How to Create a Project Charter

Overview:

• Creating a project charter is the beginning process of the University Planning Project Proposal Process.
• A project charter is developed for a high priority project or initiative that is identified for the upcoming fiscal year for which project management resources are requested.
• A project charter may only be completed by a project sponsor.
• Project sponsor will need to complete the project proposal form for each identified work plan activity.
• A new project charter can only be submitted at the beginning of each fiscal year (July - January).

Instructions: Project Charter Template

1. Download the Project Charter Template.
2. Complete the first section of the template with all the required fields (below):
   • Project Name: project name must match with the name listed from the division work plan
   • Fiscal Year: input the fiscal year for when the project will be active
   • Division: input the division name the project charter will be housed under
   • Description: provide a brief description about what the project is and what benefits it will produce
   • Success Criteria: provide description about the measurable evaluation criteria, the value produced for Metro State and/or KPIs. These criteria should tell us whether the project was successful. 
   • Deliverables: input the specific work items that this project will produce, deliverables can have their own deliverables stacked underneath them. Deliverables must be listed in priority order and must be tied to the milestones. 
   • Milestones: input the specific points/high level tasks along the project's time line. These milestones are checkpoints within the project and are used to measures progress throughout the year. Milestone date(s) is required per task. 
   • Associated Costs: a high-level budget or anticipated purchases for the project; if applicable.  
   • Scope: clarify or define the boundaries of the project, must include both in and out scope information.
   • Risks: input potential roadblocks that would delay the timeline or achieving a deliverable or milestone. 
   • Assumptions: input possible information that may be accepted as truth or certain to happen, regardless of proof.  
   • Reporting: provide information on what metrics or other projects this project may need to be reported on or feed into. 
3. Complete the second section of the template, all division/department(s) and role(s) is required and must be include in this section.
   • Team Members: provide information for each team member, additional resource/stakeholder/observer, or shared governance connection that is needed for the project. Be sure to think carefully about resources external to your division. 
4. Submit completed project charter to the Director of Institutional Research for review and approval process. For detailed information see article University Planning Project Proposal Process.

Additional Resources:

• If further assistance is needed relating to the project charter or university planning, please send an email to Alec Campbell or submit a request Information ticket.