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1. Creating an Effective Team Charter
Too often teams spend a considerable amount of their
valuable resources trying to figure out what it is they are
supposed to do, write’s contributors John Moran, Grace Duffy
and Michael Rudis. Before starting any type of a process
improvement work, it is important to know where you're
headed. Here's how a Team Charter can help.
A Team Charter is the official document from the team sponsor that empowers the team
to act. It is a written document describing the mission of the team and how this mission is
to be accomplished. The Team Charter is one of the most under-used and under-valued
tools available to sponsors, team leaders, and facilitators for helping a team succeed.
But it is often overlooked because it is time consuming to develop. To write a clear,
concise, and inclusive Team Charter requires great forethought and effort. Often the
sponsor is in such a rush to start the teaming process that they skip the basic step of
filling out a Team Charter that clearly defines the goals and objectives to be achieved.
When a team is started without a formal Team Charter many meetings are often wasted
trying to figure “why we are here, what we should do, and when it should be done.” The
team spends a considerable amount of time and energy trying to second guess what the
sponsor really wanted when the team was formed. This is a loss of valuable time and
talent that could be avoided by designing a clear mission statement prior to the team’s
formation. That's why a sponsor must take the time to fill out a Team Charter.
The Team Charter is an official work contract. This document delineates the strategic
goals, boundaries, measures of success, constraints/limits, and available resources. The
Team Charter provides a framework for ongoing discussions between the team and its
sponsor with regard to the team’s direction and progress.
It is an iterative process until a base line acceptance is established. It must be reviewed
on a regular basis by the sponsor, the team leader, facilitator, and team members to
ensure that it is reflective of what the team is doing or will be doing in the future.
The following example of the use of a Team Charter in a Public Health Department is an
excellent adaptation of the concepts in the original team charter article to provide a
guidance document to beginning Process Action Teams.
Delaware (US) Public Health PROCESS ACTION TEAM (PAT) CHARTER
The DPH Process Action Team (PAT) Charter is the
official document from the executive sponsor that
empowers the PAT to act. It is a written document
describing the mission of the team and how this mission is
to be accomplished. The DPH Process Action Team
(PAT) Charter is the official document from the executive
sponsor that empowers the PAT to act. It is a written
document describing the mission of the team and how this
mission is to be accomplished.

2. The PAT Charter is one of the most under-used and under-valued tools available to
executive sponsors, team leaders, and facilitators for helping a team succeed. The PAT
Charter is often overlooked because it is time consuming to develop. To write a clear,
concise, and inclusive PAT Charter requires great forethought.
Too often folks are in such a rush to begin the teaming process that they skip the basic
step of completing a PAT Charter that clearly defines the goals and objectives to be
achieved. The executive sponsor must take the time to complete a PAT Charter so the
team will clearly understand the why, what, who, when, and where of the process they
are to undertake.
The PAT Charter is an official work contract. This document delineates the strategic
goals, boundaries, measures of success, constraints/limits, and available resources. The
PAT Charter provides a framework for ongoing discussions between the PAT and its
executive sponsor with regard to the team’s direction and progress.
The Team Charter is a repetitive process until a base line acceptance is established. It
must be reviewed on a regular basis by the sponsor, team leader, facilitator, and team
members to ensure that it is reflective of what the team is doing or will be doing in the
future.
After a few iterations of this charter, the executive sponsor, team leader, and facilitator
will have a written document that describes in detail what the team is to accomplish. This
becomes the official work contract for the team leader and the facilitator to begin the
teaming process.
As an option you may use the “Working Copy” of the PAT Charter to draft the document
(freely available for download here). When you have a document that the executive
sponsor, team leader and facilitator agree upon, enter the information into the form copy.
This will serve as the official document that all players will sign and work from.
For a full downloadable version of the PAT Charter forms please download the PDF
here: Creating a Project Team Charter - Template
Essential Components of a Team Charter
The table below describes the different components that a good team charter requires
for success. The following tables are included for download the in the Charter Template
document.
WHAT IT WHY IS IT
SECTION EXAMPLE TIP
DOES? IMPORTANT?
WIC (Women, Infants,
Enables the team to
Identifies the and Children) Waiting Keep it simple, unique, and
PAT Name distinguish the effort from
team. Room Time Reduction easily stated.
others.
Team.
Identifies the Clarifies the intent of the WIC Intake Department
Subject Make it clear and succinct.
area of focus. project. waiting time
States why this Orients team and others WIC applicants are This is the most important part
Process
effort was to the true need for the complaining that it takes of the Charter. It is the
Improvement
initiated and what effort. The source and too much time to foundation for PAT formation.
Opportunity
will be affected analysis of the data that process their in-person It's important to ensure that it is

3. by the outcome. identified the problem or application and there is well thought through and
opportunity should be a lack of privacy while agreed upon by the Executive
included and used as a giving information to the Sponsor, Team Leader, and
baseline. clerk. Facilitator.
Keeps the team focused
Signifies the day on “beginning with the
Charter Start Date: Make sure these dates are
the charter goes end in mind. This is not
September 17, 2011 reasonable and agreed upon by
Charter Dates into effect and necessarily the date the
Charter End Date: the Executive Sponsor, Team
the date the team Team Leader reports
December 20, 2011 Leader, and Facilitator.
adjourns. results to the Executive
Sponsor.
This Leadership Team
Identifies the member has overall
senior leader that authority and
supports and/or responsibility for
initiated this organizing the team that
effort. will address the Process It’s a good idea for all members
Mary James, Local
Executive Designated by Improvement of the PAT to meet the
Health Department
Sponsor the leadership Opportunity. They have Executive Sponsor prior to the
Administrator
team to hold overall operational initiation of the Charter.
overall accountability. The
responsibility for Executive Sponsor will
the strategy and be expected to break
its execution. down barriers and “go to
bat” for the team.
Establishes who will
conduct team meetings,
Identifies one
provide focus and
individual who
direction, and will ensure
will guide the
productive use of team Select a Team Leader that has
team to achieve
member’s time. This Josephine Smith, WIC a broad understanding of the
Team Leader successful
person is not necessarily Manager process improvement
outcomes and
the same individual who opportunity.
who will
will be “in charge” of the
communicate to
process, but should be a
senior leaders.
person who will “lose
sleep” over the outcome.
Quality facilitators use
Moves a team observation, intervention,
forward through feedback, coaching, and To eliminate the possibility of
a series of team member personality personal bias and the risk of
scheduled differences to conduct Joe Bagodonuts, getting involved with decision
Facilitator meetings aimed effective meetings. Facilitator making and solutions, it’s
at attaining the Quality facilitators are not Extraordinaire important to select a facilitator
goal established subject matter experts, that knows as little about the
by the team and but rather focus on how process as possible.
team leader. effectively the team is
working.
Team Defines who will Assure that all the people Team Member: Wilma You may have people that you
Member/Section/ be on the team necessary to effect Bates – WIC Intake do not need on the core team.

4. Area of Expertise and why change will be involved. supervisor. However, they are key
stakeholders and must be
consulted with, and made
aware of, changes. These
individuals should be identified
in the Charter. Refer to the high
level process utilized to define
the scope to verify that the team
has representation from each
major process step.
It describes what
the team intends
to do, providing Clarifies where the team
the team with a is going and enables Most successful improvement
focus and a way them to know when they efforts have a succinct aim with
Process to measure get there. A well stated a measurable stretch goal. The
AIM: To reduce the
Improvement progress. The aim affords a team the measure should be monitored
waiting time by 50%.
Aim aim should be opportunity to improve over time and tracked in the
derived from a many aspects of the form of a statistical process
known problem system or process control chart.
(data) and need related to the aim.
for corrective
action.
Process
Listing out the
Improvement Group similar objectives and
specific and
Objectives It enables the team to Eliminating Waste give them a descriptive title; for
measurable
(SMART = reach consensus on Eliminate unnecessary example, Eliminating Waste.
objectives for the
Specific, what will be addressed waiting time Grouping objectives into change
effort will help
Measureable, during the course of the Reduce duplicative data concepts facilitates creative
define the
Achievable, effort. entry thinking with improvement
opportunities to
Realistic, Time teams.
improve.
Dependent)
Be specific. Agree to definitions
& data sources. It is ideal to
Defines how you Metrics help the team
have a balanced set of
measure the and sponsor to
Overall applicant cycle measures: Identify one
success of the understand when and if
Success Metrics time to get service and overarching measure that can
improvement an implemented
(Measures) complete an application be a gauge for the entire effort,
effort or the improvement is meeting
will be reduced by 50%. measure it over time and use a
project as a the desired goal.
control chart. This should relate
whole. Use sampling.
to the Process Improvement
Aim.
Current State
Marks significant Schedule milestone reviews on
Assessment due March
expectations Holds the team senior management calendars
15th.
Key Milestones and/or accountable. Maps well in advance to make sure
Recommendations to
deliverables the progress. time is available when the team
be presented to senior
team can expect. is ready to present.
leadership in 6 weeks.
Available Articulate who Provides both the team Facilitator: Joe Validate availability of resources
Resources and what is and senior leadership Bagodonuts. Training as part of the definition stage of

5. available to with an opportunity to workshops. the process improvement
support the team. negotiate what the team Up to $5,000 for project. The team sponsor or
This might needs to be successful. miscellaneous office process owner is usually the
include a expenses. function that controls resource
facilitator, availability.
trainers, or funds.
Recognizes any Resources are scarce in
additional most organizations. It is
resource the best to be realistic in the Physical layout changes may
Support from Location
team believes is use of resources and take time to design, schedule
Facilities department to
Required necessary to identify requirements at and implement. Have the team
re-work client waiting
Resources achieve the the onset of activities. If think ahead to anticipate
areas or create client
objectives of the resources are bottlenecks that may occur
booths.
process unavailable, then options during the improvement project.
improvement can be pursued for
project. alternative strategies.
Describes both
positive and
negative factors
that must be
discussed and
understood prior Assumption: The WIC
to the work intake area can be
beginning. rearranged to make for
Assumptions: Clarifies expectations; private booths
Communicate with all areas of
statements of requires people to reflect Constraints: Information
the organization affected by the
requirements that on the effort in a more Technology solutions
process improvements
must be thoughtful way; can will not be entertained
Considerations anticipated. Record any barriers
accepted; redefine the work; may at this time (system
(Assumptions, or obstacles identified during
Constraints: an facilitate the removal of upgrade planned in 2
Constraints, these conversations. Some
element that known obstructions in years).
Obstacles, Risks) items may be simple to
might restrict or advance; gives credibility Obstacles:
address, others may need
regulate project to teams (that they have Departmental practices
significant effort. The sooner
actions or considered possible related to scheduling
these are identified, the better.
outcomes; issues). applicants differ widely.
Obstacles: factor Risks: Changes may
that might not conform to legal
impede progress; requirements
Risks: a course
of action that
might pose a
hazard or cause
loss.
Specifies the
Map out a 7-9 step high-level
boundaries of the “The time the person
process flow for the scope
process you are arrives in the WIC
you’ve defined.
involved in. They Sets the stage; provides Department to the time
Boundaries This will help you understand
may be stated in focus; identifies limits. they have successfully
what you need to be successful,
time frames filled out the application
including validating team
and/or process and leave.”
membership.
steps.

6. Identifies
individuals and/or
departments that Stakeholders may be affected
may be impacted directly by the anticipated
by the outcome. It recognizes their changes or be politically
Key
These individuals importance and John Smith - essential to the acceptance of
Stakeholders/
should be sought increases the team’s Information Systems the recommendations.
Area of Concern
out as a resource awareness. Stakeholders can ease the
and progress of the project or
communicated greatly delay progress.
with on a regular
basis.
Identifies everyone who
is expecting to receive
Over-communicate rather than
communication on this
The entire team will give under-communicate.
team effort. The
Clarifies your a report out to the Communication should match
communication plan has
activities for stakeholders 6 weeks the style of the audience. If a
two purposes; 1)
keeping from the start of the senior leader likes to see charts
Identifying how the team
Communication necessary and project (~ Nov15). The and graphs, format the status
will work internally to
Plan useful functions Team Leader will report accordingly. If the Quality
achieve smooth
or leadership update the Executive Council wishes to have the
interaction, 2) Establish
aware of project Sponsor weekly whole team present a
requirements for keeping
progress. (agenda item at the milestone, then practice with all
stakeholders and other
regular staff meeting). members contributing to the
external decision makers
communication.
informed of project
activity.
Serves as a
contract
agreement Creates buy-in, everyone
between the has an opportunity to It's a good idea to have all
Signature Page Executive meet all the players parties sign the Charter at the
Sponsor, Team involved in the process same time and place.
Leader, improvement opportunity.
Facilitator, and
Team Members
References:
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forming,_storming,_norming_and_performing- Tuckman,
Bruce. "Developmental sequence in small groups". Psychological Bulletin 63 (6): 384–
99, 1965, accessed 12/21/09
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3954/is_200104/ai_n8943663.

7. About the Authors
Grace L. Duffy, CMQ/OE, CQA, CQIA, CSSGB, CLSSMBB provides services in
organizational and process improvement, leadership, quality, customer
service and teamwork. Her clients include government, health care,
public health, education, manufacturing, services and not-for-profit
organizations. Duffy holds a master’s in business administration from
Georgia State University. She is an ASQ Fellow and past vice president
of ASQ. Duffy can be reached at grace683@embarqmail.com.
John W. Moran, MBA, Ph.D., CMC, CMQ/OE, CQIA, is senior quality advisor to the
Public Health Foundation. He has over 30 years of quality improvement expertise in
developing tools and training programs, implementing and evaluating QI programs, and
writing articles and books on QI methods. Dr. Moran is a retired senior vice president of
information systems, administrative and diagnostic services at New England Baptist
Hospital. He was previously chief operating officer of Changing Healthcare, Inc. Dr.
Moran was employed for 21 years by Polaroid where he held various senior
management positions. His last position was director of worldwide quality and systems.
jmoran@phf.org.
Michael Rudis is Training Administrator for the Delaware Division of Public Health,
Office of Performance Management. He is responsible for implementing an effective
performance management system that will improve the quality of the organization's
programs to better serve the people of Delaware. Michael can be reached at
michael.rudis@state.de.us.
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