| Initiating a project usually involves writing one of two | | | | complete, but ironing out issues surrounding scope, |
| documents; a Project Charter or a Project Initiation | | | | roles, responsibilities, development process and |
| Document (PID). Now a great many things happen | | | | governance upfront is absolutely vital to prevent |
| during initiation. High level scope is determined, | | | | confusion later on. |
| deliverables set and budgets estimated. | | | | The approval process for each document certainly |
| If these aren’t investigated and documented | | | | bears this out. A Charter can be approved simply by |
| effectively it can adversely impact the entire | | | | the sponsor. A PID requires all the sponsors and |
| successful delivery. But which document is better for | | | | other key individuals to formally approve it. This is |
| ensuring this? | | | | harder to get and certainly takes time, but it means |
| Well to give a quick overview, a PID is a highly | | | | that activities start with all the stakeholders signing |
| detailed paper which forces a PM to spend time | | | | up to the same understanding of what is being |
| upfront in seriously thinking about the deliverables, | | | | delivered and when. |
| processes and governance required, before it even | | | | Therefore if you are ambitious and want to work on |
| starts. A Project Charter is far less detailed and | | | | the big, high profile projects then you really have to |
| hence requires much less from a PM. It is essentially a | | | | have a good idea of how to write both documents, |
| quick way for work to get underway fast. | | | | quickly and efficiently. This however is much easier |
| However despite this, both documents have a similar | | | | than it looks as many PM’s have found to their |
| feel and endeavour to fulfil the function of enabling | | | | cost when they end up encountering the dreaded |
| effective initiation. But as you will have already seen, | | | | scope creep and budget deficits. |
| both definitely put the emphasis in different areas. | | | | Needless to say any aspiring PM has to be |
| So which is better? Well if you have a small project | | | | conversant in writing both a Project Charter and a |
| then writing a long, convoluted PID doesn’t | | | | Project Initiation Document as both are equally valid |
| make sense. On something this size it is highly likely | | | | ways of starting projects. However, as with many |
| the deliverable will be simple, the amount of | | | | things, completing both takes a particular knack and is |
| resources utilised small and there will be just the one | | | | one which is definitely well worth learning, as having |
| Sponsor. | | | | this skill is a great enhancement to any Project |
| On bigger or more complex projects, writing a PID | | | | Manager career. |
| will definitely make sense. Yes it is a detailed paper to | | | | |