Computer Science Project Management
One of the most important documents within a project is the project charter. Review the research to learn more about what is commonly found within a project charter. Using your research, evaluate the project charter below.
Project Title: SIS Implementation Date: April 7, 2000
Scope and Objectives: Everywhere University is undergoing rapid growth resulting in an urgent need for a more efficient access to internal and external policies related to the student experience and programs. To this end, we are implementing a new p Student Information System Portal that will satisfy both these needs and will enhance communication across the organization.
Defining Conditions, Constraints, and Assumptions: The SIS must be operational on the last day of the Spring semester.
Staffing: The project manager will determine the skill requirements for the project and provide them, along with specific team member names, by June 1 to the appropriate functional managers. The project manager is authorized to have one clerical person to assist. Because of other campus priorities, the project team is limited to no more than 2 technical members without specific authority from the President.
Communications: Status reports will be provided to the President, the Deans, and the Project Sponsor bi-monthly.
What sections are missing from this document?
Why are they important?
Recreate this project charter to include those sections and offer suggested wording.
What are the remaining areas which may need to be refined to prevent “scope creep”?
Sample Answer
The provided project charter has several crucial sections missing, potentially leading to issues during project execution. Here’s a breakdown of missing sections, their importance, and suggestions for improvement:
Missing Sections:
- Project Sponsor: While a “Project Sponsor” is mentioned, their name and contact information are absent.
- Budget: No mention of budget exists, raising concerns about cost management and potential for overruns.
- Acceptance Criteria: The document lacks clear criteria for defining project success, making evaluation and closure ambiguous.