Project Management 101 What is a Project Charter

Project Management 101: What is a Project Charter and How Do I Create One? Nastia Guimaraes and Miranda Van. Nevel Presented at OVGTSL 2018 conference, May 14, 2018

Introduction to Project Management Resources ● Project Management Institute (PMI) www. pmi. org ● www. projectmanagement. com ● Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)

Project Management Office (PMO) Hesburgh Libraries’ PMO structure: ● Sponsor and three full time PMs ● Digital Access, Resources and Information Technology (DARIT) division ● Embedded throughout the division

What is a Project? “A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. ” –Knovel[Firm], and Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). Newtown Square, Pa. : Project Management Institute, 2013. ITPro. Web.

Project Process Groups ● Initiation ● Planning ● Execution ● Monitoring/Controlling ● Closing

What is a Project Charter? ● Per PMBOK: ○ “authorizes the existence of a project” ○ “provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities” ● Created at the Initiation phase of a project ● Documents relationships between the project and org. strategies ● Identifies the project participants ○ Sponsor ○ Team members ○ Stakeholders

Project Charter Value ● Provides a common understanding of the project scope and importance ● Identifies the team and high level roles ● Provides direction and goals by defining milestones and deadlines ● Sets objectives ● Creates clarity around expectations ● Provides a baseline for project changes

Who Writes a Project Charter? “It is essential that a person with sufficient authority approve the charter and stand by it; it does not matter at all who writes it. ” -- Alex Brown (from “The charter: selling your project. ”)

Overview of a Project Charter Sections ● ● ● ● Stakeholders Project Team Project Description and Objectives Project Scope Milestones and Timelines High Level Risks Measures of Success Project Acceptance and Sign Off

Stakeholders ● Stakeholder: a person with an interest or concern in something, especially in business (source: Oxford Dictionary) ● Identify your stakeholders: Stakeholder ID Checklist ○ Who? ○ What? ○ How?

Stakeholders (Cont) ● Know your stakeholders: Power Interest Grid (PMI) ○ Power - their ability to accelerate or slow down the project ○ Interest - their interest in the results of the project ● Engagement (Unaware, Resistant, Supportive, Leading)

Project Team ● Build your team! ● Core members: ○ ○ ○ Sponsor Project Manager Team Lead Product Owner(s) Core Team Members

Project Team (Cont) ● Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) ○ Details tasks and assignments ○ Sets team expectations ● RACI ○ ○ Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed

Project Team (Cont) ● RACI Example Writer Project Manager Archives Developers Sponsor Write Content R I A I I Build Site (Portal) I A C R I Outreach - R R - A Product Release I A, R I

Project Description and Objectives ● Description ○ Brief Summary ○ Elevator Speech ● Objectives ○ What is to be accomplished ○ NOT the solution

Project Scope ● Defines project boundaries ○ Watch for Scope Creep! ○ Modifications to scope should be deliberate ● High level deliverables ○ Tangible outputs ● Assumptions ○ Conditions that are assumed to be true ○ Incorrect assumptions might impact the project ● Constraints ○ Known limitations (timelines, budget, resources, vendors, expertise, etc. )

Milestones and Timelines ● Milestones ○ Break down the work ● Timelines ○ Provide goals and accountability ○ Motivation

High Level Risks ● What is a risk? ○ Uncertainty ○ Positive ○ Negative ● Identify potential impacts ○ Expert judgement ○ Brainstorming

High Level Risks (Cont) ● Strategies for Negative Risks ○ ○ Avoid Transfer Mitigate Accept ● Strategies for Positive Risks ○ ○ Exploit Enhance Share Accept

Measures of Success ● Consider what success looks like to the customer. . . ● Need to look at Objectives and Deliverables ○ How do you measure that these have been achieved? ○ Need to know before the project starts ● Accountability ● Quality Control

Project Acceptance and Sign Off ● Demonstrates agreement between sponsor, team lead, and project manager ○ Sets authority for the project ○ Establishes the existence of the project ○ Outlines roles, responsibilities, and expectations ● Creates higher level of accountability ● Improves communication ○ Shared understanding ○ Reference point

Final Thoughts ● Project Charter is a “living document” ○ A guide ○ Changes might happen, if needed ● Not all sections are mandatory ● Project charters for complex endeavors ● Writing a project charter is a collaborative effort Project Charter Template

References ● Brown, A. S. (2005). The charter: selling your project. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2005—North America, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. ● A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: (PMBOK® Guide). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, 2013. Print.

THANK YOU! Please contact us with any questions Nastia Guimaraes aguimara@nd. edu Miranda Van. Nevel mvanneve@nd. edu