Day One: Strategic Foundations of the Project Charter

What Is a Project Charter and Its Role

• Definition of the charter as a foundational document.
• Difference between the charter and the project plan.
• Its relationship to corporate governance.
• When and where it is used within the lifecycle.

The Charter as a Strategic Tool

• Linking objectives to strategic plans.
• Role of senior management in approval.
• Enhancing communication among parties.
• How it addresses early-stage ambiguity.

Stakeholder Approach

• Identifying influential stakeholders.
• Techniques to involve them during preparation.
• Aligning expectations and outcomes.
• Early conflict management.

Project Scope as a Compass

• Drafting a clear initial scope.
• Difference between scope and boundaries.
• Examples of well-defined scopes.
• Impact of ambiguity on project success.

Day Two: Drafting the Core Charter Content

Objectives and Expected Outcomes

• Characteristics of good objectives (SMART).
• Balancing quantitative and qualitative goals.
• Linking objectives to indicators.
• Practical examples of objective drafting.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Role of the project manager.
• Responsibilities of the project team.
• Relationship with senior management.
• Clear authorities to avoid overlap.

Assumptions and Constraints

• Identifying potential assumptions.
• Examples of resource constraints.
• Their impact on charter formulation.
• Organized documentation methods.

Initial Resource Identification

• Core human resources.
• Preliminary financial estimates.
• Infrastructure needs.
• Importance of aligning resources with objectives.

Day Three: Risk Documentation and Communication

Initial Risks

• Early risk classification.
• Identifying expected challenges.
• Impact on decision-making.
• How to record risks in the charter.

Initial Communication Plan

• Official communication channels.
• Stakeholder tracking tools.
• Role of kickoff meetings.
• Drafting a concise communication plan.

Success Indicators

• Key performance criteria.
• How outcomes are measured.
• Quantitative and qualitative indicators.
• Their role in future evaluation.

Review and Approval

• Internal review steps.
• Role of sponsors in evaluation.
• Final approval mechanism.
• Common approval pitfalls.

Day Four: Practical Application and Skill Refinement

Writing a Complete Project Charter

• Official charter structure.
• Using templates and models.
• Drafting core sections.
• Real project examples.

Group Workshop Simulation

• Dividing participants into teams.
• Applying a new-project scenario.
• Preparing an initial charter.
• Presenting results to the group.

Case Study Analysis

• Reviewing a successful charter.
• Analyzing a flawed charter.
• Deriving key lessons learned.
• Applying recommendations in practice.

Personal Action Plan

• Steps to apply acquired skills.
• Integrating them into the work environment.
• Identifying individual improvement opportunities.
• Setting an implementation timeline.