The team charter document is created to define the values of the project team, the facts about the project agreed by the team, and the basic rules for the project. From the perspective of the project manager, and for the sake of optimal value delivery at the end of the project team charter is one of the most useful documents for managing the project team.
The team charter document was used in all processes involved in the project resource management knowledge area. With the emergence of the PMBOK 7, it may still be used in the same process by using the process groups model and waterfall development approach. Regardless of the development approach, a team charter should always be created with the collective team effort. Even in agile projects, or small-scaled projects with limited time, a few hours should be spent on creating a team charter. Sometimes being slow enough, allows you to be faster in later stages.
In some organizations, it can be created on behalf of the project team by professionals specializing in this field or by the project manager, or it can be prepared by the project team itself. However, it is recommended that the team create the team charter document to be efficient, or at least participate in the project team's creation phase. This phase is a part of team performance domain.
Team charter may be used for different purposes possibly in the following performance domains;
How to Create a Team Charter for a Project
- The shared values of the team
- Guiding information for ensuring communication
- Decision-making processes
- Conflict resolution methods
- The structure the team is assembled
- The conditions that are accepted by the team.
- Engagement of all team members,
- Responsibility sharing of team members,
- Clarification over roles and responsibilities of the team members,
- Showcasing the purpose of the team to the organization and stakeholders,
- Ease on solving conflicts may arise