Project Charter: Enterpise Systems
As a professional project manager, I use a Project Charter to gather all of the details for an enterprise system or technology project whether it’s a selection, implementation, or validation project.
While the PMI PMBOK (Project Management Institute Project Management Body of Knowledge) recommends using a Project Charter to give authority to a project manager, I think it’s a great tool to make sure everyone is on the same page prior to signing any vendor agreements and kicking off the project.
I often work with smaller organizations (25–500 people) that do not have formal processes and my projects are usually the first ones to apply any structure.
Who creates: Project Manager with input from, and in collaboration with, multiple internal and external resources
Who approves: Executive Sponsor, Business Sponsor, Project Manager
When: after project planning, prior to signing any vendor agreements, prior to scheduling the actual project kick off.
What’s Included:
— Project title
— Brief project description
— Business need the project is intended to address
— Project scope (both what’s in-scope and what is out-of-scope)
— Assumptions
— Deliverables
— Data migration (if applicable)
— Validation scope (if applicable)
— Testing
— High level timeline
— Project team with roles and estimated amount of time expected to be allocated to the project by team member
— Steering committee (if applicable)
— High level costs and notes (if applicable)
— Project administration (project manager, meetings, status reporting,
— Signature lines
As I draft the Project Charter, I also draft the detailed Project Plan, the Project Document (main guidebook for the project), the detailed vendor statement(s) of work, and Validation Plan if the system will be validated in accordance with 21 CFR Part 11. The Project Charter is the umbrella document.
While the Project Charter is signed by the Executive Sponsor, Business Sponsor, and the Project Manager, the Project Document is reviewed with, and signed by, the entire project team, including external team members.
How long is this document? It really depends. I’ve done 3 page Project Charters and I’ve done 12 page Charters. It needs to have enough information for the Sponsors to understand, at a high level, what the project is (and isn’t), how much it’s going to cost, how long it will take, and who is going to be involved, and be able to authorize the funds and internal resources to execute the project.
Why Share This Now? Back when I was an accountant, working for my dad’s accounting firm, we had a lot of small businesses as clients. The owners of the small businesses struggled with basic bookkeeping and accounting which meant that we couldn’t add value to them and their businesses because we were so focused on the fundamentals. We created a few accounting classes for them in the form of Accounting 101, 102, 201, and 202 so we could do more with them.
I’m applying the same principles here. If I can help my clients (prospective or current) help themselves with projects and project deliverables, then I get to elevate my role beyond the day-to-day and into a strategic and advisory role which, frankly, is a lot more fun!
Check out my blog post Project Deliverables: Enterprise Systems for the complete list of deliverables with links other blog posts.
Have Questions or Require Assistance?
Feel free to reach out to Terri with any questions you might have via email at terri.mead@solutions2projects.com or through the company website SolutionsProjects, LLC.
About the Author
Terri Hanson Mead, MBA, PMP, is a technology and compliance strategist for biotech, pharma, medical device, diagnostic, and digital health companies. Through her company, Solutions2Projects, she helps life sciences companies align technology roadmaps with corporate objectives and meet IT compliance requirements in a complex and regulated industry. As an expert witness, Terri provides pre-litigation consulting and expert witness services for failed technology projects, including enterprise systems.
