Читать книгу Microsoft Project Fundamentals - Teresa S. Stover - Страница 55

The project charter is like the project's mission statement. It's typically a two-page project overview document that concisely defines the project goal and other high-level parameters of the project.

The project charter formalizes the project, even in an informal organization. It can be invaluable to clarify when an organization executive or customer might have just been “thinking out loud” versus giving a real directive about a true commitment to a project.

Rather like an internal contract, the project charter names and authorizes the project manager and is signed by the project sponsor. The project charter can serve as the “North Star” when matters get murky.

Because the project charter is probably the first document generated for the new project, many unknowns are likely. Between this fact and the conciseness of the document, the more high level and broad the charter, the better it will serve everyone in the long run.

The project charter should include the following:

 Project Goal States the purpose or business case justification of the project and characteristics of the product or service being produced.

 Objectives List measurable objectives to meet the goal, along with a summary milestone schedule, including the overall project finish date.

 High-Level Requirements Describe the characteristics of the end product or service and summarize the project requirements in terms of time, quality, and scope. This or a separate section might also list known project risks, constraints, or issues.

 Project Outcomes Identify measurable success criteria to know when and whether the project has achieved its intended goal.

 Overview Budget Can be a single overall expected budget total or identify high-level budget categories for the project.

 Stakeholders Include the name, title, and responsibilities of the project sponsor and project manager, including their level of authority; managing stakeholders; project team members; and customers or end users.

 Project Approval Requirements Identify any interim review and approval points during the project and final project acceptance and sign-off upon project close.

 Project Charter Authorization Includes the signatures of responsible project stakeholders, especially the project sponsor and project manager. When the project charter is completed and signed, the project manager can move forward with budget and other resource authorization to start project planning and execution.

Drafting the project charter ensures that the project is not left to assumption or chance. As the project springboard, it's the first step in communicating expectations with your boss, the customer, or other project sponsor.