Choosing the right project charter template

What is a project charter?

A project charter is a document containing all the necessary information about a given project. It’s usually just a page or two prepared for the stakeholders so that they can green-light the project. A project charter generally covers the project’s main goals, boundaries, and any potential risks that might arise. It serves as a reference guide for the dev team so they’re aware of what the project is about and the expected outcomes after the completion of the project. Once a project charter has been formalized, the project can officially begin, and the project manager is at liberty to assign tasks as well as allocate resources.

Significance of a project charter for dev teams 

Project charters are important for dev teams because they lay out the foundation of the project, which provides clarity on the purpose of the project. With a project charter, project managers can track the trajectory of the project and determine how well the dev team is performing in terms of meeting the goals. The charter serves as a communication tool between the dev team and the stakeholders so that everyone is on the same page about the details of the project.

Benefits of a project charter template 

• Budget clarity: An effective project charter details all the required resources for all project tasks. This reduces any chance of financial overrun.

• Stakeholder collaboration: Project charters guarantee that everyone is on board with all the details of the project. This is possible by establishing open communication between all the stakeholders.

• Project boundaries: The scope section of the project charter clearly defines the boundaries of the project. This helps the dev team meet project deadlines and also ensures that no unnecessary tasks are added during the execution of the project.

• Alignment with organizational goals: Another important feature of project charters is that they help project managers make sure that the goals of the project align with the goals of the organization.

• Consistent format: Project charters should promote uniformity across all projects. As a result, all project charters should adhere to the standard framework that aligns with company rules.

Key components of a project charter template

A well-structured project charter template contains certain elements that ensure that the goals set for the template are fulfilled. The key components of a project charter template are as follows:

Overview of the project: This includes the title and the purpose of the project. Project managers must prepare a comprehensive overview of the project so that it’s easier to reference.

Project goals and objectives: These are the targets that the project aims to achieve through the completion of the project.

Project deliverables: These are the final outcomes expected after the project is completed.

Project scope: This serves as the boundary of the project, determining what needs to be covered and what needs to be left behind.

Stakeholders: These are the individuals directly or indirectly involved with the final product, such as employees, investors, and customers.

Resources: This covers both the material and human resources required for the successful completion of the project.

Risks and challenges: These are the potential roadblocks that might arise during the execution of the project. Anticipating challenges helps teams come up with strategies to tackle challenges before they cause issues.

Best practices for writing a project charter

A project charter must be crafted in a precise manner so that it covers all the details of the project. Here are some best practices for writing a project charter: 

• Keep the project charter concise. No need for in-depth information in each section.

• Keep the title of the project descriptive enough to ensure clarity.

• Maintain an open communication channel with the team before finalizing the project charter so that everyone contributes their unique perspectives.

• Keep the timeline for the project well-defined but also flexible enough to accommodate any unforeseen circumstances.

• Enhance the readability of the project charter with visual elements such as images, flowcharts, and Gantt charts.

Final word

A project charter is an essential document that guides the team through each phase of the project cycle. A well-crafted project charter promises numerous benefits—such as collaboration across stakeholders, the alignment of project and organizational goals, and transparency across the entire dev team—which help streamline project management. Using a proper template for the project charter ensures a consistent format and level of quality to make the charter as effective as possible.