Selecting the Best Format for a Project Charter - by Alex S. Brown, PMP

Sep 11, 2026

Upload by Finn

Selecting the Best Format for a Project Charter explains why format, language, and style strongly influence project charter effectiveness in real business environments. It outlines charter goals: granting authority to the project manager, defining scope boundaries at a high level, and clarifying resources under the manager’s authority. The guide recommends a clear structure with action-oriented purpose, concise writing, consistent style, and effective use of bullets, supported by examples of strong purpose statements and rewriting principles for business clarity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

Selecting the Best Format for a Project Charter

Driven by Goals

Statement of Purpose

Writing Style

Simpler and Shorter is Always Better

Selecting the Best Format for a Project Charter By Alex S. Brown, PMP In a fair world, format, language, and style would be meaningless in business. The merits ofthe business case would drive everything. Proposals would be approved based on the quality of the ideas in them. Senior managers would grant authority to the most deserving and effective project managers. The business world is not fair, and format, language, and style are critical to your success. Driven by Goals The project charter has a few goals. These goals should drive the format, language and style of the charter, just as these goals drive the content: ● Grant authority to the project manager ● Give a high-level view of what the project includes and excludes ● Define the resources that the project manager has authority over Most project charters also include some overview of the business case for the project. Many list organizational goals that the project will help meet, or objectives that the project will advance. A well-written charter will achieve these core goals, letting any reader quickly see who is in charge and what they are in charge of. The format might seem unimportant, but the format does matter. Good structure and language will give a charter clarity and power. A good charter typically features: ● A statement of purpose ● Clear, consistent writing style ● A format that mixes easy-to-scan facts with good stories and narrative ● Effective use of bullets and lists ● Critical, relevant information This writing style adds impact to a project charter, and will also help most project documents, business memos, or professional e-mails. Statement of Purpose A great charter opens with an action-oriented, short summary of the purpose of the project. Senior executives might never read past that first sentence. That first sentence should convey the weight and importance of the project. One of the best formats for the first sentence is a “statement of purpose”. There are many ways to create a statement of purpose, and business books on leadership, management, missions, visions, and other topics offer many alternatives. One of the most effective formats for a project is the following: ● Action verb [www.alexsbrown.com](www.alexsbrown.com) Copyright © 2007 Alex S. Brown. All rights reserved. Page 1 ● Business result to be achieved ● Time and budget constraints For instance, a project to close a branch office might involve work for many departments: facilities, information technology, telecommunications, human resources, legal, and others. A full description of the work and goals involved would take many pages. A statement of purpose captures the most critical business deliverable of the branch closure: “Reduce long-term real estate costs by 10% within six months for a first-year cost of less than $150,000 .” Action and change appear in every statement of purpose: ● Train 20 staff members to interview effectively within the next two months for less than $25,000 ● Certify the company in XYZ regulatory compliance system within 18 months for approximately $2 MM ● Increase market share 5% within one year using one full-time marketing campaign manager It may be difficult to decide which objective to focus on in the statement of purpose, particularly for large, multi-year projects. Working with project sponsors to identify that single, leading objective will ensure that the sponsors' key goals are well-understood by the project team. Writing a strong statement of purpose is not an academic exercise. It adds focus to the project, and allows the project manager to act as a more effective leader. Adding the words,“The project manager will lead a team to...” in front of a statement of purpose can clarify the accountability and authority of the project manager. Organizations struggling to understand the role of the project manager can benefit from starting every project charter in this format: John Smith will lea

FAQs

What are the key goals of a project charter that should drive its format and wording?

A project charter should grant authority to the project manager, provide a high-level view of what is in and out of scope, and define the resources the project manager has authority over.

What should a strong charter statement of purpose accomplish?

It should open with an action-oriented, short summary that conveys the project’s weight and importance, often including the business result and time/budget constraints.

How should business writing style differ from academic writing in a project charter?

Business demands simpler, shorter sentences, focus on action and results, deletion of unnecessary words, and clearer, specific statements rather than vague promises.

Sep 11, 2026

Upload by Finn