Project Charter

What a Project Charter Does

Prepared by senior executives and project manager(s), a project charter gives the
project manager the green light and authority to get moving on a project.

What a Project Charter Looks Like (sample below)

Project Title:

XYZ Megacorp Modernization Project

Scope and Objectives:

XYZ Megacorp is undergoing rapid change and growth resulting in an urgent

need for a more efficient use of capital funds and for managing our many
projects. To this end, we are implementing a new project management control
system that will satisfy both these needs and will enhance our project teams'
ability to better focus on our clients.

General Objectives:

 Enable better communication among project, group and corporate

management with regard to progress of major projects.
 Enable senior management to more closely monitor progress of major
projects.
 Provide project personnel the capability to manage and control their projects
in real time.
Specific Objectives:

 Reporting and Control System

 For communication of project activity within and between groups and senior
management
 Initially for high-cost projects, then for "critical," then for all projects
 Computer Support Systems
 Survey with recommendations to determine the amount and cost of computer
support
 Procedures Manuals
 Document procedures and policies
 Preliminary manual available by end of year for operator and user training
 Project Management Training Course
 Provide basic project planning and control skills to personnel directly involved
in project management
 Follow-on courses to provide software, financial, and contracting skills
needed by project managers
gantthead.com Project Charter

Defining Conditions, Constraints, and Assumptions:

The Megacorp Modernization must be completed and fully operational on the last
day of this year. The first phase of this project is a technical survey and a
feasibility study with a go/no-go decision point at the conclusion of the study.
Implementation of the Modernization Project will commence on July 1, 2004, if
the recommendation is to proceed.

Project Organization:

The key members of the project organization are:

 Sponsor: Dr. Fred Campbell, CEO

 Project Manager: Mr. Chuck “Boomer” Martindale
 User Representatives: Ms. Calla Lilly and Mr. I.M. Always-Wright
 Technical Lead: Sir Poindexter R. Einstein, Ph.D., AIA, CPA, ASCAP, EIEIO,
KG
 Team Members: To be nominated by functional managers based upon the
project manager's skill set requirements and recommendations. Functional
managers will provide team members for the project duration, and they will
be 100% dedicated to the project.
Project Manager Authority and Responsibilities:

 Staffing - The project manager will determine the skill requirements for the
Megacorp Modernization project and provide them, along with specific team
member names, by June 1, 2003, to the appropriate functional managers.
The project manager is authorized to have one clerical person and one cost
analysis to assist him. Because of other project priorities, the project team is
limited to no more than ten (10) technical members without specific authority
from the President.
 Budget - The initial estimate of the project cost is $1,500,000. This budget
cannot be exceeded without authority from the President and the Chief
Financial Officer.
 Communications - Status reports will be provided to the President, CFO and
the Sponsor bi-monthly.
 Planning/Tracking - This project will be tracked using our in-house project
management software. An earned value analysis will be provided in every
other status report beginning with the second report.
 Change Control - The project manager is authorized to make project changes
provided they do not exceed $15,000 in additional cost and do not impact the
schedule. Otherwise, any changes will be made through the Configuration
Change Control Board.
Document/System Access:

The project manager is authorized access to any company document or system

in the pursuit of this project completion.

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gantthead.com Project Charter

Project Plan Requirements:

The project manager will provide a project plan to the Sponsor no later than May
12, 2003. The project plan will include a description of the work, schedules,
budget, spending plan, resource utilization charts, risk management plans and a
quality plan.

Support Requirements from Other Organizations:

The Megacorp Modernization project has the top priority. Functional groups will
provide all support possible to the project manager. Where conflicts in personnel
assignments occur, the President will resolve them.

Approvals:

VP Project Management: Date:

VP Information Systems: Date:

Chief Financial Officer: Date:

VP Human Resources: Date:

President: Date:

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