaurant Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample restaurant Six Sigma project charter outlines a local restaurant’s plan to improve a disorganized and wasteful supply ordering process in order to increase profit margins.

Real Estate Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Real Estate Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample real estate Six Sigma project charter describes an effort to improve a real estate agency’s document signing and client onboarding processes.

Media Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Media Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample media Six Sigma project charter outlines a plan to make a growing media company’s marketing campaign and channel selection process more efficient.

Construction Six Sigma Project Charter Example

Download Construction Six Sigma Project Charter Example — Microsoft Word

This sample construction Six Sigma project charter describes a project that aims to make a construction company’s build crew work more efficiently.

Six Sigma Project Charter Blank Template

Download Blank Six Sigma Project Charter Template Microsoft Excel | Microsoft Word | Microsoft PowerPoint  

Create a Six Sigma charter for your project with this comprehensive Six Sigma project charter template. Include your business case, problem statement, goal statement, timeline, team, and scope statement. Download the template in Microsoft PowerPoint to create a visually dynamic presentation of your Six Sigma project charter.

For more ideas, check out this selection of traditional project charter templates .

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How to Create a Team Charter (Example & Template Included)

Just as a project has a charter to define its scope, so too must your team have a charter to put their work in context. Teams need to know the who, what, why, when and how of the project, and a team charter is the perfect way to feed them that information.

Once you get buy-in from the team and they know where they stand and how to maneuver through the project, you’re on the road to success. Let’s explore how to put a team charter together.

What Is a Team Charter?

A team charter is a project document that outlines why the team has been brought into the project, what the team is being tasked to accomplish and the resources and constraints in which the team will be working.

The team charter is often created in a group setting, which gives the team direction and boundaries in a transparent environment. This collective development gets buy-in from the team and ensures everyone understands their part in the project.

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Team Charter Template

Use this free Team Charter Template for Word to manage your projects better.

What Is the Purpose of a Project Team Charter?

A team charter is a document that defines the overall objectives of the project team . It’s important as it guides the team throughout the life cycle of a project. When assembling a new team, the project team charter is helpful to quickly bring them up to speed.

Whether the team is new or already established, the project team charter is useful in that it clearly outlines the goals, assets and obstacles of the project. A new team gets the basics while a team that’s been working on the project for a long time gets a refresher.

When Should You Use a Team Charter Document?

The team charter should be updated whenever the project plan has changed in a way that’ll impact the original guidelines. For example, if the project’s scope changes because of a change request, that information needs to be related.

Another reason to update your team charter is if a new team member is brought on board. At this point, the details of the team charter might remain very similar, but the process of developing it with the new team member would require revisiting it with them. This is also true when a team member is exiting the team. The team charter needs to be reviewed and revised to note the team member’s contributions. Even if they’re leaving the organization, the team charter can be changed to make this transition smoother.

Who Writes the Team Charter Document?

A project team charter is created by the project manager based on insights from everyone on the project team such as the project sponsor , team members and stakeholders. It’s a collaborative effort to make certain all are clearly aware of its content. This helps get buy-in for the project, whereas if the team charter was made by management and presented to the team, it’d be less impactful.

The participation of everyone on the team is so important that when the team charter is completed, everyone signs off on it. While this might seem unnecessary, it symbolizes the shared commitment to the project and its objectives and makes the team better understand their roles and responsibilities.

Why Is a Team Charter Important?

There are two main reasons for the team charter. First, it clearly outlines the project objectives and how the team is responsible for tasks that lead to the final deliverable. Second, it informs outside project members of what the team is and isn’t responsible for.

Another benefit of using a team charter is that it creates transparency in the team, which leads to more accountability and better team management . It gives the team the structure to build agreement on how they wish to operate within the project and how they make decisions. This is done by defining the frequency of meetings and other logistics.

The team charter removes roadblocks and sets a course for the team to work together more effectively while staying aligned with the project’s overall goals. One way it does this is by clearly defining each team member’s role and responsibilities in the project and their level of authority in any particular project aspect. It also sets what resources they can request.

Team Charter Example

The team charter is developed with the team as it’s being formed. To make sure you have covered all the bases, it’s not a bad idea to use a team charter template. ProjectManager has dozens of free project management templates, including the team charter, shown below.

As you can see, each section is laid out in a customizable box that gives you the ability to expand. Of course, supporting documentation can always be attached, but the template itself will have the overview, hitting all the main points and ending with a signature page.

Our team charter template has all critical fields you need to include. Every team member should have not only participated in the development and discussion of the team charter but have a copy for themselves to reference whenever needed.

Team Charter vs. Project Charter

There are other charters made over the course of a project. We’ve discussed the project team charter, but how does it compare to the project charter? Just by the name alone, it’s easy to distinguish one from the other, as one is about the team and the other is about the larger project .

Where the team charter defines the teams, their roles and responsibilities and how they’ll collaborate on one or more projects, the project charter lists the requirements of only one project. It’s also more wide-ranging, describing the whole project in brief and used in the planning process to define the goals and benefits of the project.

Team Charter vs. Organizational Charter

Another charter found in project management documentation is the organizational charter . This, too, serves a different purpose than the project team charter. The organizational charter is broader than the team charter and even broader than the project charter.

The organizational charter deals with the entire organization, defining its overall mission, objectives and even values. It goes into specifics, too, such as the role of its stakeholders, financial obligations and what resources are required for it to do what it wants to do.

How to Create a Team Charter

A team charter is made up of several sections which directly relate to the team’s involvement in the project. While team charters can change depending on the project, they all tend to share the elements outlined below.

1. Describe Your Project Background

The first thing to do is lay the groundwork for the project; summarize what it’s about and why it’s being initiated . This allows the team to see how they fit in the overall project, as well as identify the stakeholders who are invested in the project’s success.

2. Define Project Mission and Objectives

The mission statement defines the background section further by defining what success looks like in the project, so the team knows what they’re aiming for each time they take on a new task. Expanding again to the big picture, the benefits and business driving the project are explained.

3. Estimate What Project Resources Will Be Needed

The project funding is defined in this section, including what resources are earmarked. Team members may be curious if there’s any training offered, so the team leader will say whether training is included. Finally, in terms of finance, the management who supports the team is identified so they can be contacted with any questions related to costs.

As the project unfolds, it’s critical to track your budget and expenses. With ProjectManager , you get access to planning and tracking tools that keep your finances under control. Build a plan that includes costs, estimates and labor rates, then track everything on our real-time dashboard. Try ProjectManager today for free.

4. Define Roles and Responsibilities for the Project Team

Everybody on the team needs to know their role and responsibility to not get in each other’s way. Here, list their skill sets and expertise, as well as who has authority over whom.

5. Describe the Team Operations

For a team to work effectively, its operational structure must be outlined. If a new team member enters the project, their pathway must be defined, as well as an exit strategy for those who might be leaving the team. All operating rules, relationships, etc. are explored and clarified.

6. Outline the Project Scope

The project scope is outlined in this part of the team charter, as well as how the team members will participate in the project scope.

7. Establish Performance Assessment Guidelines

Throughout the project, team members will be assessed on their performance and progress. This needs to be explained upfront, including how these metrics will be measured, who will be assessing them and when.

8. Describe the Project Activities and Milestones

This is where the tasks that make up the project are listed, along with the milestones. With these, the team has a better sense of the work ahead of them.

9. Set a Guide to Communication

Team communication, both between themselves and with their manager or team leader, is outlined in this section. The method of communication will be decided on, as well as how often the teams will meet and the frequency of their status reports.

10. Add Signatures

Finally, once the team charter has been fully discussed and everyone on the team is on board, each will sign and date the document. This shows that they understand their role, responsibility, the scope of the project and how they’re involved.

Team Charter Tips

The best way to make a team charter is with the team. They need to know the ins and outs of the project and should be part of the team charter’s development. Even though they won’t know the details, their input is essential.

While you don’t want to get lost in the weeds, the team charter should be thorough and fully explain the team’s purpose, the measurable goals they’ll be assessed by and the operating guidelines for the team during project execution.

That said, the document should be digestible, with specific and measurable goals that everyone on the team can live with. It should be achievable and result in the success of the project as planned. You might want to include a code of conduct and a plan to resolve any conflicts, which creates a work environment where everyone feels safe and valued. This usually results in greater morale and productivity.

When to Update a Team Charter

The team charter should be updated whenever the project plan has changed in a way that’ll impact the original guidelines. For example, if the project’s scope changes because of a change request, that information needs to be relayed.

Another reason to update your team charter is if a new team member is brought on board. At this point, the details of the team charter might remain basically the same, but the process of developing it with the new team member would require revisiting it with them. This is also true when a team member is exiting the team. The team charter needs to be reviewed and revised to get that team member’s contribution noted. Even if they’re leaving the organization, the team charter can be changed to make this transition smoother.

How ProjectManager Helps With Team Management

ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that organizes teams and fosters collaborative work. Our tool not only empowers teams to work better together, but it also gives managers transparency into that process to support them through better planning, scheduling and allocation of resources.

Not everyone works the same, so we give teams multiple project views so they can work how they want. There are dynamic task lists, a calendar view and kanban boards to visualize workflow and allow teams to manage their backlog and plan sprints together.

Plan With Gantt Charts

Managers have features to monitor their team’s work and schedule tasks and resources. The Gantt chart view allows managers to link task dependencies to avoid bottlenecks that decrease team productivity. They can set milestones and edit the Gantt by dragging and dropping tasks to their new deadline.

Balance Resources With Workload Calendars

Keeping teams working to capacity without burning them out is critical. Resource management features let managers track their team’s hours, availability and related costs. Use the team page to get an overview of their work and the workload page to keep their workload balanced.

ProjectManager is online software with real-time data that lets teams work together wherever they are. Managers get more accurate and timely information that informs their decision-making as they plan, monitor and report on the project. Try it today by taking this free 30-day trial.

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