What is the Document that Starts Off a Project Called?

The charter is the first document created on a project. It is typically created by the
project sponsor, who is the manager on the client side requesting and financing the
project. But in many cases, the charter can also be created by the PM at the request
and direction of the sponsor.
Note that from the PM's point of view, it might seem as if the first documents kicking
off a project are legal documents, such as a contract or a statement of work (SOW).
This is because PMs are often brought in after the client has already written a project
charter and sometimes after it has created additional planning documents, such as
the schedule.

What are the Main Elements of a Charter?

A6. The charter provides a clear statement of what the project is supposed to
accomplish, including a high-level description of its goals and intended deliverables.
This lays the groundwork for effective requirements gathering and, later, for properly
defining the scope of the project, from which the schedule will ultimately be created.
Usually the name of the PM assigned to the project appears in the charter, along with
the sponsor's name and sometimes his or her signature. The sponsor's signature is
very valuable because it authorizes the project and officially permits people in the
performing organization to work on the project, and it also empowers the PM, helping
him or her obtain the resources needed to succeed in leading the project's activities.
Top Ten Most Important Elements in the Project Charter

1. A high-level description of the project.

2. The goals and expected deliverables of the project.
3. The name of the PM, making it official who'll be running the project, and the
name and (optionally) the signature of the project sponsor.
4. Time constraints, such as hard deadlines for the project or for any of the
project's individual milestones.
5. Cost constraints, if a budget cap is known at charter creation time.
6. Other constraintsfor example, a new car being created by the project must
average 32 mpg, must surpass certain quality metrics, or must comply with a
certain law or regulation.
7. The names of the key stakeholders who will be part of the project.
8. Risks that could jeopardize the project's success, e.g., "If this project is not
completed before our competitor's product hits the market, our efforts may be
in vain."
9. Assumptions about the projectfor example, "We are assuming that roughly
ten technicians will be provided for this project, and that level of staffing will
enable us to come in on deadline."
10. Dependencieson other projects being completed, as well as on market
conditions, pending rules or legislation, and other external factors.

Why do PMs Need a Formal Project Charter?

The project charter is more than a recommendationit's considered a necessity.
Many projects have a policy: "If there's no charter, there's no project." This is
because when projects are launched without a charter, serious problems can (and
often do) arise. For example:
Did you ever work on a project for which the PM had trouble getting resources
or claiming his or her authority? Having your name on the charter as the PM
empowers you and helps you get the resources and respect you need, which
is especially helpful in situations in which the power of the PM is limited.
Were you ever on a project that you thought was a go but that was never
actually green-lighted? Making a project official by documenting it in an
authorized charter and getting the required sign-offs is a way of putting the
pedal to the metal and forcing attention to be paid to the project.
Did you ever work on a project for which the goals (or the scope, deadlines,
budget cap, or risks) were not all clearly communicated to the project manager
or team? Getting the key elements of the project down in writing in the charter
clarifies and communicates them for all of the many people who will need to
know about them.