How the project Charter is the most important document to any Project manager. This presentation will guide you through the necessary sections and items to include in any Project Charter in order to be a powerful "one step / One site" tool for the entire project Team to use as reference to confirm on what project areas to accomplish or operate was agreed upon as a team - so there will not be any confusion or vagueness.
Unlocking the Future - Dr Max Blumberg, Founder of Blumberg Partnership
The Project Charter Ensuring Quality
1. The Project Charter
The most Important and Powerful Document to
use for Initiating, Controlling and Preparing a
Project in order to ensure Project Quality
Presented by Mark Troncone, MBA, PMP®, ITILv3, CSM®
2. Agenda
Why do you need a Project Charter?
When is a Project Charter Created?
Why is a Project Charter Important?
When should a Project Charter be used?
How to Create a Project Charter
The Traditional Sections to Include
The New Sections that Must be included for Quality
When should it be Updated?
Who Should Sign Off?
3. About Me
PMP® Certified – Project Management Institute
CRM Certified SCRUM Master® – SCRUM Alliance
ITILv3 Foundations® Certified -
Certified IT Business Analyst – IFS State of Connecticut
MT Associates - Active career transition mentor
MBA – Management, BS – Marketing, AS – Accounting
Work Experience:
• Save the Children
• Transact Technologies
• Starwood Hotels
• Affinion Group
• Hewitt Associates
• Wachovia Bank
• Bayer Pharmaceuticals
• Reader’s Digest
• James River Corporation
4. Why do you need a Project Charter
As a Project Manager – it is your “Power Document” to use
throughout the life of a project
You cannot start nor run a Project without one
The Project Charter formally recognizes /authorizes the existence of
the Project
A project does not exist without a Project Charter
The Project Charter gives the Project Manager authority to spend
money and commit corporate resources
The Project Charter provides “high-level” requirements and scope
for the Project
The Project Charter links the Project to the on-going work of the
organization
Any changes to the Project Charter after “Sign-Off” will necessitate
questioning whether or not the Project should continue
5. When is a Project Charter Created
Tasks developed during the Initiating Phase:
Select a Project Manager
Determine company culture and existing systems
Divide large projects into Phases
Understand the Business Case
Uncover “Initial” requirements and risks
Create Measurable Objectives
Identify Stakeholders (I would do this before the Project Charter)
Develop Stakeholder Management Strategy
Create Project Charter
6. Why is a Project Charter Important
Defines how success will be measured
Defines Deliverables/Scope (Project and Product)
Defines the Project Manager Authority Level
Defines Project Team roles and responsibilities
Defines the Business Case
Defines the Stakeholders and their Expectations
Defines Measurable Objectives
Defines Project Approval Requirements
Defines “High Level” Project Risks
I will define other areas to add later in the presentation
7. When should a Project Charter be used
As mentioned, the Project Charter should be developed
during the Initiation Phase of the Project
The Project Charter should be reviewed after the Project
“Kick-Off” meeting with:
• The Stakeholder(s)
• Key Business User(s)
• Subject Matter Expert(s)
• 3rd Party Vendor lead(s)
• Project Team
• Project Sponsor(s)
The Project Charter should also be referenced throughout
the project conflict resolutions concerning any area of
dispute of how the project should be run. This then
becomes the Project Manager’s Power Document -
to say “This is what we agreed on”
8. How to Create a Project Charter
You should have a template document created with
all of the sections included in this presentation to
quickly - fill out / update / amend
Also include:
• Revision History (in the front)
• Table of contents (in the front after the Revision History)
Sign Off Section (last page of the document)
Sign Off Section to include:
• Project Sponsor(s)
• Key Stakeholder(s)
• Project Manager
• Other Representatives as determined
9. The Traditional Sections of the Project
Charter to Include
Cover Page:
• Company Name/Logo
• Project Name and Project Number
• Date Created (MM/DD/YYY)
• Version Number
Revision History (Type / Date / Change and Section / By Whom)
Table of Contents
Project Title and Description
Project Scope (High Level Deliverables and end result of the project)
Business Case (Why is the Project being done)
Project Manager Assigned and their Authority Level
Stakeholders and Stakeholder Requirements
10. The Traditional Sections of the Project
Charter to Include
Project Agreements:
• What your business will provide
• What the other entity will provide (if necessary)
• What a 3rd Party Vendor will provide (if necessary)
• Responsibilities of any entity or 3rd Party Vendor Project Manager
• Products to be Installed/Upgraded
• Exclusions (What the company is excluded from delivering)
• Assumptions / Constraints
• Acceptance Criteria
Measurable Project Objectives (measurable strategic goals)
Project Approval Requirements (items needing approval)
High Level Business Risks (potential risks and opportunities)
11. The New Project Charter Sections that
Must be included for Quality
I suggest adding the sections mentioned on the following
slides to ensure quality is delivered throughout the
project:
• For larger projects (> one year, > $$$ Budget and > X amount of
resources) you may want to have separate documents addressing
these areas with separate meetings and sign-offs. This can be
time consuming but necessary.
• For smaller projects it will improve the process to have all of these
sections combined in one document (Project Charter) that can be
referenced and updated easily.
• Also all topics within this Project Charter can be reviewed,
discussed and agreed upon in one meeting with all of the
significant team members present.
12. The New Project Charter Sections that
Must be included for Quality
Project Plan and Milestones (without dates)
• Describes how the project will be run and managed
• Names the Milestone Tasks to achieve for each phase
Project Communications Plan
◦ Describes how the project team will communicate:
• To Stakeholders, Project Sponsors, Key Business Users
• To the Project Team, Partnering Entity, 3rd Prty Vendor
• To any other resource needing updates
• How the Project Team will communicate Project Tasks updates
• Contains a Visual Project Task Spreadsheet
• Project Meetings – Structure / Agenda / How Often / Schedules
• Weekly Project Dashboard and Status Reports – Schedules
13. The New Project Charter Sections that
Must be included for Quality
• Communications of any “Sub-Teams” – Structure and agenda
• Chart for Scheduled Meetings (meeting name, method,
attendees, leader, frequency)
• Contacts Lists (Name, Title, Phone, Email Address)
• Email Subject Line Structure
Project Name
Project Categories
Project Level (1= High Must Read, 2 = medium Be Informed, 3 = Low FYI)
Subject Line Message
• Requirements Plan
• High level plan describing how requirements will be gathered
• Estimates Business Analyst effort and Business Commitment
14. The New Project Charter Sections that
Must be included for Quality
Requirements
• How they will be gathered (Functional and Non-Functional)
• Method for Reviewing Requirements with business
• Commitments of time from the business to ensure requirements
are delivered on time
• How Sign-Offs will be obtained
Project Risk Management Plan
• How Risks will be Captured / Scored / Responded To
• Contingency Plans developed here
Project Issues Management Plan
• How Issues will be Categorized / Rated for Severity / Monitored
and resolved – then communicated back to all Team Members
15. The New Project Charter Sections that
Must be included for Quality
Project Change Control Management Plan
• To Log a Requested Change / Prioritize / Note Effects / Approve
• Change Approval while project is in-flight
• Change Enhancement after Project Closure
• Change Dismissed as Not Needed
Project Training Plan
• Training Plan including system modules and written manuals
• Training Plan Schedule and who will need to be trained
Project Testing Plan
• Unit Testing – by developers and review with the business
• QA Testing – Test Scripts and Sign-Off
• UAT Testing – Test Scripts and Sign-Off
16. The New Project Charter Sections that
Must be included for Quality
Project Implementation Plan
• Technical Cut Over – High Level Tasks – incl. Non-Functionals
Project “Go Live” Plan
• Go Live Plan (duration) and Monitoring
Project Closure
• Project Closing Plan
Project Lessons Learned Management Plan
• Identify Type / Severity / Escalation Process / where to keep
Project – Application Support Plan
• How will the application be supported (Customer Service and
Help Desk) – who will need training
17. When to Update the Project Charter
Update up and to the final presentation to the:
• Stakeholders
• Project Sponsors
• Key Business Users and Subject Matter experts
• Project Team
Can be updated after reviewed and signed-off only
if all Team Members agree to the amendment
But if continually changed or questioned after Sign-
Off the question should be raised “Do we continue
with the project?”
18. Who should Sign-Off on the Project
Charter
At a minimum the Project Charter should be signed off by:
• Stakeholder(s)
• Project Sponsor(s)
• Project Manager / Tech Lead / Business SME(s)
Can be updated after reviewed
• Key Business Users and Subject Matter experts
• Other Key Department Stakeholders that this project may effect
• Key Project Team Members:
• DBA
• QA Lead
• Lead Developer
• Network or Technical Leads