Project Charter

Project Charter

A project charter is a document that kick-starts a project

It is a high-level document that describes:

→ what will be done

→ why it will be done

→ how it will be done

Project Charter

→ who will be doing it

→ how much will it cost

→ how long it will take

→ what are the risks involved

Project Charter

A project charter can be broken down in key elements:

1 - Introduction

2 - Overview

3 - Milestones

4 - Deliverables

5 - Budget (later)

6 - Organization/Stakeholders (later)

7 - Risks, Assumptions, and Constraints (later)

Project Charter

Introduction and Overview

Introduction

Also known as identification or executive summary

Identifies: project name, current version, date, sponsor, and project manager

Can include a short summary of the project as a whole

Overview

Simple statement of the project:

→ Apple is planning to integrate cellular capabilities to its iTouch devices

→ Amazon is planning to make its infrastructure available for IaaS purposes

→ Peloton is planning to release its own line of treadmills

Overview - Objective

State the main objectives of the project clearly

Should follow the SMART protocol:

→ Specific (details)

→ Measurable (dates, cost, and numbers)

→ Realistic

→ Time based (deadlines)

Project Charter

Deliverables and Milestones

Deliverables

List of what the project must deliver to achieve its objective:

→ Messaging tool accessible to clients

→ Timeslot Picking tool Accessible to students

→ Picture uploading tool up and running

Milestones

List of significant points or events in the project:

→ List of tech choices defined

→ Server has been set up

→ Authentication tool designed and tested

Deliverables vs Milestones

Deliverables are measurable and tangible outcomes of the project (SMART).

Milestones are checkpoints throughout the project's lifecycle.

Deliverables must concern clients

milestones vs deliverables

Project Plan

Project Plan

Created by the Project Manager

Provides guidance for the project's execution

Explains what needs to be done and and how to do it

Its audience is the project team

Charter vs Plan

The charter sells the project, whereas the plan guides its execution

The charter provides broad strokes, the plan provides detailed info

Charter vs Plan