Discussion: Managing a Project From Project Charter to Project Management Plan

Some projects have ambitious goals, and some fill in small pieces of a larger puzzle. An organization must evaluate whether a project is necessary to support the business vision and whether it is worth the time, money, and risk to implement. The organization must also assess the effect of any new project on other established projects.

An organization creates a Project Charter to help in the evaluation. This document summarizes the goals, benefits, risks, costs, and major stakeholders for the project. The Project Charter also names the Project Manager and, once signed by the Project Sponsor(s), allows the project to officially begin. The Project Manager creates and maintains the Project Management Plan, a compilation of living project documentation that tracks all aspects of project.

This Discussion enables you to exchange opinions with students about the role of the Project Charter and the Project Management Plan.

To prepare for this Discussion, read the provided Case Study document, which can be found in the Learning Resources, and create a list of project stakeholders.