Build a Charter, Save a Project

• Have clear direction for the project         
• Have a clear understanding of the expectations of management         
• Understand the constraints that the project must live within         
• Know how much risk is acceptable for the project         
• Know the staffing and spending limits for the project         
• Know exactly when this project ends and when ongoing maintenance or the next upgrade begins

The charter is an overview. It should contain the big picture of what needs to be done, but not how the project will be done. The details of what to do and how to do it will be worked out during the planning phase. The charter is merely an outline of what you know about the project at the start.

There are three sections in a charter. The first section is related to scope and includes the following: