You have just been assigned the position of project manager to a new project. What is the name of the document that formally authorizes the project?
A. The project assignment
B. The project charter
C. The project description
D. The statement of work

As you probably guessed from the title of this blog, the answer is B – the project charter! The project charter will contain the name of the project manager. Exam wise, it is part of the project initiation phase and the Project Management Institute (PMI)^® state that a project cannot start without a project charter. Once the shareholders are satisfied, the document can be signed off and the project can get started. These high level requirements must be accurately documented as they will be used to create the Project Scope document.

The project charter should be created by external parties and by the people who are to perform the tasks within it, for example, the project manager in collaboration with the client or sponsor. The project charter is usually a fairly broad document that will not need to be changed too often. A more detailed description of the project will be contained within the scope statement.

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