Project Charter
Authorize and align a project on one page. Choose from four charter types, DMAIC, DMADV, Lean A3 and Research, and define the problem, scope, goals, team and measurable targets that keep everyone pointed at the same outcome.
Create a Project Charter →What is a Project Charter?
A project charter is the founding document of an improvement or design project. It states the problem, the goal, the scope, the team and the measurable targets, and in doing so authorizes the work and aligns everyone on what success looks like before any activity begins.
The charter is the first deliverable of the Define phase. Its value is preventive: by forcing agreement on the problem statement, the boundaries and the metrics up front, it stops the two most common project failures, solving the wrong problem and uncontrolled scope creep.
Different kinds of projects need different charters. Improving an existing process calls for a DMAIC charter; designing a new one calls for a DMADV charter; a fast one-page root-cause effort suits a Lean A3; and a hypothesis-driven study needs a Research charter. Each shares the same purpose, alignment and authorization, but structures the detail differently.
In plain terms: A project charter is the one-page agreement everyone signs up to before work starts: here's the problem, here's the goal, here's what's in and out of scope, here's the team, here's how we'll measure success. Get it right and you avoid the two classic disasters, solving the wrong thing and scope that never stops growing.
Four Charter Types
DMAIC Charter
For improving an existing process with a known, measurable problem. Problem and goal statements, scope, team, metrics, milestones and risks.
Best when a process underperforms and you want to reduce defects or variation.
DMADV (DFSS) Charter
For designing a new process or product. Adds Voice of Customer, CTQ requirements, phase-gate milestones and a verification plan.
Best when incremental fixes will not do and something new must be built.
Lean A3 Charter
A one-page root-cause charter: background, current condition, target, 5-Why analysis, countermeasures and effect confirmation.
Best for fast, focused problem solving with a clear tracked metric.
Research & Experiment Charter
For hypothesis-driven studies: research question, hypothesis, variables, sample size, methodology and success criteria.
Best when you are testing a hypothesis with a designed experiment.
Key Formulas
Choosing the Right Charter
Match the charter to the work. If you are improving something that exists and underperforms, use DMAIC. If you are building something new, use DMADV. If you need a fast, visual one-page root-cause effort, use A3. If you are testing a hypothesis with a controlled study, use the Research charter.
Whatever the type, the discipline is the same: a specific, measurable problem or goal, explicit scope boundaries, a named team, and quantified targets. A charter that is vague on any of these leaves the project open to the drift it is meant to prevent.
Assumptions & Validation
Specific Problem/Goal
The problem and goal are specific and measurable, not vague aspirations.
If violated: Rewrite until the goal has a number and a deadline.
Explicit Scope
Both in-scope and out-of-scope items are stated.
If violated: Add an out-of-scope list; it is the main defense against scope creep.
Named Team & Sponsor
Roles, responsibilities and a sponsor are identified.
If violated: Assign an accountable sponsor and clear roles.
Quantified Metrics
Baseline and target values are defined for the key metrics.
If violated: Add baseline and target figures so success is measurable.
⚠️ Check assumptions first
A charter that states the goal vaguely (improve quality) or omits an out-of-scope list invites the exact failures it exists to prevent: teams solve the wrong problem or watch scope expand without end. Insist on a measurable goal with a baseline, a target and a date, and an explicit out-of-scope section. The charter is only as useful as the specificity it forces at the start.
When NOT to Use Project Charter
Trivial Tasks
For a small, well-understood task with no cross-functional impact, a full charter is overhead; a simple action item suffices.
Detailed Scheduling
The charter sets direction, not the day-to-day schedule. Use a Gantt chart or implementation plan for that.
Statistical Analysis
The charter frames the project; the actual measurement and analysis use the Measure and Analyze tools.
Industry Applications
Six Sigma Projects
Authorize and scope a DMAIC or DMADV project and align the team and sponsor.
Lean Problem Solving
Frame a focused root-cause effort on one page with an A3 charter.
Experiments & Studies
Plan a hypothesis-driven study with variables, sample size and success criteria.
Cross-Functional Initiatives
Get agreement on problem, scope and metrics before committing resources across teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of a project charter?
A project charter authorizes a project and aligns everyone on its problem, goal, scope, team and measurable targets before work begins. It is the first Define-phase deliverable, and its main value is preventive: forcing agreement on these elements up front guards against the two most common failures, solving the wrong problem and letting scope expand without control. A good charter is specific and quantified, not aspirational.
What are the four types of project charter?
The four types are the DMAIC charter, for improving an existing process; the DMADV or Design for Six Sigma charter, for creating a new process or product; the Lean A3 charter, a one-page root-cause and countermeasure format; and the Research and Experiment charter, for hypothesis-driven studies with variables and success criteria. They share the same purpose but structure the detail to suit different kinds of work.
When should I use a DMAIC charter versus a DMADV charter?
Use a DMAIC charter when you are improving an existing process that underperforms, where the problem can be measured and the aim is to reduce defects or variation. Use a DMADV, or Design for Six Sigma, charter when incremental improvement is not enough and you must design a new process or product from customer requirements, which is why the DMADV charter adds Voice of Customer, CTQs and a verification plan.
What is a Lean A3 charter?
A Lean A3 charter is a one-page problem-solving document, named for the A3 paper size, that captures the background, current condition, target condition, root-cause analysis such as a 5-Why summary, countermeasures with owners and due dates, and effect confirmation. Its compact, visual format suits fast, focused improvement work where a full DMAIC charter would be more structure than the problem needs.
What makes a good problem statement in a charter?
A good problem statement is specific, measurable and free of assumed causes or solutions. It describes what is wrong, where and when it occurs, and its magnitude, ideally with a baseline figure, without prejudging why it happens or how to fix it. Vague statements like improve quality provide no basis for measuring success, which is why the charter should force a quantified, bounded description of the problem.
Why does a charter need an out-of-scope section?
The out-of-scope section is the charter's main defense against scope creep, the gradual expansion of a project beyond its original boundaries. By explicitly naming what the project will not address, it sets a clear boundary that the team and stakeholders have agreed to, making it far easier to decline additions later. A charter that lists only what is in scope leaves the door open to uncontrolled growth.
Authorize and Align Your Project
Choose a charter type and define the problem, scope, team and targets. Free during Beta.
Create a Project Charter →