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22 Elements of a Project Charter

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A project charter is a document that defines a project. It provides all the information that is require to initiate a project. This is an important source document that all other project documents typically reference. Project charters define why a project exists, what it will achieve, how it will be conducted and evaluated, who will do what, when it will be deliver and how much it will cost. The following are common elements of a project charter that can be used as a table of contents.

Summary

Providing context in a few sentences that completely describe the project.

Problem Statement

Overview of opportunities or problems that are driving the project.

Mission

A mission statement associated with the project.

Vision

What the future looks like when the project is delivered.

Goals

Specifically, what the project aims to achieve.

Key Success Factors

How the project will be evaluated.

Assumptions

The facts and interpretations on which the project is based.

Dependencies

An outline of initial dependencies. In many cases, dependencies are covered as assumptions.

Constraints

Limitations and restrictions such as resources and time.

Decisions

A list of relevant decisions that have been made to date. Can be included as assumptions.

Alternatives Considered

Document alternatives to decisions that were considered with a rationale for choices. This helps the future to understand the context of the project as it answers questions such as "why didn't they ..."

Risks

An initial list of identified risks. Project risk management is an ongoing activity that can begin with the project charter.

Scope

What is known about the scope at the time the project charter is delivered. This typically changes with requirements.

Out-of-Scope

Explicitly state things that will not be delivered by the project to prevent unjustified assumptions.

Budget

A budget outline.

Stakeholders

A list of stakeholders and a an org chart for the project team.

Roles & Responsibilities

A list of stakeholders mapped to roles with each stakeholder either responsible, accountable, consulted or informed.

Facilities and Resources

Facilities and resources required by the project.

Standards & Methodologies

A mention of project management methodologies and standards that apply to the project.

Governance

Governance structures and principles.

Milestones

An outline of milestones such as phases, stages, deliverables and decision gates.

Deliverables

A description of deliverables.

Estimates

Preliminary estimates if available. Include a disclaimer that estimates are likely to change upon further analysis and scope changes.

Glossary

Definition of any non-standard terminology used by the project.
Overview: Project Charter
Type
Definition (1)
A document that defines a project.
Definition (2)
A terms of reference for a project.
Value
The foundational source document for a project.
Notes
It should be noted that projects typically change significantly over time with emerging goals, approaches and requirements that end up differing significantly from a project charter. As such, a project charter captures what is known about a project at the start.
Related Concepts

Project Management

This is the complete list of articles we have written about project management.
Acceptance Criteria
Acceptance Testing
Actual Cost
Agile
Assumptions
Baseline
Basis Of Estimate
Behavioral Requirements
Burndown Chart
Change Control
Change Control Board
Change Fatigue
Change Request
Concept Note
Cone Of Uncertainty
Constraints
Corrective Action
Cost Baseline
Cost Contingency
Cost Control
Cost Overrun
Cost Variance
Defect
Defect Density
Definition Of Done
Deliverable
Document Control
Earned Value
Escalation
Estimate At Completion
Estimate To Complete
Estimates
Feasibility Analysis
Fudge Factor
Full-Time Equivalent
Human Factors
Issue Management
Issues
Lead Time
Lessons Learned
Level Of Effort
Milestone
Opportunity Study
Out Of Scope
Parametric Estimate
Phased Implementation
Planned Value
Principles
Process
Program Management
Project Charter
Project Communication
Project Complexity
Project Concept
Project Controls
Project Failure
Project Goals
Project Management
Project Metrics
Project Planning
Project Productivity
Project Proposal
Project Risk
Regression Testing
Requirements
Requirements Quality
Return On Investment
RFP
Risk Register
Schedule Baseline
Schedule Chicken
Scope
Scope Baseline
Scope Creep
Scrum
Set Up To Fail
Smoke Testing
Specifications
Sponsor
Sprint
Stakeholder
Stakeholder Management
Statement Of Work
Story Points
Subproject
Use Case
User Stories
Variance Analysis
Workaround
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Project Risk

A list of common project risks.

Project Management Basics

A list of basic project management techniques.

Workaround

A definition of workaround with examples.

Project Branding

A list of project branding techniques.

Stakeholder Management

An overview of project stakeholder management with examples.

Action Plan

A definition of action plan with examples.

Cost Overrun

The primary types of cost overrun.

Document Control

The definition of document control with examples.

Project Oversight

A guide to project oversight.

Design-Driven Development

A definition of design driven development with examples.

Project Risk

A list of common project risks.

Project Stakeholder

A list of common project stakeholders.

Business Risks

A list of common business risks.

Risk vs Issue

The difference between a risk and an issue.

Risk Treatment

The five things that can be done about risk.

Secondary Risk

The definition of secondary risk with examples.

Risk Register

A guide to creating a risk register with an example.

Risk Perception

A definition of risk perception with examples.

Implementation

The common types of implementation.

Project Risk Management

A reasonably complete guide to project risk management.
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