What is the main purpose of a project charter?

The main purpose of a project charter is to formally authorize a project and outline its objectives. The project charter acts as a foundational document that provides a clear direction for the project team and stakeholders. It establishes the project's existence, identifies the project manager, defines the objectives, and outlines the scope, high-level requirements, and constraints. This formal authorization helps ensure that there is alignment and support from key stakeholders, as well as providing a reference point throughout the project lifecycle.

While creating project deliverables is an essential activity within the project, it is not the primary function of the project charter itself. The charter lays the groundwork for those activities but does not detail the deliverables. Communicating with stakeholders is an ongoing process that extends well beyond the initial creation of the project charter. The charter may serve as a communication tool, but its main role is more about validation and authorization. Similarly, developing the project team is a separate aspect of project management that occurs after the charter is established and does not pertain to the primary purpose of the charter.