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Get your team off to a great start by defining focus and direction
Use a team charter to outline the essential elements of your team's communication and define a set of concepts and skills that focus and guide your team. Invite your teammates to the example template and review together, then move into a blank charter and begin your journey to becoming a high-performing team.
A team charter serves as a guiding document for project management that outlines the purpose, goals, values, and expectations of a team. It provides a foundation for team members to align their efforts, establish a shared vision, and work towards achieving common objectives.
The team charter template helps teams:
- Improve clarity and alignment with key stakeholders
- Create a communication plan
- Increase accountability and buy-in
- Establish norms, success metrics, and quality standards
How to use the team charter template
Follow these steps to define your project team’s purpose and build a team charter. For each step, brainstorm with your team, consolidate the ideas, and refine the ideas by turning them into cohesive statements.
Step 1: List out team members and stakeholders
Have each team member add sticky notes with their name, two self-identified strengths, and two weaknesses to the first section of the template.
Step 2: Agree upon core values with the entire team
Brainstorm and discuss which shared values can help guide how you approach work and how the team members will collaborate with each other.
Step 3: Define team norms
With the other team members, establish your ways of working and the ideals you’ll expect each other to abide by. This might include the desired format for common deliverables, recurring workflows, and outcomes.
Step 4: Determine necessary team roles
Based on the strengths, weaknesses, and skill sets of each team member, define what roles each person will assume, what their responsibilities are, and how everyone will collaborate with each other.
Step 5: Identify team success metrics
Consider how success can be measured beyond a letter grade or number score. Are there specific milestones along the way or desired outcomes the team is working towards?
Step 6: Outline quality standards
What are your expectations for high-quality work and outcomes? Think about the level of quality you deliver and expect from your teammates.
Step 7: Organize these ideas into a cohesive charter
Transfer your organized thoughts from the six sections and draft up a single, cohesive charter document for each member of the team to follow.
Tips for creating a team charter with your team
- Regularly review and update: Treat the project team charter as a living document that evolves with the team's progress. Schedule regular reviews to assess the charter's effectiveness and make necessary updates to reflect any changes in goals, roles, or team dynamics.
- Align with organizational goals: Ensure that the team charter aligns with the broader goals and objectives of the organization. This alignment helps reinforce the team's relevance and importance within the larger context of the organization.
- Be clear and specific: Use clear and concise language when defining the team's purpose, goals, and expectations. Avoid ambiguity to minimize potential miscommunications and conflicts down the line.
What should a team charter include?
A team charter should include an overview of the team's purpose, goals, values, and expectations. It should clearly define the team's mission statement and objectives, outlining what the team aims to achieve. Roles and responsibilities of each team member should be specified to establish accountability.
The charter should also include the team's values and expected behaviors, promoting a positive team culture. Communication and collaboration guidelines, decision-making processes, and conflict-resolution processes should all be outlined.
Who is responsible for creating the team charter?
In a traditional team working environment, the whole team should collaboratively create the team charter together. A team leader might help facilitate, but it should be a group effort.
If building a new working relationship with a client, the program manager or account manager will likely be responsible for creating the team charter, with the client being a key stakeholder involved and consulted in the process.
Why are team charters important?
A team charter is important because it provides clarity, alignment, and a shared understanding among team members. It establishes a common purpose, defines the team’s objectives, and defines the project scope, which fosters effective communication, accountability, and collaboration within the team.
Additionally, a team charter helps streamline workflows, improve project planning, and build stronger team cohesion, ultimately contributing to the project’s success.
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