Chapter 2 Pragmatic PM Element #1: The Project Charter

Projects, by their nature, craft something new. They give rise to new products and solutions, enhance existing processes, and change how people work and live their lives. Managing a project is like navigating a boat through open waters: Even if navigation tools abound, the voyage has inherent risk. An experienced sailor will confirm the benefits of preplanning. In the project management world, preplanning is documented in the project charter. The project charter is the first of the five essential elements of pragmatic project management.

As with sailing through unfamiliar seas, a little planning can help a project manager navigate a project's unknown territory and increase the likelihood of project success. At the very least, project managers must describe the project's main objectives before investing time or money in the effort. Unfortunately, many projects fail because of a lack of clear project direction and planning initially.